Live rock hitchhikers

"Umm, fish?" · 12/08/2009, 11:43 PM

The tree-looking thing, maybe some sort of colonial worm?

But there's also this crustacean(?), it looks like it's filter feeding off the pinnate antennae. (What a pose.) And there's an amphipod above it.

I hope you enjoy!

Beaun · 12/09/2009, 07:25 AM

There are some amazing and bizzare things out there. How big would you say it is?

"Umm, fish?" · 12/09/2009, 08:15 AM

Well, that's sand that it's building with, so pretty small. But it's still big enough to see pretty easily. An inch or so, probably.

somosomo · 12/09/2009, 08:43 AM

i think the first thing is a spaghetti worm...they eat detritus..I have no idea what the brown shrimp looking thing is

"Umm, fish?" · 12/09/2009, 09:55 AM

I would think spaghetti worm, but aren't they sand sifters? Do they build permanent structures up into the water column?

"Umm, fish?" · 12/09/2009, 11:26 AM

And we have an answer:

Quote:

The tall structure is a foraminiferan. They are acellular organisms that build a skeletal structure out of sand grains. In some tropical areas these are often found near sponges and build their structures out of sponge spicules. They have the name of "spicule trees."

The crustacean in the adjacent tube is indeed a filter feeder. It is also an amphipod.

These sorts of critters are common in the real world, pretty uncommon in tanks.

From Ron Shimek: http://forum.marinedepot.com/Topic10....aspx?Update=1

bs21 · 12/14/2009, 11:07 PM

this is awsome!

lil_O_JJ · 12/19/2009, 12:40 PM

this is one of my favorite things about reef systems and why i can just sit and stare at the display forever. You never know what you may see.

TitusvileSurfer · 12/19/2009, 10:25 PM

Gosh that is totally wild

"Umm, fish?" · 12/20/2009, 01:06 AM

Got a different ID on the funky sand-skeleton thing. Leslie (the worm wrangler) thinks its from a genus (Lanice) of sand-skeleton building worms.

Some information on those:

Here's a scientist's experimental tank with them:

http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.p...mage&pic=12186

and a picture of the worm, removed from the tube:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...conchilega.jpg

And Leslie's comments are here: http://forum.marinedepot.com/Topic10....aspx#bm105094

one clownfish · 12/20/2009, 09:12 AM

Let me start by saying RC is awesome! I've been trying to identify that worm for the last month or so with no pictures. I have the same Lanice Conchilega worm in my tank. I thought it was a piece of something from my arm but when it started moving I couldn't believe it. Thanks for the ID!

12/08/2009, 11:43 PM	#1
"Umm, fish?" Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 4,112	Live rock hitchhikers The tree-looking thing, maybe some sort of colonial worm? But there's also this crustacean(?), it looks like it's filter feeding off the pinnate antennae. (What a pose.) And there's an amphipod above it. I hope you enjoy! __________________ --Andy "And chase the frothy bubbles, / While the world is full of troubles. . . ." --W. B. Yeats Current Tank Info: ~480 gal. display, ~1,400 gal. system

12/09/2009, 07:25 AM	#2
Beaun It's pronounced Bone Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: East Hampton, NY Posts: 1,967	There are some amazing and bizzare things out there. How big would you say it is? __________________ -Tyler "The only legitimate use of a computer is to play games." -Eugene Jarvis Current Tank Info: None

12/09/2009, 08:15 AM	#3
"Umm, fish?" Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 4,112	Well, that's sand that it's building with, so pretty small. But it's still big enough to see pretty easily. An inch or so, probably. __________________ --Andy "And chase the frothy bubbles, / While the world is full of troubles. . . ." --W. B. Yeats Current Tank Info: ~480 gal. display, ~1,400 gal. system

12/09/2009, 09:55 AM	#5
"Umm, fish?" Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 4,112	I would think spaghetti worm, but aren't they sand sifters? Do they build permanent structures up into the water column? __________________ --Andy "And chase the frothy bubbles, / While the world is full of troubles. . . ." --W. B. Yeats Current Tank Info: ~480 gal. display, ~1,400 gal. system

12/19/2009, 12:40 PM	#8
lil_O_JJ Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: charleston, SC Posts: 111	this is one of my favorite things about reef systems and why i can just sit and stare at the display forever. You never know what you may see. __________________ 20L in the works....build thread to follow...

12/09/2009, 08:43 AM	#4
somosomo Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: lock haven Posts: 531	i think the first thing is a spaghetti worm...they eat detritus..I have no idea what the brown shrimp looking thing is

12/14/2009, 11:07 PM	#7
bs21 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Pittsburgh Posts: 133	this is awsome!

12/19/2009, 10:25 PM	#9
TitusvileSurfer Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Titusville, FL Posts: 3,227	Gosh that is totally wild __________________ The ocean is the pinnacle of reef tanks. Someone up there is keeping up with his PH and Phosphates to.

12/20/2009, 01:06 AM	#10
"Umm, fish?" Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 4,112	Got a different ID on the funky sand-skeleton thing. Leslie (the worm wrangler) thinks its from a genus (Lanice) of sand-skeleton building worms. Some information on those: Here's a scientist's experimental tank with them: http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.p...mage&pic=12186 and a picture of the worm, removed from the tube: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...conchilega.jpg And Leslie's comments are here: http://forum.marinedepot.com/Topic10....aspx#bm105094 __________________ --Andy "And chase the frothy bubbles, / While the world is full of troubles. . . ." --W. B. Yeats Current Tank Info: ~480 gal. display, ~1,400 gal. system

12/20/2009, 09:12 AM	#11
one clownfish Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Michigan Posts: 279	Let me start by saying RC is awesome! I've been trying to identify that worm for the last month or so with no pictures. I have the same Lanice Conchilega worm in my tank. I thought it was a piece of something from my arm but when it started moving I couldn't believe it. Thanks for the ID!