Cycling tank, Already 2 pests?!

[Firefishi]

Hi all! I’m super new to the saltwater side of fishkeeping. I’m in the process of cycling my 350L Red Sea Reefer, and I think that I may already have aiptaisia? And some other little critters which I have sent pictures of. Can you tell me which are harmful?

 

[ShaunRobinson]

The first picture is an Aiptasia I'm afraid. I'd remove it before you get more!

2nd pic is an Asterina Starfish. I have them in my tank and they are harmless. They are pretty self regulating and will dwindle or multiply depending on your nutrients. Some reefers get a little overrun with them but I've never found them a problem personally.

Not sure on the 3rd and 4th although the third looks like a sponge and the 4th looks like some sort of tube worm. Not sure what that jelly stuff is next to it mind.

 

[bnguyen714]

The Asterina starfish will munch on zoas. I have a zoa garden and they would only go after certain ones but not others. Maybe that’s why some reefers say they’re harmless. But from my own experience and struggles, they are harmful. The zoas would close up for a week or more after being nibbled on.

 

[Nburg's Reef]

Definitely get rid of the aptasia in the first pic. They are common and you can find lots of ways to kill them.

Everything else I have in my tank and wouldnt worry about. Sponges, stars and tube worms are all harmless. Unless that is a zoa eating star, but I am not sure on it. I have bunches of mini stars and none have harmed anything.

 

[Cnidoblast]

Take the apt rock out of the water and crack the rock around it to remove it

 

[nautical_nathaniel]

Looks like you bought naturally source liverock, it comes with all sorts of critters most of the time, some cool and some bad. If you ever find something weird and you're not sure what it is, try to catch it and put it in a container of some sort and then post it here for an id If it's bad you've already got it out of the tank at least, if it's good you can easily put it back in the tank with no harm done!