Reef Rock

[Jims]

Hi Yesterday I went out to a local marine shop that sells reef rock as they call it I would describe it as low grade live rock. I hit pay dirt they had just had a delivery which had some fairly interesting pieces in and they were very cheap. Unfortunately i need help indentifying a couple of the items growing on the rock as follows.
I am aware of the snail i have seen 4 should i capture them or are they helpfull? but what is that big cotton wool ball (Sponge)? and does anyone know what the yellow may be?

Sorry for the poor photo I think I may have baby starfish? I noticed that i have 3. This one is light blue with red center, The other two are a pinky colour with dark red center. They move around a lot so i am guessing i got more then i expected here two have 5 legs and the other has 3 legs. I know that starfish can lose legs and it does not kill them but are they actually somthing else? they move at about 1" every 20secounds.

Center rock not sure what the growth to top is but this rock houses a tubeworm collony around about 10-12.

caulerpa prolifera and some red and pink calcareous algea this rock also has another cotton wool ball in a cave.

What is this ?

Not pictured here but i have normal hitchikers with this rock bristlworms which i will catch. I also have 3 turbo snails and I got a piece of dead coral with another tube worm colony of around 6 with some codiacea sp.
I am not sure were this rock orignates from I think it may be different places as the shop did not seem to know they think thier suppliers source it from idonesia.
Anyway I will watch again tonight see if anything else decides to appear.

 

[charlesr1958]

The ball and yellowish growths are sponges, which are impossible for us as hobbyists to species identify. But do want to say that I always find it amazing at the vast multitudes of life forms that can be found on/in a single "rock", you should see them coming straight out of the ocean...lol

For all your other critters found, you may be able to find out what they are by going through my hitch hiker pages. Hopefully it is of use to you.

Chuck's Hitch Hiker Pages

Chuck

 

[Jims]

Cheers for the link thats great have identified most of the stuff now except the 3 starfish which are to small yet to identify.
Just for the interst of anyone looking at my pictures the snail are cerith snails and are herbivores. The sponges i have not identified but i have a pink yellow (picutred) and grey/white plus the pinapple sponge which looks like a cotton wool ball. the final picture is somewhat of a mistery I first thought this again may be a sponge of some type. I see what it grows into.

 

[Jims]

Cheers for the link thats great have identified most of the stuff now except the 3 starfish which are to small yet to identify.
Just for the interst of anyone looking at my pictures the snail are cerith snails and are herbivores. The sponges i have not identified but i have a pink yellow (picutred) and grey/white plus the pineapple sponge which looks like a cotton wool ball.

 

[Jims]

sorry about the double post for anyone whos interested I have looked up the species i have found they are all common to indonesia so i guess the shop is correct. I will be going back for more as it seems good value for £6 a kg.