Cup Corals and Sponges and Trees, Oh My!

[AtlantiCat]

Just got in my base rock and live sand from Tampa Bay Saltwater yesterday and I must have spent literally  hours investigating every nook and cranny for critturs! Figured out most of them, but would like some confirmation on these three.

Is this a sponge? The base is a lovely shade of lavender and the off-white branches are very slightly breakable, but the whole is largely rubbery. If so, I hope I can keep it alive, it's gorgeous.

Is this a baby Christmas Tree Worm? If not, it's extremely cute, whatever it is. It's about half the size of a pencil eraser and retreats when touched.

Is this Orange Cup Coral? The polyps are about the same size as pencil erasers. If so, any tips on removal? I've heard they're quite invasive.

Aside from these, so far I've found quite a number of hermit crabs of all sizes, a bunch of red tunicates, a few tiny anemones of some variety (probably pests), an assortment of worms, sponges, and limpets, a single large cerith snail, several baby or dwarf ceriths, barnacles, tiny serpent stars, tiny decorator crabs, and one adorable baby urchin about the size of a dime.

Also got freebies of a small red star, a large hermit, and a tiny banded coral shrimp which sadly did not survive the transition.

Thanks!

 

[Reefkeepers Archive]

Just got in my base rock and live sand from Tampa Bay Saltwater yesterday and I must have spent literally  hours investigating every nook and cranny for critturs! Figured out most of them, but would like some confirmation on these three.

Is this a sponge? The base is a lovely shade of lavender and the off-white branches are very slightly breakable, but the whole is largely rubbery. If so, I hope I can keep it alive, it's gorgeous.

Is this a baby Christmas Tree Worm? If not, it's extremely cute, whatever it is. It's about half the size of a pencil eraser and retreats when touched.

Is this Orange Cup Coral? The polyps are about the same size as pencil erasers. If so, any tips on removal? I've heard they're quite invasive.

Aside from these, so far I've found quite a number of hermit crabs of all sizes, a bunch of red tunicates, a few tiny anemones of some variety (probably pests), an assortment of worms, sponges, and limpets, a single large cerith snail, several baby or dwarf ceriths, barnacles, tiny serpent stars, tiny decorator crabs, and one adorable baby urchin about the size of a dime.

Also got freebies of a small red star, a large hermit, and a tiny banded coral shrimp which sadly did not survive the transition.

Thanks!

Looks like sponge of some sort, can't tell for sure if it's a Christmas tree worm but if it has two of those spiral feeding arms it is one, either way harmless filter feeder. Hidden cup coral would be likely, they are NPS so if you want to keep them alive you should feed them

 

[Reefkeepers Archive]

Looks like sponge of some sort, can't tell for sure if it's a Christmas tree worm but if it has two of those spiral feeding arms it is one, either way harmless filter feeder. Hidden cup coral would be likely, they are NPS so if you want to keep them alive you should feed them

Also will need to dose phyto to keep the featherduster/Christmas tree worm alive

 

[i0nz]

Was this your first order through them? Also how many lbs did you order?

 

[AtlantiCat]

Also will need to dose phyto to keep the featherduster/Christmas tree worm alive

Does it need to be living phyto? Or will something like Phyto Feast do?

 

[Reefkeepers Archive]

Does it need to be living phyto? Or will something like Phyto Feast do?

I don't know. But live phyto would likely be your best bet

 

[AtlantiCat]

Was this your first order through them? Also how many lbs did you order?

Yes, first order, and I placed the order for "The Package" at 22 pounds, which would give me a total of 44 pounds of live sand and 44 pounds of live rock divided into 22 pounds "base" and 22 pounds "premium," which I'm using for setting up a 40 gallon AIO and a 4 gallon cube. The "premium" is due on Monday.

 

[DJC]

What a super score

Super jealous
Started off with dry live rock so it was pure clean
However just seeded my tank with 20lbs of live Caribbean sand so let’s see what I get but definitely a great score

Second pic definitely Christmas tree

 

[dennis romano]

I saw an article the other day about how scientists found a massive deep water reef off the coast of Georgia. Pictures of the corals match your first picture exactly.

 

[AtlantiCat]

I saw an article the other day about how scientists found a massive deep water reef off the coast of Georgia. Pictures of the corals match your first picture exactly.

They look like the purple and white ruffled sponge? Wow! This particular sponge was definitely on a rock collected from a much shallower area.