And then there it was! What has been your favorite reef tank hitchhiker?

[Cajun86]

The best live rock surprise! What has been your favorite reef tank hitchhiker?

Far too often the uninvited guests in our tanks are pests and are not pleasant surprises, however, every once in a while, an interesting and maybe even welcomed hitchhiker shows up. Maybe it was a shrimp, a crab, a coral, a piece of macroalgae, or something else that you now enjoy as part of the ecosystem of your reef tank. Adding live rock to your tank can be a great place to find amazing new hitchhikers especially if the live rock comes directly from the ocean. Please let us know what your favorite hitchhiker has been. Also, please share any tips that you might have for maximizing good hitchhikers and avoiding bad hitchhikers.

Photo by @LiverockRocks; Mantis shrimp hitchhiker from the Gulf of Mexico

This QOTD is sponsored by: www.tckcorals.com

NICE!

 

[Bitcoin Reefer]

I guess for me I think the most interesting cleanup crews are ones that self breed. Trochus snails are an obvious one, but I have a strong feeling that my asterina starfish (or whatever the true technical name is I forget, since I think asterina we call are not actual asterina?) and my limpets from reef cleaners website, are doing great work. They breed until they're at proper capacity to eat whatever they're eating. I like things that become self sufficient and expand or contract their supply to eat the waste or algae in the tank!

OOPS I read the question wrong. I thought it was best cleaners lol, but actually these two fit this question as well haha. These are commonly hitchhikers. The Asterina were hitchhikers for me but not the limpets. Those I bought 2 from reef cleaners website, and they have bred to be a lot probably 30-70 in my 360g. Maybe more since hard to count lol.

 

[Ordovician_Reef]

Tiny red serpent star!

Got one of those from TBS in my last order.

 

[ElliottWilliamson]

I mean... I think it's gotta be a tie between theese two.

Gonodactylus Smithii, by virtue of awesomeness.


Siderastrea Radians, by virtue of rarity.

What is this guy at the top ?

 

[Azael]

I think my favorite was a small orange sponge. Also was also happy to find the brittle stars, collonista snails, baby nassarius snail, different sponges and small feather dusters.

 

[Alexraptor]

What is this guy at the top ?

Mantis Shrimp

 

[Floyd-]

Siderastrea Radians, by virtue of rarity.

I think I have a little patch of those that came on my rock as well. Do they have neon green tips under UV?

 

[Timfish]

Clams and corals

 

[Mark Goode]

It's got to be the brittlestar I found this morning. I thought it was a bristleworm coming out of a hole in a rock, but on closer inspection it came to a point, waved about a bit and was then drawn back into the hole. I'm looking forward to seeing the rest of it sometime.

 

[SaltwaterandLime]

Urchins, brittle stars, macroalgae, and coral...all from my florida live rock

 

[Wasabiroot]

In an order of macroalgae from Gulf Coast Ecosystems (perhaps my favorite vendor period) I had both Bergia sp. and Elysia sp. (not sure, but my best guesses).

 

[Z Burn's Reefing]

This urchin showed up on some Tampa Bay LR....was really small and I didn't notice it for a few months until it got a little bigger. Never caused any harm and was good at eating algae. When there is a question about "bad" hitchhikers I've got a few...

 

[Alexraptor]

I think I have a little patch of those that came on my rock as well. Do they have neon green tips under UV?

Kind of yes, a bit more like green striations on mine.

 

[equinox87uk]

Tiger pistol shrimp. Don’t see him often but certainly hear him a lot

 

[shakacuz]

only hitch hikers i've had were a stomatella snail, and like 2-3 collonista snail. all either got eaten by my yellow wrasse, or died?

 

[AvidReefer]

Flame Scallop!

 

[DiabloJP]

Cavalcade of good hitchers on my 8 pounds of TBS rock, including a red mithrax crab, a porcelain crab, and a short spine purple urchin in a three-way tie for all-time favorites.

 

[Floyd-]

Flame Scallop!

Heard those are near impossible to keep in a tank environment. They do look cool though

 

[markon87]

For me it's this guy. Not sure what it is. Some type of mushroom?
Crazy thing is that I haven't put anything new in the tank for over a year.

 

[LeeLoo Lola]

This urchin showed up on some Tampa Bay LR....was really small and I didn't notice it for a few months until it got a little bigger. Never caused any harm and was good at eating algae. When there is a question about "bad" hitchhikers I've got a few...

Like an army of gorilla crabs??? I still feel the good outweighs the bad, but that’s been rough. Your urchin is so cool. I’m about 3 weeks in. I’d be so happy if one pops up!