Another what is this? Sea Cuke?
Printed From: Utah Reefs
Category: Specialized Discussion
Forum Name: Invertebrates
Forum Description: This is the place to ask questions about invertebrates.
URL: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=77527
Printed Date: November 06 2025 at 12:34pm
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Topic: Another what is this? Sea Cuke?
Posted By: Baghtal
Subject: Another what is this? Sea Cuke?
Date Posted: September 13 2015 at 1:40am
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Pentacta Anceps? Sea Apple? I've been googling but hoping someone else might already know? There's like three of these on this piece of Rock. All volunteers. I have no idea! 1st Video 2nd Vido Few Pictures Too -- They hide in the shadows, all of them have 8 "legs", and are hard to get pictures of. Maybe when I get a helper today to hold a flash light I can get something better if these aren't clear enough for a good ID.      2nd Critter -- Mark Nailed it -- Little Worms. Maybe peacock or another variety from that same family And as a bonus, this is on the rock too -- I've got no leads on this one.... very feint color almost translucent. Little larger than a nickle, and doesn't seem to do anything at all except sit there!    Thanks for any leads you can give me. My tank is only a couple of weeks old and everything I've read about cuke's is that they are pretty needy. I don't know if I'll even be able to care for them and it seems sad for them to die without even knowing what they are. or worse to die because I didn't know what they were!
------------- I like to think that the moon is there, even when I'm not looking at it. ~Albert Einstein |
Replies:
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: September 13 2015 at 7:15am
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Have you considered touching them? Use a stick or your finger. If they retract, which they will, you'll know they are alive and that they were out searching for food. I can't remember the name of the animal, a type of worm, in the first pic, but the second is commonly called a feather duster worm. They burrow into or attach themselves to LR, becoming permanent residents. In both cases, they extend their feeding tentacles to capture and eat phytoplankton and detritus. To feed them, do two things: - stir the sand a couple times a week so the detritus gets kicked up into the water column; and - feed phytoplankton, such as Tahitian Blend from http://brineshrimpdirect.com" rel="nofollow - http://brineshrimpdirect.com Aloha, Mark  ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member 
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Posted By: Baghtal
Date Posted: September 13 2015 at 12:33pm
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Thanks Mark! The first and second pic are actually the same worm. After looking them up I think I've actually got two varities in there. One is the blue/white and another is red/brown. And there are a TON of them. Once I started looking there's the one I saw before, about nickle size, one that's about a dime, and 15 or so that are teeny. Do I need to worry about them being invasive and taking over? They are sort of nice to look at, but I'd rather not have a tank of nothing but worms :) Any idea on the critter in the video? I strugged to try and get some better pics. Edited the OP with the new ones. Thanks again :D ------------- I like to think that the moon is there, even when I'm not looking at it. ~Albert Einstein |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: September 16 2015 at 6:31am
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Those are not "legs". All we can see of those two different animals in that set of pics are their "feeding tentacles". The videos show those tentacles retracting, possibly after catching some food. The larger bodies of those animals are located in holes/depressions in the rock. Some Snails, which I sometimes mistakenly call worms, actually build a calcareous(calcium carbonate) tube to live in. Look up "Vermetid Snail". All of these types animals are good, very good. As I often advise new hobbyists, of all the 1000's of animals that end up in our aquariums, either intentionally or accidentally, there are only a handful that can cause any trouble... and we know how to handle those. Relax.  In one way or another, most invertebrates are beneficial to the ecology of our little piece of the ocean. Enjoy the diversity.  Aloha, Mark
------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
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