Our TBS rock/sand is on it's way!!!!

[Delprincipe]

We are so excited that our TBS items are on a Southwest plane...YIPPEE! WE have been researching and researching how to care for everything and finally took the leap and ordered!

We'll keep you all posted and welcome your advise

 

[Delprincipe]

Yay, all our Live rock and sand made it here safe and sound! All 3 boxes were packaged carefully and arrived without any leaks. Thank you Richard.

Everything is in the tank and we're just waiting to the dust to settle. This is our first ever tank so we are excite to inspect our tank more closely.

During the unpacking process we confirmed we have at least 2 tiny brittle stars (super tiny!), 1 red mithrax crab (nickle sized), 3 little porcelain crabs (little less than dime sized, several small snails and 3 pistol shrimp (each less than 1" long & LOUD).

On the rocks we've seen orange, pink, and red sponges sprawled across several pieces.

 

[Delprincipe]

Found 2 Black urchins late last night and can hear a few more pistols (or mantis) shrimp in the tank. Going to have to set a trap

 

[Delprincipe]

How do you all feel about Welk Snails? Have a few that have been cruizing on the glass and wondering if you all feel they are good hitchhikers or bad hitchhikers?

 

[Thanko]

I captured my mantis and set up a seperate 10 g tank for him. I've left the urchins in the display tank. They are growing QUICKLY but easy to track, they tend to stay in the same spot of the rock, moving an inch or two away from their previous spot every evening.

 

[Delprincipe]

So far our urchins are behaving in the same manner and they are our favorite hitchhikers We also got 2 blue-legged hermits which are pretty fun to watch motor around the sand and up/down the rocks.

 

[Delprincipe]

Here are a few more photos of the rock and hitchhikers we received in our 1st shipment.

Can anyone help identifies the leafy plant? It actually has a bit of fluorescence on some of the edges.

Also could use some help identifying what looks to be a small anemone. It's reddish in color with thin white bands up the arms. Yesterday it hunkered down near the rock when our full lights came on, today it's standing tall and swaying with the current (guess it's happier today).

Ammonia level is at 0.5, that's the highest it's been so far. Looks like we're on track.

 

[Thanko]

The 'leafy plant' looks like a macro algae. (I'll take a guess at the species and say Halymenia Floresia or Halymenia Floridana, aka red sea lettuce.)

 

[Delprincipe]

Looked up your suggestion and I'd have to agree picture wise. The flouresence was not decribed anywhere but so that's kind of interesting.

Been doing some research and photo comparisions today... I think our little anamone friend is a curly cue. Now the question is do we keep it? Hmmm?

 

[Delprincipe]

New photos with 2nd shipment in place.

New photos with 2nd shipment in place.

Here are some new photos from our 2nd shipment of the package. We LOVE it. So pleased with everything.

Please feel free to identify anything you see in the photos. Thanks

Note: The split photo is Shipment 1 on top and shipment 2 on the bottom after they were placed in the tank (that's why it's a bit cloudy).