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wwinters

Experienced Reefer
Well I got some great rubble rock at Jeff's Exotic fish. Along with all the great mushrooms and polyps that came on the rock I also found these.

http://www.csulb.edu/~jwinter2/hitchhik ... hiker.html


The shrimp is about 1 inc from head to tail. I first assumed it was a mantis but the eyes don't look the same(not on stalks), the arms don't curl in when not in use and it is not particularly quick moving or stealth like other mantis I have dealt with. It spent most of the afternoon moving some sand in the front of my tank next to the glass. it also apeared to be eating little bits from the sand bed.
This guy is in a tank with mostly star polyps, a candycane coral 1 emrald crab and 1 old hitchhiker crab.

The "THING" was on a piece of the rubble I put in my house tank. I assumed it was a sponge. It started larger and more red/pink/orange. It has tenicals that sway in the currant, as well as sticky arm like things holding onto the rock and now glass. It is very slow moving, only a few inches in 2weeks. but it is now atached to the glass and seems to be climbing up it. What is it?
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
Wow! Wish I could help but I've never seen anything like that "Thing". I wonder if it could be some type of urchin.
 

wwinters

Experienced Reefer
It reminds me of the Stinky River God that comes for a bath in the move Spirited Away. It is not as solid as an urchin. It's shape changes somewhat as it reaches for the glass on the tank. I really thought that it was some kind of sponge until I noticed the arms and tentacles and it started to move.
 

Saltykirk

Experienced Reefer
Your shrimp is a very common pistol shrimp. Probably Alpheus sp.
As for the thing? If anyone in your family or house hold starts acting different, assume thing has planted egg masses in thier brain and run like hell. You can start a new tank on a different continent. AHHHHHHHH!!!!!
 

wwinters

Experienced Reefer
Julian Sprung gave me an ID on "Thing" I thought I would post it here for anyone interested.

Thanks for all your help.

"It is a sponge- a Tethya sp. Please see Invertebrates: A Quick Reference Guide. This genus is one of a few genera that literally can walk across the substrate. They do so with those "tendril" like growths. They also reproduce asexually by forming daughter colonies at the tips of these tendrils.

Best Regards,

Julian Sprung"
 

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