Should you Really be so Scared of Hitchhikers?

[livinlifeinBKK]

So you think several vendors are just lying?

I'm not saying the vendors are lying but maybe there's some kind of middle ground since I did think it was illegal to harvest from pretty much anywhere in Australian waters even for Australian companies...maybe the source is just a little different than we imagine it to be or something like that...still Australian but not exactly right off the reef or something like that

 

[Rene']

Ya, I haven’t seen much live rock available like we had years ago. Bans?

Not sure, but there's plenty at the beach

 

[WheatToast]

@Jrain904 if you believe it's Australian live rock that's on you. I don't.
D

Curious to know what makes you skeptical and where you think the rock comes from. The Australian rock looks like dead coral skeletons to me (unlike aquacultured Caribbean rock), especially with all of the "pits" in the coral skeletons where the polyps grow out of, and those who have obtained said rock have received hitchhikers absent in the Caribbean region (ex. Stomatella snails). Admittedly though, there is not much information on its origin besides it coming from an unknown collector in the Carins region.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

Maybe the Australian rock is maricultured as well? Just a thought...

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

Well, I think after hearing from all these opinions it's fair to say that the really bad hitchhikers really are pretty rare and good hitchhikers are a real joy to watch so if you're a new reefer or thinking about adding some live rock I'd personally recommend it as the vast majority of commenters seem to.

 

[PeterEde]

Is not biodiversity the answer to a healthy tank. Leave it there until it's proven to have done wrong.
I've not removed anything intentionally yet. I think I siphoned out my smithi mantis who was very cool to watch.
I have a couple of large worms, few crabs of varying species. Black bristlestars and maybe a Bobbitt.
My tank bottom is white as and I don't clean it.
Just found this nem this week

 

[Double monti 61]

No I think hitchhikers should be scared of reefers!

 

[Sump Crab]

I'm not saying the vendors are lying but maybe there's some kind of middle ground since I did think it was illegal to harvest from pretty much anywhere in Australian waters even for Australian companies...maybe the source is just a little different than we imagine it to be or something like that...still Australian but not exactly right off the reef or something like that

Real Wild Australian Live Rock Available from Unique Corals | Reef Builders | The Reef and Saltwater Aquarium Blog

Live rock has been the backbone of setting up a new reef tank since time immemorial but in recent years, dry rock, mined options and manmade alternatives have mostly crowded out the capsules of reef…

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I’ve been in the hobby almost 20 years now and I started during the time when real pacific rock was super common and I can tell you that this Australian stuff is just as good. It’s definitely old coral heads with all the unique shapes only nature can make.

 

[JaimeAdams]

@Jrain904 if you believe it's Australian live rock that's on you. I don't.
D

I'm not saying the vendors are lying but maybe there's some kind of middle ground since I did think it was illegal to harvest from pretty much anywhere in Australian waters even for Australian companies...maybe the source is just a little different than we imagine it to be or something like that...still Australian but not exactly right off the reef or something like that

You know my Importer questioned the Australian origin story as well, but now I get tranship lists from him with Australian live rock with cites permits included.

 

[PeterEde]

Pretty sure mine is Australian live rock
Started with dry rock. Original lfs told me you can't get live rock anymore.
Found a closer lfs who said that was bullchit. The get it all the time
This is about a month in and now

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

I know a lot of people break their rock up now days and glue it together but if you look at actual live rock formations you will see the dead coral skeletons that the reefs are actually built on year after year.
A used car salesman will sell you a sports car that's directly from Italy or Germany where engineering is superior. I look at as a sales gimic but that's me and to each their own in life.
D

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

I know a lot of people break their rock up now days and glue it together but if you look at actual live rock formations you will see the dead coral skeletons that the reefs are actually built on year after year.
A used car salesman will sell you a sports car that's directly from Italy or Germany where engineering is superior. I look at as a sales gimic but that's me and to each their own in life.
D

To me anytime you try to alter live rock it doesn't exactly look natural, but again, it's all in the eye of the beholder

 

[Spare time]

So many people seem to start their tanks with all dry rock and sand mostly out of fear of hitchhikers which from my experience and the many others I've talked to, getting an actual bad hitchhiker seems to be a rare occurrence. I feel like so many new reefers are missing out on getting a great headstart into the hobby while also avoiding a large part of "the uglies" when they go the sterile all dry route. I just was hoping to start a dialogue to dispell some of the rumors associated with the terrors of possible hitchhikers so newer reefers might consider using live rock to set up a tank (there are many benefits). So what do you guys think? Should people really be as concerned as they seem over common hitchhikers?

