Bought Live Rock - Lots of Hitchikers

[drcrook]

So I bought live rock from the LFS and ended up with a ton of hitchikers. I'm hoping to get some of these ID'd and maybe some hints as to how to keep the ones that are good alive. I bought the rock to help cycle the tank; so I'm crossing my fingers here because some look pretty good.

The forum is being weird about this one image; so I'll post a reply with the final hitchiker I could get a picture of so far.

#1

#2

#3 - Zoas; but possibly 2 kinds? Thoughts on palytoxin from these guys?

#4 There are those orange things and also some kinda blue thing.

#5. There are 2 different kinds of corals and aptasia on here that I could see. There is the blue thing that is obvious and then right in front of the aptasia are these other tiny blue things.

#6 No idea what this is.

View attachment coral_6.jpg

 

[drcrook]

Last hitchiker is this guy or #7

View attachment coral_6.jpg

 

[cracker]

I really like true live rock straight from the sea. You got some sponges & a button/zoanthid & and some tube worms which aren't cool. There is stuff in there You won't see for years ! Good & bad. But all that good bacteria is by far the best of all.

 

[drcrook]

@cracker which ones aren't good?

 

[OriginalUserName]

Yeah that one looks like aiptasia. I wouldn't worry about palyotoxin. Just be careful if you ever frag them or remove them. To be extra safe use gloves when handling in case you have a cut or something (but you should do that anyway).

 

[cracker]

Well I'd think the tube worms aren't good or the apastia. Is the rock recently from the sea? If so, I bet there is a lot good & bad you haven't seen yet.
I'm old school & just love live rock & all the life it comes with good & bad.

 

[drcrook]

@cracker I'm not sure; my LFS ordered it. From my understanding they have had it for a very long time in that tank. They put all their new arrival non predatory fish into that tank along with various other things.

I'm definitely with you on fresh ocean rock. I love discovering the critters. I'll try to get an aptasia eater to remove that; I might keep the tube worms though; they are neat. What makes them bad?

 

[cracker]

I forget the name but some put out long snotty strands for catching food out of the water column , I understand these can irritate corals & such.

they are called vermitids . Look them up !

 

[Mikedawg]

Could be vermetid snails: https://www.advancedaquarist.com/blog/vermetid-snails-harm-coral-reefs-with-multiprong-attack. Some reefers glue them shut or simply break them off.
And, yes, you did get some great live rock with real diversity of organisms.

 

[drcrook]

Yikes; I don't like them that much. I've got some clippers to cut them up.

 

[Adele]

I don't think your tube worms are Vermitid. Any I have ever seen have a short dark tube that has a bit of a coil on the end and nothing comes out except the long string to catch stuff when your tank is pretty stirred up. Any feather or fronds coming out of the tube (like I believe I am seeing in your pics) would be a duster of some type and are good filter feeders and you want them. Looks like you got some interesting Hitchers!

 

[SOCOM]

Your live rock looks good and healthy. How much was it a pound?

 

[Mikedawg]

I don't think your tube worms are Vermitid. Any I have ever seen have a short dark tube that has a bit of a coil on the end and nothing comes out except the long string to catch stuff when your tank is pretty stirred up. Any feather or fronds coming out of the tube (like I believe I am seeing in your pics) would be a duster of some type and are good filter feeders and you want them. Looks like you got some interesting Hitchers!

More I look at pic, think you are right about feather duster id; if so a good score

 

[drcrook]

It was pricey at $8/pound. But it was local so shipping was a 45 minute drive from there to home.

 

[OriginalUserName]

I don't think your tube worms are Vermitid. Any I have ever seen have a short dark tube that has a bit of a coil on the end and nothing comes out except the long string to catch stuff when your tank is pretty stirred up. Any feather or fronds coming out of the tube (like I believe I am seeing in your pics) would be a duster of some type and are good filter feeders and you want them. Looks like you got some interesting Hitchers!

Yeah, those are not vermitids.

IMO, those tubeworms are a little ugly, but harmless and probably beneficial. Vermitids are usually m

It was pricey at $8/pound. But it was local so shipping was a 45 minute drive from there to home.

That's not bad considering how much life came with it.

 

[Vincent100]

Last picture looks like a goniopora
Looks like some radioactive Zoa
Tube feather dusters
Aiptasia
Sponge
Few good bits on them rock
Wonder if them rocks came from a tank breakdown

 

[drcrook]

Here is what it looks like with the rocks in there. I tried to spread them between the dried rock to help bootstrap the dried rock. They are pretty big peices with lots of life. I found some kind of clam thing and also a brittle star exploring the dried rock when I grabbed some lunch. I'd say all in all; great live rock purchase.

 

[Halal Hotdog]

Definitely a lot of life for rock from a LFS. Nice thing is tank has no fish or pricey coral, just keep an eye on everything that comes out of the rock. A lot of critters come out at night after lights out, so keep a flash light handy. Also if you want the coraline spreading make sure your Ca, Alk, and mag are at good levels.

 

[cristata.reef]

I'm so jealous. Last picture is an alveopora (not a goniopora as mentioned earlier; 12 tentacled polyp rather than 24)

 

[samnaz]

#7 is Alveopora

#3 zoas, yes. my thoughts on palytoxin... take proper precautions. if you must handle them, use gloves, tongs, and glasses if need be.
Also, a bunch of vermetid snails in this photo.

#2 at first glance looks like a sponge. but, I think, it looks more like a foram (foraminiferan).

#1 Spirorbis worms. Also see something resembling branching algae but it's hard to make out.