Reef Discussion

[ezza]

i was looking in the tank and spotted a strange looking mass I've seen recently in another spot. I assumed it to be sponge or something and now I know it is not.

I guess it's a Nudibranch, I haven't been able to confirm that though. It is greyish or beige in colour with deer antler like antennae at one end which as I removed it from the tank, appeared to be grey and black. It seemed to have several antennae like protuberances. It's quite solid and not slimy on the skin. I found myself thinking it was a bit like a sea cucumber actually. It's quite bumpy that way.

 

[ezza]

 

[ezza]

It is of course a sea cucumber! Just trying to ID it.

 

[MagicJ]

Yes, it looks like a juvenile cucumber.

I suspect it would be difficult to obtain an accurate ID - @Dr. Schell ??

 

[Buddy]

I usually get the purple and red little cucumbers as Hitchhiker's. They are cool looking little critters.

 

[ezza]

I have a burnt sausage cuke in the tank. I guess the only possible way it got there is as a hitchhiker as Mr Sausage looks entirely different and we've had him for a while. It's peculiar! It must have come on one of the corals bought from Asquith over the last few months. I haven't bought many. It's interesting too, I always dip my corals in fresh RO. He's done well to make it this far.

 

[Agent M]

Hard to know what this particular one eats, but its a filter feeder - the way it eats is completely different to your burnt sausage cuke - treat it like a fan worm, feather star or non-photosynthetic coral. Best bet is to give the sand bed a little stir to feed it and hope something that gets stirred up is either the right particle size or the right food item

 

[ezza]

Thanks so much for the advice @Agent M ! I did just as you advised!

 

[Agent M]

Did it bring its tentacles to its mouth? Thats the sign that its getting a food it can eat

 

[Buddy]

@ezza, here is a pic of the ones I have had before.

 

[ezza]

@Agent M yes it did bring the tentacles to its mouth. I have videos but I don't have the patience to upload to youtube before posting here. He is a happy little fellow constantly feeding from all appearances.

 

[MagicJ]

@Agent M - is that really you :confused: Or has your account been hacked ;)

Good to see you back,,,

 

[Agent M]

Smee alright! @MagicJ Thanks, missed you guys - such a good atmosphere here.

 

[chimaera]

I used to have a good few of these little guys in my tank, they did well for ages then seemed to disappear, so maybe not getting enough column food?