Help with some ID's

[novadan67]

I'm setting up my first reef tank and I cherry picked some live rock pieces from my LFS ($3 a pound, what a deal!). I have these in my 10g quarantine tank right now while I finish setting up and cycling my DT. I've decided to go the dry rock and sand route and quarantine everything that goes in... including these live rock "seed" pieces. I hand picked the ones with the best coraline and anything interesting. I think from my research I know what some of it is, but want confirmation. Now with the pics, (taken with my iphone, so mediocre quality):

This stuff is starting to grow, is it some kind of hair algae? How do I get rid of it?

I have a few of these worm like tenticles reaching out of some rocks:

Pretty sure this is an asterina star, not sure if I'll keep it:

Feather duster? Also, this "rock" is different from the rest, almost looks like barnicles... anybody know what it is?

Some unknown polyps, anybody know what they are?

Unknown SPS "frag" about an inch long, from my searches it could be a digitata? Also, why is the rock green it is sitting on? Algae? Is there green coraline? It's the only one with this bright green color.

I think all of these are good, right? The unknown polyps and the SPS frag really glow brilliant under blue light. I also have some pinkish "coraline" that grows bright under the blue lights, does coraline do that? Only the pink "coraline" glows. Also found 3 micro hermits and a few snails - which disappeared into the bit of live sand that I got from the LFS (from their huge refugium).

I've torched a few majanos and aiptasia, going to keep this rock in quarantine for a while to try to get the pests I can before it goes to the DT. My worry is about the SPS frag, want to keep that alive if I can. I've rigged my diy LED setup over my QT tank to try to keep it alive. I don't expect to have much of a cycle since all the rock was transported underwater in buckets and put immediately into my QT. Is there a good chance this stuff will survive?

Thanks,
Dan

 

[MondoBongo]

1 - looks like some kind of algae or possibly bacterial mat
2 - are they out constantly or only sometimes? do they have brown and white stripes?
3 - yup, asterina
4 - some type of feather duster, or other filter feeder.
5 - green star polyps
6 - i could buy that as a digitata

 

[username in use]

Looks like you got everything right. The unkown polyps are green star polyps. The first algae just looks like a basic matted green algae that should be cleared up with some snails.

 

[novadan67]

I should add that this has been in QT for a little over a week and as of yesterday the Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate were all zero or just a trace. The SG is 1.025 and temp is 78 degrees.

 

[novadan67]

1 - looks like some kind of algae or possibly bacterial mat
2 - are they out constantly or only sometimes? do they have brown and white stripes?
3 - yup, asterina
4 - some type of feather duster, or other filter feeder.
5 - green star polyps
6 - i could buy that as a digitata

Wow you guys are fast! The algae in picture #1, should I get a few snails and throw them in, or wait a while? My water params and hermits are fine, so a couple snails should be fine, right? If so, what kind and how many?

The "worms" in picture 2 do have some black and white banding... couldn't get a decent picture of it with my phone.

I know GSP spreads, but I think I'll keep if for now... maybe on an isolated rock when it goes to the DT?

Any recommendations on how to keep the "digitata" alive? How likely is it to survive in a new tank?

 

[username in use]

I think the worms in pic 2 are arms of mini brittle stars.

 

[MondoBongo]

If your water params look good and your hermits are still alive, I would probably fill out your cleanup crew a bit more. They may or may not touch the algae. However with algae there's nothing better in many cases than some quick manual removal.

It might also be indicative of needing some more flow in your tank, or perhaps needing a water change.

As username said above those "worms" are likely the arms of micro brittle stars. Google for a picture to confirm.

As far as the gsp, I have decided that my reef is nearly no soft corals. They all spread like weeds. If you like them however, certainly keep them. Although it may not be a bad idea to isolate them a bit on their own rock in case you decide you want them gone down the road.

The digitatas survival chances are hard to say. For some reason digitata doesn't do well in my system. Even though my tank is about two years old, and I havent had any issues keeping different types of acros, LPS, or soft coral. So give it a shot. They're usually considered to be one of the heartier types of SPS.

 

[novadan67]

Thanks Stacy and Mondo!

I could probably use more flow in this QT tank, it only has an AC20 HOB filter. What kind of snails are best for eating algae off of the rocks? I think you might be right about the brittle stars, but it's hard to tell. I think I need to take a look at the tank at night with red light to see if there are more creatures out and about. I haven't seen any pods yet, which I would expect to see because of the live sand from the LFS fuge.

I think I'll keep the GSP for now, just keep it away from my main structure. I'll keep my fingers crossed that the digitata makes it. It looks so great under the blue lights! Also, the pink glowing coraline... is there a way to encourage it's growth? I have tons of purple, but only a tiny bit of the pink, and only on one rock.

