Gulf live rock hitchhiker help

[jkkgron2]

Hi everyone!

Today I got my gulf live rock, and now I’m trying to figure out what hitchhikers I ended up getting. From what I can tell I got some corals, clams, a dead welk snail, a dead mantis shrimp, aiptasia, and a bunch of tiny white worms in the rock. Could someone help me figure out what exactly I got? Here’s some pics! If you need more pics, let me know.

 

[Lizbeli]

If you haven’t already it’s typically a good idea to do a high salinity dip and shake the rock off into a bucket. It gets the critters moving around and they usually fall off the rock. Then you can look at what you want to keep and throw it in your display. 1.030 and temp matched bath only for a min or two. I think KPaquatics recommends an even higher salinity.

 

[jkkgron2]

If you haven’t already it’s typically a good idea to do a high salinity dip and shake the rock off into a bucket. It gets the critters moving around and they usually fall off the rock. Then you can look at what you want to keep and throw it in your display. 1.030 and temp matched bath only for a min or two. I think KPaquatics recommends an even higher salinity.

I already put everything in the tank. Is it to late to do that? Would it kill the corals, or anything?

I did already stick the rock in a bucket and I shook the rocks in the bucket. Is that enough?

 

[SakuraSky]

I am always fascinated at all the little creatures that come on live reef rock good and bad, its just so cool! Even though you don't necessarily want bad things in your tank lol too bad about the mantis shrimp!!!
Looks like you have some macro algae growing on the rock too...it looks familiar totally forgot what its called but it looks like little flat cactus lol

 

[Pistondog]

I am always fascinated at all the little creatures that come on live reef rock good and bad, its just so cool! Even though you don't necessarily want bad things in your tank lol too bad about the mantis shrimp!!!
Looks like you have some macro algae growing on the rock too...it looks familiar totally forgot what its called but it looks like little flat cactus lol

Halmedia

 

[HuduVudu]

Just watch it. You will see the things that cause grief. You have a handle on the common hithhikers, I wouldn't worry about everything else. Keep looking at the rock and watch for trouble. You will probably be doing that anyway because there is so much kewl stuff to see.

 

[Lizbeli]

I already put everything in the tank. Is it to late to do that? Would it kill the corals, or anything?

I did already stick the rock in a bucket and I shook the rocks in the bucket. Is that enough?

It shouldn’t kill anything unless you do the dip too long. Its really just to push the critters out of the rock. I did it with my KP order and still have sponges and feather dusters months later. I just followed instructions from them.

However, if you don’t have any other livestock that could be at risk of evil crabs I wouldn’t worry. You can always set traps for most of the bad things you’ll get. I would start zapping those aiptasia though.

 

[jkkgron2]

Could someone ID the things that I circled? I’m trying to figure out if they’re good or bad, and what care they need.

 

[HuduVudu]

Top pic:
Top circle: Looks like macro ... hard to say.
Middle circle: That is likely an orange sponge, it is kewl, but probably won't survive.
Bottom circle: Red macro algae. Not sure the exact species but good to have and hopefully will grow. These slow growers so they won't overwhelm your tank.
Right cricle. Hard to say, perhaps macro algae.

Middle pic:
That is a bivalve. Very good to have hopefully it will live. If you can sneak a little phyto that will help it. I have 4 very large ones of these in my tank, very very good for cleaning up the water and just looking generally kewl.

Bottom pic:
Left pic: Not sure of the exact coral type, but it is a type of LPS and it is welcome. Try to feed it at night. It might be gonipora species and won't take food, but I would try to feed it anyway.
Right pic: Gorgonian. I got two of these in my rock. Keep you parameters good and these will thrive. They are photosynthetic so nothing special to do. You should see the polyps come out pretty soon. Very nice score.
Lower Right pic: Looks likes the skeleton for a type of sun coral. It is dead, nothing really do or deal with.

All in all looks pretty good for life on the rock.

 

[DungSl1nger]

If you haven’t already it’s typically a good idea to do a high salinity dip and shake the rock off into a bucket. It gets the critters moving around and they usually fall off the rock. Then you can look at what you want to keep and throw it in your display. 1.030 and temp matched bath only for a min or two. I think KPaquatics recommends an even higher salinity.

You are correct they recommend 1.035-1.040 for a minute. I also have KP rock and the worst I have is some bristleworms. I am also think of re-dipping to get them out.

 

[Tired]

That coral skeleton on the left is likely a starlet coral. I wouldn't feed it until you see that it has polyps out- they retract really heavily when upset, but it's likely not dead. The skeleton on the right may be a cup coral, and might have a chance of coming back.

Bristleworms are beneficial. They only eat things that are dying or dead, and are great detritivores. Leave 'em in. Especially since a re-dip could harm other stuff, and probably wouldn't get all the worms out, some are likely deep in the rock.

