My Hitch Hikers Pests?

[Ztrain]

I put a piece of LR in my tank today. It looked pretty barren at the fish store but very porous. So figured I'd use it for a bacteria seed. Well looks like I got three hitch hikers at least.

Some type of Anemone hope not aptasia but it's dark purple in color:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8Uwdc97HoY&feature=youtu.be

Snail or Slug:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qn8jVd35jS8&feature=youtu.be
better side view:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qn8jVd35jS8&list=UUv4QIoWdcjzCN1Kd9crdByg

In this video it's coming straight at the camera but also what are the little black spots with white hairs and the little blue patches all around the rock. This thing has a TON of little hairs all over it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvEVR_tGN9Y&feature=youtu.be

Thanks for any identifications!!!!! I've love to try and get anything dangerous out of there asap before adding more stuff.

 

[Ztrain]

I put a piece of LR in my tank today. It looked pretty barren at the fish store but very porous. So figured I'd use it for a bacteria seed. Well looks like I got three hitch hikers at least.

Some type of Anemone hope not aptasia but it's dark purple in color:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8Uwdc97HoY&feature=youtu.be

Snail or Slug:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qn8jVd35jS8&feature=youtu.be
better side view:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qn8jVd35jS8&list=UUv4QIoWdcjzCN1Kd9crdByg

In this video it's coming straight at the camera but also what are the little black spots with white hairs and the little blue patches all around the rock. This thing has a TON of little hairs all over it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvEVR_tGN9Y&feature=youtu.be

Thanks for any identifications!!!!! I've love to try and get anything dangerous out of there asap before adding more stuff.

Update: Okay at least 3 of the little snails out and about now. Looks like the mostly deal live rock has several shy critters in it. Dang it tried to edit not reply =/

 

[acabgd]

It's impossible to make out anything in these videos. You need to zoom in much more.

 

[Ztrain]

Yeah unfortunately my camera doesn't seem to be able to focus in close. I tried taking a flash photo of the ones that came out in the dark in mass. I have a super bright purple one that I can barely see let alone photograph. Looks like a slow moving spec Coraline Algae. Then I have these bigger guys that I circled in red that look like Snails. I was worried about the Vermetids or whatever they are because that's what comes up when you google purple snail. But I don't see any tubes so........

The big think I'm worried about is anything that will multiply out of control, poison things, harm BTAs, or Clams. I have heard there are small snails that will kill clams.

I can talk LEDs, specs, etc but know very little about these species like living things. lol ty for the help I'll try and get clearer stuff.

 

[acabgd]

The two circled things are Stomatella snails. They're good.

 

[whiteshark]

They look like collonista snails which aren't necessarily a bad thing, but apparently they can breed pretty prolifically in some peoples tanks.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2284901

 

[Ztrain]

Awesome whew that's a few hitch hikers down. Even if they multiply a lot I can deal with that as long as their not eating anemone or clams. Still no idea what that slug snail thing from the video's is. I tried getting a better picture of it but I can't focus up close. Further away the coloring is so subtle that it just looks like a blob with antenna.

YES right before submitting this I got a clear shot of the medium sized ones same that were circled but clearer.

 

[Ztrain]

The two circled things are Stomatella snails. They're good.

I think the ones circled are the Colonista the guy below you posted. However googling the Stomatella you mentioned I found the following picture. That's EXACTLY what the dull colored one I've been unsuccessfully trying to take a picture of looks like! It looks like both of these are good except maybe having a population problem of the smaller one at some point but I can worry about that later. Not going to panic yet!

Any idea's on the blue mounds around by the circled areas? Funny thing is with the Ocean Blue light that rock looks white and brown. But when I get the white LED flash light out I see a lot of what looks like green algae in the photos.

Thx a ton guy's for the identification.

 

[DDon]

The little blue mounds, if we are talking about the same things, are astern starfish from what I can tell in the pics.

 

[Ztrain]

The little blue mounds, if we are talking about the same things, are astern starfish from what I can tell in the pics.

Ohh wow like real starfish? I don't have the greatest of vision to me they look like little specs of blue algae but with 5 ridges. I guess star fish make sense. That's kinda awesome? Are they pests or safe? Will they get big?

 

[DDon]

Sorry meant asterina starfish (dang autocorrect)
As far as good or bad most I have had were harmless algae grazers but some will munch corals. They don't get any bigger but numbers can get pretty large as they multiply by losing a limb or 2

 

[Ztrain]

Is this Aiptasia and if so what's the best way to get rid of it so I don't get more?

 

[Ztrain]

Okay on tonights list! Is this my first Bristle worm? I've heard these guy's can be good or bad.

What are these like bubble eye things?

 

[Silvergryphon]

Looks like it may be bubble algae

 

[lutz123]

If your asterina starfish are doing well with a barren tank, they are not the bad kind. Looks like great rock. Deal with the bubble algae.

 

[Ztrain]

If your asterina starfish are doing well with a barren tank, they are not the bad kind. Looks like great rock. Deal with the bubble algae.

Today will be day two with the rock in there so we'll see if they are really doing well. The only coral I'll be putting in there will probably be a bubble coral and that won't be for probably a couple months. So any bad starfish will hopefully die off. Next plan is for CUC when I start having something for them to eat, need more of the Algae to spread to the other rocks.

If that is bubble Algae that should get cleaned up by the Emerald Crab I'm planning on getting. I'm getting one as my main residents. I think they look cool so was planning on getting one even if I didn't have bubble algae.