 

[MondoBongo]

for snails i like to use a mix. everyone has their niche. even many fish will munch on certain types of algae. this is all a phase anyways. with good husbandry your tank will go through a couple algae stages, then after a little while it will stabilize as you get your groove.

my brittle stars tend to hand their arms out most when i turn off the pumps and feed frozen. then they all start waving.

as for the coraline, it will grow with time. keep your params stable, make sure your alkalinity and calcium are good, and it will eventually come. it took my tank about 6 months or so for it to really start spreading.

 

[novadan67]

The more I look at the worm-like arms, I'm pretty sure they are brittle stars. Thanks for the help!

I found two more hitchhikers last night. I'm pretty sure this one is a stomatella snail, which are considered beneficial, right?

I'm not sure what these are... they look like little reddish colored worms, but they are hard to the touch and break off if too much pressure is applied. Any ideas?

Thanks again!

 

[MondoBongo]

that does look like a stomatella.

those are probably vermetid snails.

 

[username in use]

that does look like a stomatella.

those are probably vermetid snails.

yup

 

[novadan67]

Vermetid snails are bad, right? They seem confined mostly to just that one rock. I don't see much else on that rock, should I remove it? Can I put it in RO water for a few days and then dry out in the sun? Will that kill them, so that I can put the rock back in? Is there a better way to get rid of them?

 

[username in use]

They never bothered me or any of my corals. Some people get bent out of shape because they can put out these slime stringers in the water. If you don't see any problems with the corals around them then leave them. Another cool thing to look at on your reef right?

 

[novadan67]

Maybe so... but my approach from the beginning has been to set up my DT with dry rock and sand and quarantine EVERYTHING that goes in (including my seed rock) to try to minimize possible problems. Keeping with this approach, I think I'll remove them now from the QT rocks, since I've read of many people having issues with them. If they somehow appear in my DT, then I'll probably take the watch and see approach.

 

[novadan67]

I've removed the rock with the vermetid snails, just don't want to have to hassle with them.

Found another hitchhiker last night. I'm pretty sure this is a bristle worm and beneficial:

I'm really enjoying this quarantine / hunting operation... fun to see new life emerge! I bought 2 nerite snails and 2 cerith snails from my LFS to help control algae... but 1 of the ceriths turned out to be a hermit crab! It has green legs and is larger than the other hermits I have in there (which have red legs)... should I remove / take it back? I'll try to get a pic for a more positive ID.

Thanks!

 

[MondoBongo]

You will find mixed opinions about hermit crabs. I personnaly have a bunch of small blue legged ones and they seem to be model citizens.

Although I can't tell you how to identify them, or if leg color is even important.

 

[novadan67]

More hitchhikers found!

I'm not sure what this is, could it be a leg of a brittle star? It moves in and out of the rock.

There are 2 in this next picture... My guess is feather duster and some kind of nudibranch... Did a little research on "white nudibranch" and it seems many of them eat montipora, which I think is what I pictured above (digitata) that is in my tank. Should I remove these little guys? Dip my coral?

Thanks!

 

[clay12340]

More hitchhikers found!

I'm not sure what this is, could it be a leg of a brittle star? It moves in and out of the rock.

There are 2 in this next picture... My guess is feather duster and some kind of nudibranch... Did a little research on "white nudibranch" and it seems many of them eat montipora, which I think is what I pictured above (digitata) that is in my tank. Should I remove these little guys? Dip my coral?

Thanks!

The first one looks like a peanut worm to me. Does it extend and get skinnier and fatten as it retracts? If that's what it is they are harmless and seemed to basically stay in one spot in my tanks. Would just peek out and look for snacks from time to time. Neat little critters to have around.

The second pick looks like a harmless feather duster. You'll probably find lots and lots of these as things mature. They can seem to show up anywhere flow is decent. The white thing does look like a nudibranch in that pic. I would catch it and move it to a small dish and try to get better pictures/a positive ID.

 

[novadan67]

The first one looks like a peanut worm to me. Does it extend and get skinnier and fatten as it retracts?

Very good! It does get fatter as it retracts. I googled "peanut worm" and that is exactly what it is. I thought I saw the little tentacles on the end (that I see in the google images) but it is quite small and wasn't sure. Thanks for the ID help!

Pretty sure the white thing is a nudibranch. I first thought it was sand on the rock, but then it moved! I'm going to catch it and also inspect my monti for more. All of this makes me glad to have this in QT. Fun to watch and see new things and remove what I can now before it goes in the DT.

Thanks again...