Those are 'unscheduled' life that lands in your tank.
Many people go to extreme lengths to avoid any chance of them.
Others court them enthusiastically.
What are the bad ones?
Caulerpa and various algaes, including turf, crabs other than mithrax species---little tiny anemones (aiptasia and majanos), any crab with one conspicuously large claw is a no-no, eunicid (bobbit) worms, hermodice carunculata (actual fireworm, one of the prettier worms there is), mantis and pistol shrimp---which can live happily in your sump, bothering nothing. And nudibranchs and asterinas (zoa eaters) that don't (ime) hurt much else. Some people stress about spionid worms, little fishers that make tubes in your sand and extend little tentacles catching detritus. Some people stress about sponges. Some people stress about tubeworms and brittle stars. Some people stress about bristleworms, which are valuable to corals, and a good cuc component---a dollar each from some dealers.
Do I stress? Honestly, no. There are removal methods for about everything. The ones I DON'T want in order of horror, are caulerpa algae, eunicid worms, fireworm, and mantis or pistol. I would spend energy getting rid of those real fast. Crabs, same thing. Even mithrax will take a piece out of a passing fish-fin. I used to think sally lightfoots were cute---until I found they grow the size of dinner plates; and arrow crabs eat all your bristleworms, which is not a good thing. So stray algaes, two worm species, and anything with a shell plus legs. The rest---no problem. Dip your corals, quarantine or tank-transfer your fish, and observe your zoas for nudibranch eggs---that's as far as I recommend.
Four species of fish I consider ich-magnets. Tangs, angels, rabbits, and puffers. Lovely, but highly ich-prone. Clowns are hardy but they do often suffer not only from ich but brook. Learn to recognize both. There are pix on the internet. Google it. Learn the symptoms before you go out to buy one.
With hitchhikers in general---you decide for yourself what risks to run, and observe your tank carefully during cycle, because usually a knowledgeable person will spot the problem. Ghost-feeding is particularly good for luring problems out where they can be observed, if they're worms or the like. Any rock that has algae on it should be taken out immediately, dipped for 30 seconds on a side in hydrogen peroxide (out of the drugstore bottle: that's a 3% solution), rinsed, then restored to the tank. This procedure can also dispose of most problem species you spot during cycle. If you EVER do it with a rock from a functioning reef, be SURE to rinse it well and do not let the bubbles from it contact anything you want to keep, such as, eg, coral on the rocks above it. Or fish. It will burn them. And do not pass this method on without that caution.
Many people go to extreme lengths to avoid any chance of them.
Others court them enthusiastically.
What are the bad ones?
Caulerpa and various algaes, including turf, crabs other than mithrax species---little tiny anemones (aiptasia and majanos), any crab with one conspicuously large claw is a no-no, eunicid (bobbit) worms, hermodice carunculata (actual fireworm, one of the prettier worms there is), mantis and pistol shrimp---which can live happily in your sump, bothering nothing. And nudibranchs and asterinas (zoa eaters) that don't (ime) hurt much else. Some people stress about spionid worms, little fishers that make tubes in your sand and extend little tentacles catching detritus. Some people stress about sponges. Some people stress about tubeworms and brittle stars. Some people stress about bristleworms, which are valuable to corals, and a good cuc component---a dollar each from some dealers.
Do I stress? Honestly, no. There are removal methods for about everything. The ones I DON'T want in order of horror, are caulerpa algae, eunicid worms, fireworm, and mantis or pistol. I would spend energy getting rid of those real fast. Crabs, same thing. Even mithrax will take a piece out of a passing fish-fin. I used to think sally lightfoots were cute---until I found they grow the size of dinner plates; and arrow crabs eat all your bristleworms, which is not a good thing. So stray algaes, two worm species, and anything with a shell plus legs. The rest---no problem. Dip your corals, quarantine or tank-transfer your fish, and observe your zoas for nudibranch eggs---that's as far as I recommend.
Four species of fish I consider ich-magnets. Tangs, angels, rabbits, and puffers. Lovely, but highly ich-prone. Clowns are hardy but they do often suffer not only from ich but brook. Learn to recognize both. There are pix on the internet. Google it. Learn the symptoms before you go out to buy one.
With hitchhikers in general---you decide for yourself what risks to run, and observe your tank carefully during cycle, because usually a knowledgeable person will spot the problem. Ghost-feeding is particularly good for luring problems out where they can be observed, if they're worms or the like. Any rock that has algae on it should be taken out immediately, dipped for 30 seconds on a side in hydrogen peroxide (out of the drugstore bottle: that's a 3% solution), rinsed, then restored to the tank. This procedure can also dispose of most problem species you spot during cycle. If you EVER do it with a rock from a functioning reef, be SURE to rinse it well and do not let the bubbles from it contact anything you want to keep, such as, eg, coral on the rocks above it. Or fish. It will burn them. And do not pass this method on without that caution.
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