What the heck is this?!?!? (1 Viewer)

[Guest]

Okay, we were looking at the tank to see how the new additions were adjusting to their home and then I get the regular question of "what is this thing?" And then when I approached the tank all I could say is "I don't know and get me the camera quick!"

Can someone out there please help me identify this obvious hitch-hiker?

 

[Guest]

Now look what it is doing!!!!

Dear God, there is an alien in my tank!!!! :-o

 

[Guest]

Maybe it'll pop out of the cocoon as a butterflyfish.

Sorry--couldn't help myself.

 

[Guest]

That thing looks wicked. I have no idea what it is but if I were you I would pull it out of the tank before you loose it. When you find out what it is give it its proper place, either back in the tank or .....swoosh....

 

[Guest]

I am still trying to figure out how to grab it... It's legs look pointy, and pointy isn't always a good thing... Mark won't let me stick my hand in there, he thinks it will attack me or something.

 

[Guest]

Get some tweezers and carefully pull it off or if its on a small enough rock just take the whole thing out.

 

[Guest]

Here is the underside of it.

 

[Guest]

I am going to try to remove it today, if I can find it again. Luckily my tank is fairly small and there is only a few pieces of rock. I was going to add my CPR today, so I will put it in there for the time being. Ron Schimek suggested it be a sea cuke or something, but I will have to get better pictures when I isolate it.

I can say that from what I observed, the mouth parts are definitely hard to identify, but it looks like it has whiskers in the oral region. I wlso saw what appeared to be primitive eyes, like black spots that were more of a light sensor than anything.

I will update soon....

 

[incysor]

I would guess some type of cucumber. I'd use a pair of forceps, or dish-washing rubber gloves and pull it out until you can get a clearer pic for the experts to look at.

B

 

[Guest]

It is weird though, it looks like a caterpillar... I am not afraid of a lot of things, let alone I don't get grossed out easily, but this bugger just creeps me out.

 

[Guest]

8O :? scary....

 

[Guest]

You want it Mike?

 

[Cakepro]

That is really gross-looking.

 

[Guest]

Yeah I know. I am very nervous.

 

[Guest]

The only thing that I can find online that looks similar is the scale worm, which is a polynoid.

 

[jamesw]

If it's a segmented worm, it's probably OK. Just about the only segmented worm I'd be scared to have in my reef tank would be a Bobbit worm. Nah, that would be pretty cool too...lol.

See if you can get some more pix Kim, that guy is really weird looking.

Cheers
James

 

[Guest]

Yeah it is segmented, and really did ,ove like a caterpillar. Of course now I can't find it, but I am sure it will start to venture out again when I feed the tank again. It was so bizarre to see it hang there in the current like it was trying to catch morsels of food.