Pix & ID: Critters that come in your rocks: the good and the bad.

New live rocks

New live rocks

My live rock that I just got off of Craigslist has some interesting life on board. I would like some of the experts on here to identify it if possible, and also am wondering if it is safe for a reef tank.
Hopefully I can successfully attach my photos for identification.
I am in the process of setting up my 90 gallon tank and only have the rock in a tub with a heater and power head right now.
For the pictures:
This one has several polyps? attached to a small rock.
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A sponge?
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Some sort of starfish
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Another starfish
IMG_6189_720.jpg
Spiny legs of a starfish, couldn't get him to come out for his picture
IMG_6190_720.jpg
Thanks for any help.
Kelly
 
OK I bought a new frag from my local LFS and upon watching my coral the second day in the live rock it was attached I notice 2 looking tenticales hanging out of a hole. Then under rock I notice another 2 hanging out. At first galnce I was like hey got some baby britle starfish. But I want to make sure before I let them settle in. I know picture not the best but its with my iphone and every time I try to take pictures one my fish love the attention and always photo bomb them. First time I looked I saw two hanging out of the hole. Another day saw 3 hanging out of the hole. There is two places about 3 inches apart from each other. Where I notice these tenticles hanging out. The color of the stripes mathes the star picture in the 2nd photo.

Picture of actual rock with coral.
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Example of what I think it is.
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Small Red things in my sand bed

Small Red things in my sand bed

At night I have been trying to find as much life in my tank as I can. I have seen small red things running around on my sand bed....they are to small to get a good pic of. I am wanting to know what to do it you have bad critters in your tank...I would assume that you siphon them out with a water change....but I know I would not get them all out. Is there somthing I sould be looking for that I DO NOT want in my tank...(I have looked through all the pics and to be honest I can't tell what these things in my tank look like...I would need a microscope) I just don't want to go all ape crazy on my tank if I don't need to.

---Sorry if I am posting another post that has been answered...but I looked through a ton of posts and can only find pic. that I am unsure of what I am looking at...

thanks
 
Couple more pics for ID

Couple more pics for ID

I have a couple more unknown life forms on my recent live rock purchase.

Is this aptasia? I wanted to make sure before moving the rock to my tank.
Also what are the polyp looking things on this same rock?
IMG_6192_720.jpg

What are the stringy root looking things? Harmful?
IMG_6193_720.jpg

Thanks in advance for your help.
Kelly
 
Those Polyp looking things are aptasia. You need to get rid of them before they take over worse than crabgrass. Most people deem them nuisance.
 
Kelly the polyps are zoas that are probably closed because the aiptasia is irritating them. Kill the aips but save the zoas :)

Without the aips that is a rather nice find if that rock was bought as just rock. Lots of zoas on it.
 
Thanks for everyone's help. I will try to kill the aptasia. What's the best way without harming the zoas? Also, I purchased 60-70 pounds of live rock off of Craigslist and this is the only rock I see aptasia on. Could I be that lucky that there is aptasia on only one of the rocks? How does it reproduce and what should I look for as 'babies' on the other rocks?
Regards,
Kelly
 
You need to trap it to get a better pic. Bait a tall, smooth sided glass with a piece of raw seafood and tilt it against the rock work where you saw the crab. The crab will crawl in during the night but can't crawl out.
 
You need to trap it to get a better pic. Bait a tall, smooth sided glass with a piece of raw seafood and tilt it against the rock work where you saw the crab. The crab will crawl in during the night but can't crawl out.

Just did that, playing the waiting game and unfortunately am not home for almost a week!
 
You need to trap it to get a better pic. Bait a tall, smooth sided glass with a piece of raw seafood and tilt it against the rock work where you saw the crab. The crab will crawl in during the night but can't crawl out.

Had my girlfriend check the trap, one of my hermits was caught, but not the crab i was looking for.:deadhorse1: will re bait the trap and post an update asap.

**Edit, spell check.
 
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Quick question...I had a small rubble rock with an aptaisia on it so I removed the rock, fresh water dip and some tweezers to what I believe was the anemone, hard to tell out of water. I replaced the rock and went to work. When I took the rock out there were a few bristle worms living underneath...anywho, I come home and now one of those worms is peaking out of the hole where the aptaisia was. Did it eat what was left?
 
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