ID Please... Do I want this in my tank?

[bigpaul2600]

Can anyone tell me what this is?

I'm assuming its a flat worm of some type.

Do I want to put it in my tank?

http://www.pogiako.net/img/aquarium/MyBioCube14/hitchiker1.jpg

[acrodave]

If you don't know what it is = throw it away

[mbbuna]

cant tell from the photo. can you get a better one? maybe put it under bright light and turn the flash off

[bertoni]

How big is the animal?

[bigpaul2600]

http://www.pogiako.net/img/aquarium/MyBioCube14/hitchiker1-2.jpg

[bigpaul2600]

I'd say its a little over an inch long and it really doesn't seem to like the light.

[bertoni]

It's probably just a flatworm of some sort, and it's unlikely to be harmful, but there's not much detail in the photo. Small animals can be tough to shoot.

[pagojoe]

That's a cool looking animal, whatever it is. It's iridescent, and appears to have scales, like a... FISH?????

I'll go ahead and contradict Dave:

If you don't know what it is -- FIND OUT, don't just throw it away

Cheers,



Don

[Paintbug]

it almost looks like a baby sea snake, or eel. freaky for sure. ask LeslieH if she could help.

[bigpaul2600]

I noticed about 3 others in the tank as I was arranging my rock. I went a head and dumped this one in the tank as well.

[pagojoe]

Yeah, it looks like it has a dorsal fin that runs almost the length of its body. Does it swim upright like most fish, or does it swim "flat" like a flatworm or flounder? It has the coloration, and from what I can see, the dorsal fin placement of a baby Pseudechidna brummeri (don't know the common name for this eel, sorry). It might be slightly too broad for that species, though. I guess it's more likely to be one of those cryptic little hider fish that show up occasionally, assuming it's a fish and not an invertebrate.

Cheers,



Don

[acrodave]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11138239#post11138239 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by pagojoe
That's a cool looking animal, whatever it is. It's iridescent, and appears to have scales, like a... FISH?????

I'll go ahead and contradict Dave:

If you don't know what it is -- FIND OUT, don't just throw it away

Cheers,



Don

I understand what you are saying. But alot of people dont have sumps or fuges.And finding a id on a critter sometimes takes longer than a few days.And if you let it go and wait to find out you may never see it again.After that im sure it will be predatory

[Radioheadx14]

kinda looks like amphioxis...or a lancelet(sp?). a quite simple chordate(phylum we belong to.)

[pagojoe]

I think you're right, Radiohead. Nice Job :thumbsup:

http://www.underwatertimes.com/news.php?article_id=83410560791

Cheers,



Don

[zotzer]

Very cool! I'm guessing the OP must have used florida LR.

Tracy

[bigpaul2600]

Yes I got my first shipment of TBS yesterday. I went a head and dropped that guy in the tank as I saw others in there already. he swam into the first chamber of my overflow (its a BioCube 14) and I found him in the drip tray this morning. there are a few more on/in the sand bed at the moment. I don't know if any of them survived though.

there is also a bristle worm and a small crab and very small serpent star in the same area of the sand bed. I don't think any of them made it.

Ammonia was 0.25 this morning. I will test again at lunch time and this evening and do a water change if it gets over 0.25

[techreef]

it's tougher with nano tanks to deal w/ the ammonia spike, but I wouldn't pull anything out of your tank yet and trash it 'cause you think it's dead. Many of the TBS 'hikers perk up and will survive, esp. the stuff you mentioned above. Heck, I had a tiger goby hitch in on my TBS order. Unless your shipment sat at the airport for a really long time, you'll be amazed at the quantity of life that oozes out of their rocks over the first 2 weeks. Enjoy!

[LeslieH]

Hi guys - I got here a little late for the party as Radiohead's right. It's a lancelet.

[bigpaul2600]

the order came fedex and I got it in under 24 hours. I noticed the bristle worm looked dead but then it started to move a bit... I just thought it was flow... maybe it is still alive and just hanging out.

[skeletor121]

Like tech said, leave it alone and you may be surprised at what survives. I have gotten a few hitchikers on LR that appeared dead but perked up and survived in my old tank.

[bigpaul2600]

Just went home for lunch. the bristle and crab are still in the same spot. and it looks like I have a clam of some sort. what I thought was a rock was opening and closing

[Playa-1]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11138368#post11138368 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Paintbug
it almost looks like a baby sea snake, or eel. freaky for sure. ask LeslieH if she could help.

Does it have tiny little pointed teeth ?
:)