Worm ID needed, thanks!

Madelion33 · Mar 9, 2017

This guy came in with an order of macro algae I got for my display refugium, looks more like a hydroid from everything I pulled up, haven't seen a spaghetti worm this color.
Any ideas?

KJ · Mar 9, 2017

Cucumber.

Madelion33 · Mar 9, 2017

For real!? That's so exciting! Haha I'm glad I didn't chuck him in the snow!

Madelion33 · Mar 9, 2017

Are there any non reef safe cucumbers?

KJ · Mar 9, 2017

Madelion33 said:
Are there any non reef safe cucumbers?

No.

Madelion33 · Mar 9, 2017

Way cool, thank you!

KJ · Mar 9, 2017

Madelion33 said:
Way cool, thank you!

YW

LbulletM · Mar 10, 2017

The giveaway for me is the feathered "tongues".

LbulletM · Mar 10, 2017

Also, if you throw it in your tank, watch it. They're SO cool to watch feed. I had three come in on my live rock that have never left the rock.

Madelion33 · Mar 10, 2017

LbulletM said:
Also, if you throw it in your tank, watch it. They're SO cool to watch feed. I had three come in on my live rock that have never left the rock.

Totally mesmerizing! I'm looking forward to watching my first hitchhiker that isn't a nuisance grow up.

That video could have been part of the "moment of zen" segment on the Daily Show, thank you for sharing!

LbulletM · Mar 10, 2017

I swear I must have sat there for a half hour at a time just staring at them when I first got them.

Liquid360 · Mar 10, 2017

The Sea Apple is a cucumber as well. Love these things when they're feeding....

Madelion33 · Mar 10, 2017

Liquid360 said:
The Sea Apple is a cucumber as well. Love these things when they're feeding....

Oh my gatos! [emoji1] that sea apple is beautiful!

LbulletM · Mar 10, 2017

Aren't they supposed to be SUPER toxic if they die? That alone scares me away from them.

Liquid360 · Mar 10, 2017

LbulletM said:
Aren't they supposed to be SUPER toxic if they die? That alone scares me away from them.

It's rare in the extreme. Ive had one die before. Zero problem. The only instances I'm aware of are in situations where another animal attempts to feed on it, something that can't happen in a reef tank environment. I've read articles in reef magazines that hint at it being urban myth and state that zoas and palys are far more toxic and a greater risk than the sea Apple.

"defense. In general, it is only when a sea apple is extremely stressed that they will actually release the toxic chemicals that are capable of wiping out an aquarium, and many people have had one of these animals die in their tanks without any evidence of toxic release. Furthermore, there are many animals that we commonly keep in our tanks (in particular some sponges and zooanthids) that have much more potent chemical defenses than do sea apples. So, basically the main reason that sea apples are potentially dangerous to a reef aquarium has less to do with their chemical defenses than with the fact that they move around and are more likely to meet an unpleasant end in our reef tanks than an equally toxic sponge or soft coral."

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2003/3/inverts

Madelion33 · Mar 10, 2017

I could see palythoa toxins winning out over sea cucumber resin. Anything I read mentions the more brightly colored babies posing the risk of being more toxic. I also haven't dug up anyone's first hand horror stories.

radiata · Mar 10, 2017

LbulletM said:
Also, if you throw it in your tank, watch it. They're SO cool to watch feed. I had three come in on my live rock that have never left the rock.

Just curious ~ exactly what are you feeding your Sea Apple?

Liquid360 · Mar 11, 2017

radiata said:
Just curious ~ exactly what are you feeding your Sea Apple?

I add zooplankton 3-4times a week and reef nutritions ROE which it loves.

Reef Nutrition · Mar 13, 2017

Liquid360 said:
I add zooplankton 3-4times a week and reef nutritions ROE which it loves.

We actually sell our phytoplankton blend, Shellfish Diet, to people breeding sea cucumbers. The algae is for the larvae. A sea apple eating R.O.E. is good to hear. I'm sure they accept a wide variety of zooplankton food types as well. Thanks for that tidbit Nate!

Chad

Liquid360 · Mar 13, 2017

Reef Nutrition said:
We actually sell our phytoplankton blend, Shellfish Diet, to people breeding sea cucumbers. The algae is for the larvae. A sea apple eating R.O.E. is good to hear. I'm sure they accept a wide variety of zooplankton food types as well. Thanks for that tidbit Nate!

Chad

It'll be entirely closed up and I'll add the R.O.E. and as soon as it becomes aware of it (anyone know how that happens) it opens up into feed mode.