Small spider looking thing

[Engloid]

I have a large frag of zoas that's about 3" across. You guys have all seen the large frag disks and how they look when it's like a mound of zoas. I noticed it seems only about half of them are ever open at a time. I decided to move it and I saw this thing either come out of it or was under it and got stirred up in the current as I pulled the frags up. It moves like a spider, not fast, but not slow like a starfish. The pic with all legs up seems to be its relaxed position. I took a short video and had to shake the container to make it move from that position, and in a few seconds, it returns to that.

I'm pretty sure this isn't a good thing to have in the tank, and do not plan to put it back in. It will likely be flushed.

any idea what it is?

 

[Tahoe61]

Certainly looks like a Sea Spider/Pycnogonida, very very cool but unfortunately not reef safe, they munch on zoanthids.

@Lionfish Lair will certainly appreciate them as well.

 

[Engloid]

I looked up some more pics online and it does look like you're right. I think I'll be dipping that frag immediately. Thanks.

 

[TbyZ]

could be a funnelweb?/

 

[Lionfish Lair]

Yup, absolutely a spider, as said. They are tough to kill off with dips.

 

[Engloid]

dipped him separate from the frag for the same length of time.. and he didnt survive.

 

[Lionfish Lair]

Was he in a display or only the QT?

 

[Engloid]

Display.

 

[wattson]

ouch,,hope its the only one

 

[Engloid]

I hope so. I havent had any real zoa death...just some that dont seem to open a lot.

 

[Lionfish Lair]

Their aim is not to kill them, but to tap them for juice. In our captive environments, however, that often doesn't end up being the case. Hopefully, in your case, it's an indication there was only one making the rounds.

 

[Engloid]

I am very active in keeping an eye on the tank. Its the only one I have seen, but the tank has been up for a couple months and I just now saw it. Any tips on finding more if they exist?

 

[Lionfish Lair]

If you see a juicy coral starting to deteriorate, I would take it out and dip it. If it fits in a net, I would remove it that way, versus just pulling it out by hand. That way, if there's something lightly clinging on there, it won't come off the rock in the water column on the way up. Yours look like the chubby variety versus the thin ones, is that correct?

This is a chubby one...

This is a skinny one...

 

[Engloid]

The one I had was somewhere between those two. Do they typically move around a lot in the tank or stay close to the frags they are on?

 

[Second Shot]

If you see the closed zoas become pale take a flashlight and shine it through them. Look for spiders inside the polyp. When I had them I kept doing this and I would cut out the polyp (and spider). The dips will not kill the ones safely inside the zoa. Plus look at night and use tweezers to pull out any you see.

 

[Lionfish Lair]

They're bodies sort of sit in the center of the closed up polyp. It always reminds me of the pods and critters in the movie Alien. A lot of people miss those that are hunkered down in there. Someone I'm talking with has been hitting the individuals with bayer and they haven't been dying like you think they would. Some do, not all.

 

[DereksReef77]

Good luck with the spiders. If you found one I can guarantee you have more in your system. I found one in my zoa garden and from there on found at least 50 of them if not more. Very very difficult to spot and eradicate. They wiped out my garden in no time at all. The absolute worst pest I have encountered so far. Dips won't kill them, manual removal is required. Good luck.

 

[Engloid]

On top of a polyp where they normally sit? Sounds like they would be fairly visible if that's the case. I suspected they would be down at the base of the polyps between them or something

 

[Second Shot]

On top of a polyp where they normally sit? Sounds like they would be fairly visible if that's the case. I suspected they would be down at the base of the polyps between them or something

They can be anywhere on it/in it.

 

[DereksReef77]

On top of a polyp where they normally sit? Sounds like they would be fairly visible if that's the case. I suspected they would be down at the base of the polyps between them or something

You may occasionally find one on top of the zoa/paly but most of the time they will be hugging it with arms wrapped around it at the base sucking the life out of the zoa/paly. They also love to hide under the frag plug and come out at night.