Please Help the Confused Newbie - ID

[squiddly]

Greetings everyone. I have been reading this forum for quite some time, but this is my first post. Of course, I'm posting becuase I'm having some troubles. I have an aquapod 24 and a 120 acrylic tank. I made the mistake of going on vacation for two weeks. When I came home, I found that the timer had malfunctioned, and the tank keeper didn't notice that the lights were on 24/7. The 120 is pretty much ok except for algae growth. However, the aquapod was not so great. Bubble algae was everywhere. I cleared it out, and the tank went cloudy and the chemical parameters got a bit wonky. Ph 8.4, ammonia .25, nitrite .25, nitrate. I did a 30% water change. The water is cloudy white. AND, there are cretures in the tank that I don't recognize. There are eggs on the glass and on the back of the tank. I also saw a creature I didn't recognize that is about 3/4 inch long. Sorry for the quality of the pics, but I only got one shot off. Not sure if this is the creature with the eggs or what.

Any help would be much appreciated!

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/562/135840egg.jpg

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/562/135840thingsm.jpg

[racrumrine]

Welcome aboard.

The top picture looks like the egg sack of a snail.

The bottom picture looks like some type of worm.

If you can get clearer pictures, we may be able to help further.

Meanwhile, here are a couple of links with lots of clear pictures that may help you

http://melevsreef.com/id/

http://home2.pacific.net.ph/~sweetyummy42/hitchhikers.html

Water changes are helpful in getting your parameters back in synch.

Best of luck,

Roy

[squiddly]

Thank you, Roy. I had checked those two places first, and couldn't find anything quite like the worm type thing. One other person suggested that the egg type things were snail eggs, and since I have margarita snails in the tank, that's certainly plausible, and would make me feel much better rather than running around the room in circles screaming "help me, there's a parasite of doom in my tank." As for the other critter, I will try to get another picture of it, but this was the first and last time I've seen the thing. It's certainly very annoying to not know if it's dangerous or not. Looked like a very thin ground slug with the little antennae on the front, but much mroe slender and brown. I'll certainly try to get a better picture.

Meantime, it's onward with water changes. Tally ho! :-)

[racrumrine]

In general, worms may be strange looking; but, for the most part, they are harmless and reef safe.

Thus, I wouldn't worry to much.

Best of luck,

Roy

[squiddly]

I have a better picture. the critter came out again today.

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/562/135840thethingsm.jpg

Any ID's or guesses appreciated

[racrumrine]

The picture really helps.

I'm pretty sure it is a type of nudibranch (shell less sea slug). There are many species of them and they usually only feed on very limited things. The quick references I consulted didn't have a picture of this one.

I'm sure that someone will be able to chime in with a more specific identification.

How old is the live rock in your tank? If you have had the rock for awhile, then this creature has probably adapted to your tank and is eating something. If you haven't had the rock for long, it may stave to death (as unfortunately most of them (especially the pretty ones for sale at the LFS) end up doing).

Until you know what it is, in my opinion you should leave it be. I always hate it when people flush unknown critters and then find out later that they are reef safe.

Perhaps you have something that no one else has, and then you then have the pleasure of reporting to us what it eats and what its behaviors are (e.g., nocturnal, etc).

Best of luck,

Roy

[squiddly]

Thank you again, Roy. The rock is about 4 months old, so whatever it is has been finding something to eat. I had a massive algae growth mess because I went on vacation and the tank sitter only came during the day and didn't realize that the timers has malfunctioned in a power hit and were on 24/7 for two weeks. I yanked most of the bubble coral out of that tank and am going through a small bacterial bloom, and when my WONDERFUL LFS shop guy came out to see what was up, he noticed snail eggs on the glass and back of the tank, and then THIS critter.

I also hate the idea of harming anything without good reason, so he remains. I love watching nudibranchs in the wild, and would be really happy to have a non dangerous one in my tank, hopefully happy. I'm too inexperienced to deliberately buy one and watch him die because I don't know how to take care of him.

[LeslieH]

Looks like an arminid nudibranch, either an Armina or Dermatobranchus. These are voracious predators on cnidarians, particularly sea pens. Most of them are specialized and only feed on one or maybe a few species.

[squiddly]

Thank you! I have not yet run in circles, screaming and shouting :-). Now I have a much better idea.

[romunov]

The top pic kinda reminds me of a nerite egg capsule.

[Ryanqk]

does anyone have pics if nerite snail eggs? I have the nerite snails but i was told the white bits are a boreing snail that will eat thru my back glass! this stuff is confusing for people who have been doing it for a while too!