Have you ever had a cool coral, fish, invert or other critter hitchhike in?

[HankstankXXL750]

The thing is they’re way too small, next to it is my Mexican Turbo Snail.

I was told Colonial Hydroids but I’m not 100% sure on that either.
Maybe they are and I’m wrong though. Here’s two other clumps of them.

I know when I first found aiptasia in my reef it was smaller. Then when I used aistasia x I must have allowed some to “seed” as there were more and more. I have eliminated in one reef with a copperbanded butterfly. So far he doesn’t seem to be going after any corals.

 

[i cant think]

I know when I first found aiptasia in my reef it was smaller. Then when I used aistasia x I must have allowed some to “seed” as there were more and more. I have eliminated in one reef with a copperbanded butterfly. So far he doesn’t seem to be going after any corals.

These definitely aren’t aiptasia as I have eliminated it all.

 

[Ntl555]

Found a porcelain crab with a coral purchase. Now he's living in luxury inside my sunburst anemone.

 

[HankstankXXL750]

These definitely aren’t aiptasia as I have eliminated it all.

I won’t argue the point as it is difficult to tell from a picture. But I had a couple to start with and treated them with aiptasia-x. Then I suddenly had lots of them. All super small.
now I have them in my frag section of my sump. This picture shows a really small one next to a zoa for size comparison.
If it isn’t aiptasia I don’t have any other recommendations as I haven’t had to my knowledge the colonial item that was mentioned.

 

[Duncan62]

This week we're going to be talking about reef tank hitchhikers! They are normally thought of in a negative sense, bad critters, but they can also be very cool, and good! I thought today we could start with the "good" ones!

What's the best hitchhiker you've ever had and how did it hitchhike in? Could be coral, fish, inverts or anything you like!

image via @LgTas

this guy was on a rock wrapped in paper. Been told it's a rose coral but I like whatever it is.

 

[SteveMM62Reef]

Chitons, Asterina Starfish, a little Red Starfish from the Caribbean, Brittle Stars, Urchins, Tunicates, Sponges, and a little red crab. Best was in a bunch of snails bought from a LFS. I isolated them in a Macro Grow out tank. One of the large snails was just an empty shell. I transferred all to Display, a couple days later found a tiny Red Lipped Blenny was living in the empty shell.

 

[i cant think]

Chitons, Asterina Starfish, a little Red Starfish from the Caribbean, Brittle Stars, Urchins, Tunicates, Sponges, and a little red crab. Best was in a bunch of snails bought from a LFS. I isolated them in a Macro Grow out tank. One of the large snails was just an empty shell. I transferred all to Display, a couple days later found a tiny Red Lipped Blenny was living in the empty shell.

Do you still have the red lipped blenny?

 

[Reefjockey]

This is one of my favorite parts of this hobby... good surprises!

My #1 answer - In 2014 Macroalgae started growing like crazy on some live rock that I purchased with a small leather coral attached. The coral didn't make it, but the hidden Caulerpa (I believe) managed to conquer a quarter of my tank until I had to "weed" the garden every month or so.

It's gone now too as apparently my mushroom leathers liked it's real estate.

 

[Duncan62]

Love my stomatella and want more.

Best snail ever!

 

[FoolishWizard]

Had a Lawnmower Blenny tucked away in a piece of live rock purchased from a LFS... The blenny survived the trip home inside the rock in a plastic bag with little to no water.

 

[Obsessed with fish]

I have an unidentified snail and a wild zoas.

 

[Tyrone]

I bought some liverock with some growing GSP. I acclimated it to my tank and I remember hearing a clicking noise. I really think nothing of til the next day I discovered a small green mantis hiding in my partially GSP covered liverock.

 

[SaltyPotato]

I got the bad pests like Cirolanid pods, but I did get this adorable tiger goby! I never remembered buying another fish lol

 

[bstodds15]

Spaghetti worms, not mad about it

 

[i cant think]

I got the bad pests like Cirolanid pods, but I did get this adorable tiger goby! I never remembered buying another fish lol

Oh man, gobies and blennies are the most common fish to find as hitchhikers!
But this guy is stunning and also rarely seen in the hobby!

 

[Emma_fish]

I got some GSP with a toadstool that I bought other than that i’ve had nothing!

 

[SteveMM62Reef]

Do you still have the red lipped blenny?

No I ended up giving it away after my Shrimp Gobies decided to bully it. Had it for a while though, had grown a bit, and was living in a Moon Snail Shell I placed in the tank. Strange thing is my Lawnmower Blenny never bothered it.

 

[Duncan62]

I got the bad pests like Cirolanid pods, but I did get this adorable tiger goby! I never remembered buying another fish lol

That's a very cool fish. Certainly a top find!

 

[mucky1957]

I bought some rock from my lfs and ended up with something in the tank that was making a real loud noise against the glass...turns out it was a mantis shrimp..I thought it was going to break the glass. Had to remove most of the rock to get it out

 

[Solga]

Here are just a few of the 'hikers' I have picked up