KP Aquatics Live Rock

cshouston

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I received 10lbs of live rock shipped in water today from KP Aquatics. I’m using it to augment and boost the biodiversity in my reef tank which has 60lbs of dry rock that’s currently a few months old. This stuff is great!

Just from moving it to a 20gal quarantine tank, I found a really big brittle star, a smaller one, and tons of sponges and featherdusters. I’m hearing a LOT of snapping inside the tank though, audible from another room. I’m going to drop a coke bottle trap in there tonight and see if I can catch whatever is making that racket.

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Can anyone help me ID a couple of things? I’m concerned that one of the rocks might have the start of some bubble algae. I do have a red mithrax crab in the DT so it might get eaten, but if I can remove it before it even gets that far, I’d rather do that.
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There are also two other things I’m just curious about, not worried. There looks like some kind of red algae, but could it be a gorgonian of some type? And in the second photo is something I first thought was another feather duster, but it retains the conical form, doesn’t seem to flutter in flow like a duster, and pulls itself into the rock when I made a slight vibration.

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Thanks, everyone. I highly recommend KP for live rock, and I’ve had a great experience in the past when getting my CUC from them as well.
 
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cshouston

cshouston

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I think what you presume is red algae could be a tiny basket sea star. Could be wrong! Looks like some gorgeous biodiversity there!
I took a good close look and I don’t think it’s a basket star. I don’t think it’s a gorgonian either though, as I didn’t see polyps. It’s so tiny that it’s hard to make out, but I think it’s some kind of macro algae now.
 

Glass Algae

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I took a good close look and I don’t think it’s a basket star. I don’t think it’s a gorgonian either though, as I didn’t see polyps. It’s so tiny that it’s hard to make out, but I think it’s some kind of macro algae now.
Glad u id'd the bubble algae. Second look It Def does look like some red macro algae. My bad!
 
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cshouston

cshouston

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thats some good looking rock, sounds like you got a pistol shrimp
I definitely did. He’s a noisy sucker too. I’m going to drop a bottle trap in there before lights out and see what I have in the morning. I’ll also be using a red flashlight after dark to scope out anything else that made the trip from the Keys.
 

Anihiel1

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KPAquatics is the BEST, and not just for live rock. I have ordered stunning gorgonians, zoas, cuc, and fish. They have always exceeded my expectations in every way. Everything is such superior quality!
 

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I definitely did. He’s a noisy sucker too. I’m going to drop a bottle trap in there before lights out and see what I have in the morning. I’ll also be using a red flashlight after dark to scope out anything else that made the trip from the Keys.
I got rock from them as well, I didn't get anything I would call a pest. I did however, just finally remove the pencil urchins. I've had the rock for about a year and I still hear snapping but have never seen anything. I put a trap in the tank in the beginning just to see if I would catch anything however, the spaghetti worm tentacles would steal the bait. Let us know if you catch anything. Whats also nice about the KP rock is that there isn't aiptasia in the Keys.
 

Reef man 89

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I am about to order 60lbs from them. There rock looks amazing and seems to be at reasonable price. Thanks for sharing
 
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cshouston

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I didn't know there were no aiptasia in FL. That was one of my major concerns about getting live rock
There *IS* aiptasia in the Gulf of Mexico (so Tampa Bay rock may have it), but this rock is from a lease site in the Caribbean off of the Florida Keys where there is none present.
 

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