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Polychaete Worms
Marine aquarists setting up there tank with liverock to aid biological filtration will come across these polychaete worms by default as they are normally is attached to liverocks.
The Polychaeta or polychaetes are a class of annelid worms, generally marine. Each body segment has a pair of fleshy protrusions called parapodia that bear many bristles, called chaetae, which are made of chitin. Indeed the polychaetes are sometimes referred to as bristle worms. More than 10,000 species are described in this class. Common representatives include the lugworm (Arenicola marina) and the sandworm or clam worm Nereis. With over 10,000 speices of polychaete worms only a few are offered to aquarists, and these are normally fanworms, which have specialized feeding crowns to catch the particles from the water. Many species have been difficult to keep as aquarists do have difficulties in feeding them, but improvements in zooplankton and phytoplankton substitutes and additives have increased the chances ofsuccess.
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Polychaetes have many common other names such as: lugworms, clam worms, bristleworms, fire worms, palolo worms, sea mice, featherduster worms, etc., but all possess an array of bristles on their many leg-like parapodia — the name polychaete, in fact, means “many bristles”. The many common names reflect the wide array of body forms found in this group, unlike the earthworms and leeches which all have the same general appearance.
The delicate beauty of many polychaetes make them a favored subject for photography, and several are named after nymphs and goddesses of Greek myth, such as Nereis (the common “clam worm”) and Aphrodite (the “sea mouse”).
Stony Corals
Stony Corals, also known as Scleractinians or hard corals are the founders of any reef and get there name from there ability to secrete a calcium carbonate exoskeleton. There is 3,500 species documented and most of these contain zooxanthellae from which the stony corals gain most there nutrients.
Each group of stony corals require slightly different conditions, for example small polyp stony corals (SPS) prefer strong aquarium lighting and water currents compared to large polyp corals (LPS). It understood that Large polyp corals are easier than smaller polyp corals but actually both require good,stable water conditions and maintenance to thrive.
The most common forms include conical and horn-shaped scleractinians. In a colonial Scleractinia, the repeated asexual division by the polyps causes the corallites to be interconnected, thus forming the colonies. There are also cases in which the adjacent colonies of the same species form a single colony by fusing.
Stony corals are colonies of individual animals. Each animal, called a polyp, lives in its own calcium carbonate skeleton called a corallite. Each successive generation of polyps living on the skeleton build up of the previous generations. This reef building abilty gives hard corals the label hermatypic.
All hard corals are to a greater or lesser extent predatory, catching food with their tentacles that are lined with stinging cells. However the majority of hard corals have also formed a symbiotic relationship (beneficial to both parties) with zooxanthellae, single-celled algae that live within their tissues. The algae carry out photosynthesis sharing the sugars and oxygen produced with the coral polyp. The coral returns the favour by providing protection, useful waste products like carbon dioxide and nitate plus simple minerals.
These corals with a symbiotic relationship make up the majority of hard corals and live close to the surface, where there is plenty of sunlight. The extra source of food enables them to grow faster, than hard corals that don’t have a symbiotic relationship (called ahermatypes) arguably making them the main reef builders of our oceans. This is why the term hermatypic is often used exclusively to describe hard corals containing zooxanthellae.
It should be noted that many other animals also produce calcium carbonate skeletons, including some soft corals.
Starfish, Urchin and Sea Cucumber (Echinoderms)
Echinoderm meaning spiny skin is a feature shared by most species in this group, another character they all have is the radial symmetry, meaning the body can be divided into five similar parts around a central axis, more commonly known as starfish, sea urchins and sea cucumbers.
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Over 6,000 echinoderm species have a water vascular system that powers their tube feet. These specialized features are used for gas exchange, feeding and other tasks. But the system is sensitive to sudden changes in water chemistry particularly salinity. To prevent undue stress for the echinoderms it’s recommended to acclimatize starfish, sea urchins and sea cucumbers over a long period before adding to any aquarium.
Soft Corals and Polyps
Soft Corals and Polyps have around 2,500 species known and the specie are highly diverse in appearance. Some resemble anemones whereas others will grow to huge structures. The majority of of species that will interest aquarists will contain symbiotic algae and will need plenty of lighting.
Soft corals and polyps will influence their neighbours by either sting them or by releasing noxious compounds from their tissues. To prevent a single specimen from dominating the aquarium, you will need some form of removing the noxious chemical from the water, generally a protein skimmer will do the job.
Sea Anemones
Sea anemones are typically the first thing that attracts people to reef aquariums, not to mention there relationship that some species have with anemonefish. Whats an Anemonefish you maybe asking, you may know it as “Nemo” or “clownfish“.
However only 10 species are known to host the clownfish and compared to the other within the anemone family they can hard to maintain. Most of the anomones found in your local fish shop will contain photosynthetic algae and they will require high levels of aquarium lighting and excellent aquarium water quality.
The sea anemones stinging tentacles are capable of ensaring food particles, so most species benefit from regular feeding, remember that they have the ability to move around the aquarium and this may affect other fishes or invertebrates within the aqaurium. In stable conditions the anemones will remain in the same position for many years.
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