 

[droth335]

If it is bubble algae and there are just a couple the easiest way to treat them is with a syringe and hydrogen peroxide. Just inject them and they will melt away over a day or so.

 

[Gagonzalez]

Bad...............Yes, that looks like an aptasia. If you can pull the rock out, burn it with a lighter or if you can't pull it out, use's AptasiaX or Joe's Juice, etc.... to kill it off ASAP before it spreads.

Good..............Snail pics actually look like Nerite Snails. Collinista snails don't grow much past 1/8" in size and most are much smaller. Either snail is a good grazer.

Good..............Your purple looking snail is probably a Stomatella. These are my favorite snails and are common on live rock. Unfortunately, they get eaten by just about everything so they don't normally last long. All mine got eaten by my Emerald, Hermit and Hawkfish in the tank.

Good..............Most Asterina are good starfish but they do spread extremely fast. Especially if you overfeed your tank like I do. I had one that I thought was cool............3 months later I have atleast 50+. They aren't bad, just weird to see so many 2 legged and 3 legged starfish moving around.

Good..............Bristleworms eat any left over food and detritus that falls to the sand and rock. Just don't touch them, they will sting and give you a good rash or worse if you are allergic.

Bad................Valona Bubble algae should be removed by the base WITHOUT popping them. Don't let them spread (pop) or you'll see more everywhere. Very hard to control if they spread. I wait for them to grow to a decent size then remove them with your nail by scraping the base. If you try to remove them when they are small, they pop easily. They will also go away naturally if you control your Nitrate and Phosphate in the future. I had issues with them for the first 6 months. Now I have none.

Your probably going to see much more in the next few months. Just realize that most things are probably good.

Good Luck.

 

[Ztrain]

Bad...............Yes, that looks like an aptasia. If you can pull the rock out, burn it with a lighter or if you can't pull it out, use's AptasiaX or Joe's Juice, etc.... to kill it off ASAP before it spreads.

Good..............Snail pics actually look like Nerite Snails. Collinista snails don't grow much past 1/8" in size and most are much smaller. Either snail is a good grazer.

Good..............Your purple looking snail is probably a Stomatella. These are my favorite snails and are common on live rock. Unfortunately, they get eaten by just about everything so they don't normally last long. All mine got eaten by my Emerald, Hermit and Hawkfish in the tank.

Good..............Most Asterina are good starfish but they do spread extremely fast. Especially if you overfeed your tank like I do. I had one that I thought was cool............3 months later I have atleast 50+. They aren't bad, just weird to see so many 2 legged and 3 legged starfish moving around.

Good..............Bristleworms eat any left over food and detritus that falls to the sand and rock. Just don't touch them, they will sting and give you a good rash or worse if you are allergic.

Bad................Valona Bubble algae should be removed by the base WITHOUT popping them. Don't let them spread (pop) or you'll see more everywhere. Very hard to control if they spread. I wait for them to grow to a decent size then remove them with your nail by scraping the base. If you try to remove them when they are small, they pop easily. They will also go away naturally if you control your Nitrate and Phosphate in the future. I had issues with them for the first 6 months. Now I have none.

Your probably going to see much more in the next few months. Just realize that most things are probably good.

Good Luck.

Awesome. I already removed the Aiptasia yesterday. That was the only one I saw dunno if there was another. When I took it out it was laying flat on the rock. I think I may have gotten it all off but who knows. When I bought the rock and brought it home I didn't see all the snails, bristle worms and other stuff that was hiding on it either. But so far everything except for the above two listed are bad. I think even if I didn't get all the aiptasia I think I can deal with it in the future if I just have to kill them off whenever I see them.

As far as the bubble algae. I know it kind of looks like that in the photo's it's hard to see from the angle but looking at it now the top two I don't even see anymore this morning with daylight in there. The big on on the bottom it's not on the rock. That's like a hole in the rock and whatever is sparkling is inside of it. Don't know if I want to stick my nail in there to try and get out whatever is in there. If it grows out I'll try and peel it off but otherwise I'll let one of the crabs fish it out if it is bubble algae. When it was mentioned I looked it up online and I don't really have anything like that thick enough to "peel" off my rocks yet.

Other thing I have is some type of big shell wedged in to the structure of the rock.I didn't try shattering it but it's a big black shell of some sort with white lines on it. I was able to peer in through another hole in the side of the rock and see that it does have an opening and is hollow for as much as I can see. I'm guessing it crawled in there a long time ago while it was in the ocean and either abandoned the shell or died and dissolved. Neat stuff.

On the cycle I had 4ppm Ammonia when I put the rock in and my API test kit is now showing 2ppm Ammonia after 24 hours of being in the tank. So I'll test again and see where the levels are at. But with the Ammonia cut in half shouldn't I be seeing Nitrite or Nitrate at this point?

Thanks again for the IDs and info!!

 

[Gagonzalez]

Your 4ppm Ammonia level may have been what came out of the rock and into the water column. You should see Ammonia for a while. You don't need to test for anything else except Ammonia until you hit 0 for at least 1 week. A lot of people, including myself , get a false 0 reading and then Ammonia starts to climb again (this is the actual cycle). Again, once you test 0 Ammonia for 1 week, start Nitrite testing.

PS - My cycle only took a total of 2 1/2 weeks with all Live rock from my LFS (Live Rock was never removed out of water. My LFS bagged every piece in tank water)