Pix & ID: Critters that come in your rocks: the good and the bad.
- Thread starter Sk8r
- Start date
Hello SushiGirl! The ones I saw fully outside the tubes were moving across the rock and also on the sand. One I saw on the sand was at least a couple of inches long. There are no visible legs or head or anything. Just a fine, translucent strand.
I think that defeats the purpose
Might as well just keep a bucket of water and save my kids college fund that I am going to use for this tank 
Cymonous
My Clown Attacks Me
Thanks for telling me this. Well, because my friend told me those were tube worms and they are all over the front of the rock on the left of my tank. Will 1 Peppermint Shrimp take care of these?
SushiGirl
Premium Member
Cymonous, peppermints are hit or miss, you can try & see. Tube worms actually live in a calcerous or leathery tube, as opposed to aiptasia which are fleshy looking with tentacles. Several examples in this thread or google just to be sure.
LOL dave, too true!
Salty, go to chucksaddiction.com, and from the menu on the left choose Info Links, then Hitch Hikers, then the Worms option in the middle section & take a look around. I'm still stuck in bed.
LOL dave, too true!
Salty, go to chucksaddiction.com, and from the menu on the left choose Info Links, then Hitch Hikers, then the Worms option in the middle section & take a look around. I'm still stuck in bed.
Cymonous
My Clown Attacks Me
I'm very certain they are Aiptasia. I couldn't find a pic of the rock, but I had a video mainly for the clam I also have on this rock opening up. You should see what I am talking about where they are right above the clam. This video was before most of the red slime algae cleared out already.https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/117898159969013255236/albums/5769918227974384785/5769918226760342658
temet vince
New member
Ok, now I'm a bit worried about hitchhikers lol. I guess that means the thread did its job. I just ordered 10 lbs of manado live rock from Premium Aquatics; it's shipping monday and will be here wednesday.
So while I now know I should be on the lookout for bad ones on the first page of this thread, can anyone tell me what the odds are of having unwanted pests come on 10 lbs of cured rock? Like, pretty much 100%, or is it a rare thing? You know, just in your opinion on how common it is to get the bad guys.
My main worry: I may see a ton of things and not be able to identify them, take pictures of them (my camera is nice but has troubles with close-ups), or remember them well enough to find them online through the myriad of photos everywhere. Ideally, it would be nice to have most everything in my tank, both the good, the bad, and the ugly, identified. I just think I will suck at it. I also have ocd and may be more worried about this than I need to be.
Would it help to have an experienced reef member in my community come over and watch my tank for a bit too, and see if he/she can help identify things? I don't know anyone around here but I do know there's a very active group.
So while I now know I should be on the lookout for bad ones on the first page of this thread, can anyone tell me what the odds are of having unwanted pests come on 10 lbs of cured rock? Like, pretty much 100%, or is it a rare thing? You know, just in your opinion on how common it is to get the bad guys.
My main worry: I may see a ton of things and not be able to identify them, take pictures of them (my camera is nice but has troubles with close-ups), or remember them well enough to find them online through the myriad of photos everywhere. Ideally, it would be nice to have most everything in my tank, both the good, the bad, and the ugly, identified. I just think I will suck at it. I also have ocd and may be more worried about this than I need to be.
Would it help to have an experienced reef member in my community come over and watch my tank for a bit too, and see if he/she can help identify things? I don't know anyone around here but I do know there's a very active group.
Neomeris annulata.
SushiGirl
Premium Member
Mlott, Neomaris annulata, a calcium based macro algae.
Temet, don't panic, you don't even have the rock yet LOL. Can't give you odds, sorry. Too dependent on too many things. I can tell you that buying fully cured rock with 2 day shipping will give you a lot of die off, which means ammonia, so I hope you're cycling with it! I'm OCD, that means you'll be able to remember & figure stuff out. Most hitchers are harmless, and if they're not they usually (not always) have to be in large numbers to cause issues. It's always good to have contact with others in your area, so join that club if there is one. Cultivate those friendships. Having someone come over & watch your tank is a bit much, though. Good descriptions & even bad pics have resulted in ID here, so you can always try. Just stop panicking! It will be fine & anything can be dealt with!
Cymonous, I can't get to the vid, sorry.
Temet, don't panic, you don't even have the rock yet LOL. Can't give you odds, sorry. Too dependent on too many things. I can tell you that buying fully cured rock with 2 day shipping will give you a lot of die off, which means ammonia, so I hope you're cycling with it! I'm OCD, that means you'll be able to remember & figure stuff out. Most hitchers are harmless, and if they're not they usually (not always) have to be in large numbers to cause issues. It's always good to have contact with others in your area, so join that club if there is one. Cultivate those friendships. Having someone come over & watch your tank is a bit much, though. Good descriptions & even bad pics have resulted in ID here, so you can always try. Just stop panicking! It will be fine & anything can be dealt with!
Cymonous, I can't get to the vid, sorry.
GeorgeMonnatJr
New member
temet vince
New member
Thanks. Deep breath. Lol.
mlott132
New member
Thanks. Since it only effects one rock, I will take it our of the tank and remove the algae in a bucket. There are only three on it so it should be fairly easy and quick.
