unknown creatures at night - pls help

PARADISE1 · 09/21/2008, 09:03 PM

Hi everyone,

If anyone can point me in the right direction.. please. i tried to google and search the archives on this site.

I am in week 3 of cycling my 75 gal w/o light. It has live rock and live sand. I was warned that soon I will see "little creatures" but I am having a hard time ID them.

I saw:

1- dark gray looking slug- no shell with a gray circular patch on it's back. It's about a half an inch long and a quarter inch wide, it's body is oval shaped, the head has two anntenae. He was on the rock. As soon as I put on the flashlight... he starting moving away.

2- Moving rice ... reminded me of a small flea

3- a very tiny snail on the glass

4- flat dark brown looking thing - extremely small. It had a ring around it.. maybe from slime?

5- in a rock crevice... 2 strands of black and purple tenacle?

*My digital camera could not get them...

I am worried now. Should I get a turkey baster and get them out?

Is there a book for common hitch hikers?

shuguley · 09/21/2008, 09:15 PM

You can start here, it will be nearly impossible for anbody to help you without pictures.

http://www.melevsreef.com/id/

singold · 09/21/2008, 09:34 PM

#1 sounds like a Stomatella snail. Good to have, good scavengers. They often come in as hitchhikers on live rock

TheORKINMan · 09/21/2008, 09:42 PM

+1 on Stomatella for #1

PARADISE1 · 09/21/2008, 09:50 PM

Thanks guys for responding.

I've been looking online for pictures for hours... my skin is crawling! Checked #1 - it doesnt match

. It has no shell.

I know its nearly impossible w/o pictures. I will try to play around with my camera to try again.

Thanks...

cutegecko3 · 09/21/2008, 11:15 PM

1-algae eating nudibrach
2-amphiopods
3-a very tiny snail
4-flatworm
5-micro-brittlestar

The best i can do without pics.

All of the above are pretty much harmless.Most people think flatworms are unsightly,me included,but they are harmless as well.

eb8919 · 09/21/2008, 11:24 PM

Yes the "flea" looking things are most likeley amphipods...very good sign..as far as the rest goes, its hard to say without pictures. +1 on melevs site...I've id'd alot from there.

PARADISE1 · 09/21/2008, 11:46 PM

Thank you so much for responding. The support here is so encouraging! I am glad I found you guys.

I will try to figure out how to take pix. I am sure there will be more creatures as I need more rock.

abulgin · 09/22/2008, 04:51 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by cutegecko3
1-algae eating nudibrach
2-amphiopods
3-a very tiny snail
4-flatworm
5-micro-brittlestar

The best i can do without pics.

All of the above are pretty much harmless.Most people think flatworms are unsightly,me included,but they are harmless as well.

I agree 80 percent

. #1 is a stomatella--that small disk you see on the back is a shell. These snails hate light, which is why it run for the hills when you shine it.

will16 · 09/22/2008, 05:45 AM

Don't think you have anything to worry about....except maybe the flatworm but that can also be nothing (depends on the kind and how many). Wouldn't worry about any of that for now. Sounds completely normal

PARADISE1 · 09/22/2008, 08:29 AM

Thanks guys. If I can figure how to take a pix, I will post it. You guys are awesome.

09/21/2008, 09:15 PM	#2
shuguley Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Smiths Station, AL Posts: 536	You can start here, it will be nearly impossible for anbody to help you without pictures. http://www.melevsreef.com/id/ __________________ 2 Ocellaris Clowns, Midas Blenny, Spotted Mandarin, Pistol Shrimp, 2 Cleaner Shrimp, Large CUC Corals: Xenia, Candy Cane, Zoas, Frogspawn, Brain, Bubble, Shrooms, Sun Current Tank Info: 55G Reef w/ 15G sump/fuge w/chaeto, Phosban Reactor w/GFO, AquaC Remora Protein Skimmer, 2 Koralia 3s, Nova Extreme T5HO 216W, 85lbs LR, 60lbs LS

09/21/2008, 09:34 PM	#3
singold Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Lake Saint Louis, Missouri Posts: 1,794	#1 sounds like a Stomatella snail. Good to have, good scavengers. They often come in as hitchhikers on live rock __________________ "If there is no wind.....row." Current Tank Info: 75gal Reef w/29gal Refugium

09/21/2008, 11:24 PM	#7
eb8919 Reefaholic Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 542	Yes the "flea" looking things are most likeley amphipods...very good sign..as far as the rest goes, its hard to say without pictures. +1 on melevs site...I've id'd alot from there. __________________ A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new. -A. Einstein

09/21/2008, 09:03 PM	#1
PARADISE1 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Hampton Roads, VA Posts: 52	unknown creatures at night - pls help Hi everyone, If anyone can point me in the right direction.. please. i tried to google and search the archives on this site. I am in week 3 of cycling my 75 gal w/o light. It has live rock and live sand. I was warned that soon I will see "little creatures" but I am having a hard time ID them. I saw: 1- dark gray looking slug- no shell with a gray circular patch on it's back. It's about a half an inch long and a quarter inch wide, it's body is oval shaped, the head has two anntenae. He was on the rock. As soon as I put on the flashlight... he starting moving away. 2- Moving rice ... reminded me of a small flea 3- a very tiny snail on the glass 4- flat dark brown looking thing - extremely small. It had a ring around it.. maybe from slime? 5- in a rock crevice... 2 strands of black and purple tenacle? *My digital camera could not get them... I am worried now. Should I get a turkey baster and get them out? Is there a book for common hitch hikers?

09/21/2008, 09:42 PM	#4
TheORKINMan Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Tallahassee, FL Posts: 401	+1 on Stomatella for #1

09/21/2008, 09:50 PM	#5
PARADISE1 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Hampton Roads, VA Posts: 52	Thanks guys for responding. I've been looking online for pictures for hours... my skin is crawling! Checked #1 - it doesnt match . It has no shell. I know its nearly impossible w/o pictures. I will try to play around with my camera to try again. Thanks...

09/21/2008, 11:15 PM	#6
cutegecko3 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Springdale, AR Posts: 974	1-algae eating nudibrach 2-amphiopods 3-a very tiny snail 4-flatworm 5-micro-brittlestar The best i can do without pics. All of the above are pretty much harmless.Most people think flatworms are unsightly,me included,but they are harmless as well.

09/21/2008, 11:46 PM	#8
PARADISE1 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Hampton Roads, VA Posts: 52	Thank you so much for responding. The support here is so encouraging! I am glad I found you guys. I will try to figure out how to take pix. I am sure there will be more creatures as I need more rock.

09/22/2008, 05:45 AM	#10
will16 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Northern NJ Posts: 1,823	Don't think you have anything to worry about....except maybe the flatworm but that can also be nothing (depends on the kind and how many). Wouldn't worry about any of that for now. Sounds completely normal

09/22/2008, 08:29 AM	#11
PARADISE1 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Hampton Roads, VA Posts: 52	Thanks guys. If I can figure how to take a pix, I will post it. You guys are awesome.