Hey it's free, it can't hurt anything right? Let's hear your horror stories...

skinz78 · May 15, 2013

In this hobby as you get up there in years of experience you'll have times that you'll be offered "FREE" items for you tank. Let's hear some horror stories that you may have that have unfolded because of a "FREE" item that you acquired.

I'll start it off with what I picked up last night.

Yesterday I got a private message on Facebook today from a local reefer asking if I wanted any FREE live rock..... Well of course I said yes thinking it was just a few pieces. I get to her house last night and she has a 55g full of LR.... BUT..... It has sooooo many Manjano's on it, they looked like Green Star Polyps swaying in the current...... She said isn't it beautiful? LOL um hahaha yeah....

So I now have a 40br in the spare room filled with Manjano infested LR. I mean, don't get me wrong the LR is beautiful stuff, totally covered in Coraline. But I have my work cut out for me.....

In all the mess I found one 3" rock covered in what I think are very bleached Ricordea.

Here are a few pics:

This is what one of the bucket's looked like after removing the rock.

Heh heh heh...

They're actually kinda purdy... lol

cdness · May 15, 2013

Well let's see, I got a free damsel to start off the tank which turned into a murderer... That's really the worst free thing I have received.

If I got your rock it would be straight to the acid and call it good. No use risking the tank to save liverock...

danka-cedium · May 15, 2013

When I started out, about 7.5 years ago.... a buddy offered me some anthellia...
Soon I had a 40b filled.
Than when I upgraded to a 100long, I got hitch hiker anthellia....

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dankreef · May 15, 2013

Free stuff that has turned into rules to live buy and not want to kill yourself in the future that I have came across.

1. Never use free live rock from anyones tank. Never take any pieces of live rock from anyone and not bleach and dry out.
2. Never put chromies in your tank.
3. Never add free cleaner shrimp to your tank if you ever want to spot feed lps.
4. Never use someone elses free chaeto that has any problems with aptasia.
5. Never add free coral, because it probably spreads like wild fire and consume your tank.

tidus10 · May 15, 2013

dankreef said:
Free stuff that has turned into rules to live buy and not want to kill yourself in the future that I have came across.

1. Never use free live rock from anyones tank. Never take any pieces of live rock from anyone and not bleach and dry out.
2. Never put chromies in your tank.
3. Never add free cleaner shrimp to your tank if you ever want to spot feed lps.
4. Never use someone elses free chaeto that has any problems with aptasia.
5. Never add free coral, because it probably spreads like wild fire and consume your tank.

no chromies?! whys this? because they just die randomly?

bct15 · May 15, 2013

tidus10 said:
no chromies?! whys this? because they just die randomly?

+1 I love my chromis and have liked them since I got them three years ago...what's wrong with adding them. Recently one died while out of town so now I'm down to five but I still like them and them always being out seems to make my other fish more comfortable. When my yellow belly blue tang was tiny it would even school with them.

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dankreef · May 15, 2013

When they get older they are the meanest fish in the trade. Most times when they are small and young they tend to be alright. Once they mature they will chase / attack everything. Mine didn't even let any other fish come out to eat. If you like any types of peaceful fish like anthias, it will kill them off eventually. I wish they died randomly I tried to catch one for about a year and a half haha. They are smart.

tidus10 · May 15, 2013

..whaaa.. ive never seen or heard of this before...

SeahorseKeeper · May 15, 2013

Never add a free lemon peel angel that comes with the disclaimer that it eats coral. If it doesn't have coral, it may turn on your fish including damsels. At least, that is what happened when I traded my lemon peel.

Never accept a free yellow watchman goby with the name assassin and not get the full story. I was told it was just because he outlived all the fish in his tank and the other inhabitants died of old age. He killed them.

Daniel@R2R · Oct 30, 2014

:bump:

danangelo · Nov 1, 2014

A free tank that caused to me to be addicted to saltwater tanks....

Eienna · Nov 1, 2014

I think when they were talking about "chromies" (chromis) they were actually referring to damselfish. Chromis are far less aggressive, though still technically damsels of a sort.

I had trouble with a free tank busting a seam...but the guy who gave it to me had no idea it would do that. Looked solid enough when I got it.

erk · Nov 1, 2014

I learned the hard way, don't accept a free rock full of palys without knowing what is on it. Some guy gave me one at a frag swap. He spouted off a few names of nice palys on it, but because of the blue lights and dark room I couldn't see what was on it. I brought it home and it was covered in Texas Trash palys. Those palys took off and covered the whole rock and a few fell off the rock and started to colonize my other live rock. I have it under control now, but never again will I accept free anything until after I have all the information.

Zero Nitrates · Nov 1, 2014

LOL! This a funny thread! Free frags I get always have aptasia on them.

tupes · Nov 1, 2014

Eienna said:
I think when they were talking about "chromies" (chromis) they were actually referring to damselfish. Chromis are far less aggressive, though still technically damsels of a sort.

I had trouble with a free tank busting a seam...but the guy who gave it to me had no idea it would do that. Looked solid enough when I got it.

X2. I've had one for several years and by far the nicest in the bunch.