 

[DungSl1nger]

That coral skeleton on the left is likely a starlet coral. I wouldn't feed it until you see that it has polyps out- they retract really heavily when upset, but it's likely not dead. The skeleton on the right may be a cup coral, and might have a chance of coming back.

Bristleworms are beneficial. They only eat things that are dying or dead, and are great detritivores. Leave 'em in. Especially since a re-dip could harm other stuff, and probably wouldn't get all the worms out, some are likely deep in the rock.

I have been debating because the look similar to this

 

[jkkgron2]

Top pic:
Top circle: Looks like macro ... hard to say.
Middle circle: That is likely an orange sponge, it is kewl, but probably won't survive.
Bottom circle: Red macro algae. Not sure the exact species but good to have and hopefully will grow. These slow growers so they won't overwhelm your tank.
Right cricle. Hard to say, perhaps macro algae.

Middle pic:
That is a bivalve. Very good to have hopefully it will live. If you can sneak a little phyto that will help it. I have 4 very large ones of these in my tank, very very good for cleaning up the water and just looking generally kewl.

Bottom pic:
Left pic: Not sure of the exact coral type, but it is a type of LPS and it is welcome. Try to feed it at night. It might be gonipora species and won't take food, but I would try to feed it anyway.
Right pic: Gorgonian. I got two of these in my rock. Keep you parameters good and these will thrive. They are photosynthetic so nothing special to do. You should see the polyps come out pretty soon. Very nice score.
Lower Right pic: Looks likes the skeleton for a type of sun coral. It is dead, nothing really do or deal with.

All in all looks pretty good for life on the rock.

Thanks! That’s only the life on one rock.. lol. Urgh, I was hoping that wasn’t a sponge. I have a bunch of them and I was hoping they’d make it! Seems like I have lots of macro algae, since that stuff was on all the rocks. I also have about 10 other very small bivalves, so sounds like I got some very nice pieces of rock!!

That coral skeleton on the left is likely a starlet coral. I wouldn't feed it until you see that it has polyps out- they retract really heavily when upset, but it's likely not dead. The skeleton on the right may be a cup coral, and might have a chance of coming back.

Bristleworms are beneficial. They only eat things that are dying or dead, and are great detritivores. Leave 'em in. Especially since a re-dip could harm other stuff, and probably wouldn't get all the worms out, some are likely deep in the rock.

I doubt I’d manage to remove them all, even with a dip. I’ve seen a bunch, plus some weird white worm thingies that are living in the rock.

 

[jkkgron2]

Guys...!! So... I noticed this rock had started shifting/moving a bit. I wasn’t sure if a creature was inside of the rock, or what. Well.... it’s a huge bivalve! It’s about the size of my fist.

I’m wondering, do I need to feed the tank tonight? If so, I’m not really prepared but I have fluval bug bites, frozen bloodworms, and frozen brine shrimp. Would any of those work for the corals and bivalves until I can get some better food? I’ll be ordering some tonight.

Pic of the bivalve! The little red circle is where it was opening up. It was hard to get a good pic because of the angle.

 

[HuduVudu]

phytoplankton

I have a bunch of these too. They are very kewl.

 

[jkkgron2]

phytoplankton

I have a bunch of these too. They are very kewl.

This is probably a silly question but where I do get phytoplankton, or does it grow in the tank naturally?

 

[HuduVudu]

It does grow in the tank naturally higher light more phyto ... but it isn't really enough.

You can culture it, search for posts (possibly articles) here on R2R. You can buy it in a bottle. DT's used to be the brand back in the day. Or if you are lucky (like I am) your LFS carries it. It is basically green water.

Be warned it is a nutrient source and it can cause algae outbreaks. On my high light SPS tank, the tank will consume huge amounts of phyto and laugh. On my new tank that is currently essentially a FOWLR the low light and plenum help keep the algae outbreaks mild. I have a dusting of brown algae and the hungry limpets love the algae so it doesn't get very far. You can see my new tank on my build thread.

You do need to try to get some in to your tank but be judicial about it's use.

 

[Jeffcb]

just let it grow

 

[HuduVudu]

just let it grow

He has some large bivalves.

 

[Tired]

In newer and/or smaller tanks, clams like that should be fed. Be aware it may starve regardless, and be ready to do a lot of water changes if it does. Bivalves rot fast and turn into the world's most disgusting soup inside the shell. If it dies, you may be able to pull it off the rock, as the foot will start to degrade. On the chance that happens, I would pull the whole thing out, dump out the grossness inside (OUTSIDE the tank, hold the shell shut until it's out), rinse it, and then put the shell back in, as there's lots of stuff living on it. Hopefully it lives, but it may already be in poor health depending on how long it's been without much food.

It looks like maybe a turkey wing clam. Too bad it doesn't look like anything photosynthetic, or it could get some energy that way.