Hitchhikers - The good & bad?

[blue2337]

I am just starting my first saltwater tank, 40 gal. I have had it cycling for the past 3 weeks. A yesterday I added 5 pounds of live rock and found more hitchhikers than I had on the previous 25 pounds.
I found a number of Spionidae Worms, Vermetidae, Brittle Star I think (saw a number of thin legs waving out of a hole during the night), Asterina star fish, Jellyfish (llok like every pic ive seen - a number of small brown tubes all grouped together) or small feather dusters.

Now I have something that might be bad. There is a small round pink thing with a darker red outline. At night it reached its thin tenticals that had round tips. Is this the bad anemone? The pictures I have seen of the bad one almpost looks like it is raied on a stalk. MIne look flat against the live rock.

Thank for any help.

 

[Squishie89]

Pictures would be very helpful.

 

[Reefing Madness]

Nds like a Ball or Strawberry Anemone.

 

[blue2337]

This was the best picture I could get. It is a little smaller than an eraser on a pencil. I think I have another one a little smaller on the same rock.

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

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[Mike J.]

Welcome to Reef 2 Reef! Here's a site that will help you: LionfishLair.com - Hitchhiker Guide to your Aquarium

 

[blue2337]

Thanks for that link. Mine looks identical to Corynactis Strawberry Anemone, especially the picture on the left side of the page. I have three of these on the same rock. Will these cause problems? I eventually will be setting this up as reef/small fish tank.

 

[Mike J.]

I'd leave them. They don't spread rapidly and would be easy enough to control if they become a problem later.

 

[blue2337]

Thank you everyone for you replies but I have another question. I got some additional live rock shipped to me. As I read, I rinsed with saltwater and brished it lightly with a soft brush. