Sometimes rock gives you presents. Hitchhikers. If you copy and paste these names into your google bar, you can get pix.
The ok ones:
1. peanut worms 2. bristleworms 3. spaghetti worms 4. micro hermits 5. stomatella snails 6. copepods 7 amphipods 8. sponges 9. snails of various safe sorts (except 'pyramid' snails) 10. very tiny little grey brittle stars 11. larger grey brittle stars.
The not a disaster, but can be for some items.
1. any sea slug (they'll mostly starve and are bad news for some soft corals: remove) 2. aiptasia (not a disaster unless your tank has a lot, in which case you have a nutrient and water quality problem that is more serious than the aiptasia) Not good near corals. 3. arrow crabs (deplete your bristleworms, which are great rock cleaners.) 4. cyanobacteria and bubble algae---usually occur just a little bit.If you get a lot, its a problem and needs dealing with. Tanks can be sheeted in cyano, which is not good. A little stain on the sand is not the end of the world. Most tanks see it now and again, if sunlight beam hits the tank. If you do need to rid your tank of it, try lights-out (just off, not blocked!) for 3 days coupled with a decent skimmer. 5. xenia coral or green star polyp---can become unmanageable in short order in many tanks with excellent water. Common mushrooms can become almost as problematic. 6. sea mat, which looks similar to zooanthids, is dangerously toxic if abused or mishandled, toxic to people, as in hospitalization. Think twice about the bad actors in this group. 7. certain marine creatures defend themselves with poison---the rabbitfish and the lionfish are two, and the sting can cause necrosis, even amputation if badly dealt with: take them seriously. Not everybody reacts to such a degree, but be advised: some do. Such things as stonefish and relatives are potentially more serious; the blue-ring octopus. These last should not be kept by novices.
The OMG list:
1. parasites that attack fish: ich, brook, flukes, etc---this is why you quarantine all fish, every time. 2. crabs that aren't micro-hermits or filter feeders: one big claw is a no-no; so is hairyness. Catch them if at all possible. Even emeralds are known to take a piece of fish fin. 3. either hermodice carunculata (not your common bristle worm!) or eunicid worms.Know what they look like. 4. a pistol or mantis shrimp you didn't plan for. Fishkillers. 5. a sprig of weed on a rock: nuke it. You can have plants in your sump. In the dt, some weed (notably caulerpa) can take your tank in no time.
The ok ones:
1. peanut worms 2. bristleworms 3. spaghetti worms 4. micro hermits 5. stomatella snails 6. copepods 7 amphipods 8. sponges 9. snails of various safe sorts (except 'pyramid' snails) 10. very tiny little grey brittle stars 11. larger grey brittle stars.
The not a disaster, but can be for some items.
1. any sea slug (they'll mostly starve and are bad news for some soft corals: remove) 2. aiptasia (not a disaster unless your tank has a lot, in which case you have a nutrient and water quality problem that is more serious than the aiptasia) Not good near corals. 3. arrow crabs (deplete your bristleworms, which are great rock cleaners.) 4. cyanobacteria and bubble algae---usually occur just a little bit.If you get a lot, its a problem and needs dealing with. Tanks can be sheeted in cyano, which is not good. A little stain on the sand is not the end of the world. Most tanks see it now and again, if sunlight beam hits the tank. If you do need to rid your tank of it, try lights-out (just off, not blocked!) for 3 days coupled with a decent skimmer. 5. xenia coral or green star polyp---can become unmanageable in short order in many tanks with excellent water. Common mushrooms can become almost as problematic. 6. sea mat, which looks similar to zooanthids, is dangerously toxic if abused or mishandled, toxic to people, as in hospitalization. Think twice about the bad actors in this group. 7. certain marine creatures defend themselves with poison---the rabbitfish and the lionfish are two, and the sting can cause necrosis, even amputation if badly dealt with: take them seriously. Not everybody reacts to such a degree, but be advised: some do. Such things as stonefish and relatives are potentially more serious; the blue-ring octopus. These last should not be kept by novices.
The OMG list:
1. parasites that attack fish: ich, brook, flukes, etc---this is why you quarantine all fish, every time. 2. crabs that aren't micro-hermits or filter feeders: one big claw is a no-no; so is hairyness. Catch them if at all possible. Even emeralds are known to take a piece of fish fin. 3. either hermodice carunculata (not your common bristle worm!) or eunicid worms.Know what they look like. 4. a pistol or mantis shrimp you didn't plan for. Fishkillers. 5. a sprig of weed on a rock: nuke it. You can have plants in your sump. In the dt, some weed (notably caulerpa) can take your tank in no time.