This sounds like someone who hasn't had a tank ruined by hitchhikers lol. Pests can ruin someone's enjoyment of their tank. Its not rumors. I think you are also hearing less of it because people are using less live rock (as well as more dips and being careful) and thus its may be less of an issue. Plus, the ugly stage is relatively avoidable if done correctly. You can still get an ugly stage with live rock, just check out the brs video on this recently for an example. You just need predation and to avoid rookie mistakes.

BUT, I think there is big a difference between ocean live rock and LFS live rock which often sits in a tank where it just becomes a concentrated source of pests. I only advocate ocean rock if its done and collected properly. I have some issues about "farming" live ocean rock in the ocean itself, but done in a separate holding area is nice and I recommend that over LFS live rock any day

 

[Rene']

This sounds like someone who hasn't had a tank ruined by hitchhikers lol. Pests can ruin someone's enjoyment of their tank. Its not rumors. I think you are also hearing less of it because people are using less live rock (as well as more dips and being careful) and thus its may be less of an issue. Plus, the ugly stage is relatively avoidable if done correctly. You can still get an ugly stage with live rock, just check out the brs video on this recently for an example. You just need predation and to avoid rookie mistakes.

Hahaha.. It's hard to avoid rookie mistakes when you're a rookie

 

[Derrick0580]

Todays live rock isn’t anywhere as near as bad 15 years ago when you had a high rate of bad hitchhikers. I used to be scared to reach into live rock tanks for fear of mantis shrimp and blue ring octopuses!

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

This sounds like someone who hasn't had a tank ruined by hitchhikers lol. Pests can ruin someone's enjoyment of their tank. Its not rumors. I think you are also hearing less of it because people are using less live rock (as well as more dips and being careful) and thus its may be less of an issue. Plus, the ugly stage is relatively avoidable if done correctly. You can still get an ugly stage with live rock, just check out the brs video on this recently for an example. You just need predation and to avoid rookie mistakes.

BUT, I think there is big a difference between ocean live rock and LFS live rock which often sits in a tank where it just becomes a concentrated source of pests. I only advocate ocean rock if its done and collected properly. I have some issues about "farming" live ocean rock in the ocean itself, but done in a separate holding area is nice and I recommend that over LFS live rock any day

Well you'd be correct in assuming I haven't had a tank ruined by hitchhikers but judging from all the comments I'm not an outlier lol...and yeah I saw the BRS video. I actually took some notes from it. It was interesting and informational but there were also some parts in which their methods seemed like they could've been carried out in better ways. As for the LFS live rock vs real ocean live rock I agree I'd go with real ocean live rock definitely

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

Curious to know what makes you skeptical and where you think the rock comes from. The Australian rock looks like dead coral skeletons to me (unlike aquacultured Caribbean rock), especially with all of the "pits" in the coral skeletons where the polyps grow out of, and those who have obtained said rock have received hitchhikers absent in the Caribbean region (ex. Stomatella snails). Admittedly though, there is not much information on its origin besides it coming from an unknown collector in the Carins region.

After doing some research into it, I found they can legally collect from certain areas although it's highly regulated and whether the rock is coming from an area like most people would hope for and imagine it comes from isnt clear. It likely comes from Cairns Marine since that would make sense after the video I just watched. They also collect all the wild coral they legally can as well which most people claim to despise though.

 

[Tiki_Reef]

I have always used live rock the little bit of risk is worth a lot success, in fact I am picking some tbsaltwater rock and sand up Thursday for my new Eshopps deskmate. I am fortunate that the rock in my 120 was inherited from a good friends tank when he moved.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

Hahaha.. It's hard to avoid rookie mistakes when you're a rookie

I'd say that's why research is highly advisable beforehand...a lot of common mistakes are easily avoidable if you try to educate yourself on the subject before starting but a lot of people just get excited and go for it (I understand their excitement though, it's an awesome hobby!)

 

[i cant think]

The biggest issue is, pests will almost always find their way into the tank. I started my 4’ tank with rock that’s 10+ years old and I still find new sponges, coral ect… a few weeks ago I picked up a few pieces of new Live Rock straight from the gulf and already, the macros growing on it look beautiful. A few years ago when I started to setup my first 3’ reef tank, I had to break up and remove an entire 3-4lbs rock because we had managed to find a Bobbit Worm in the tank.
Now, with coral my most recent run in in terms of pests were Euphyllia Eating Flatworms on a 5-8 head colony of Torch 2 years back. There will never be a 100% way of keeping pests out anyway.

So, I have had tanks destroyed by pests however it can be an easy recovery if caught early on and even then, I’ve only had 2 really nasty tank wrecking pests in 8-10 years.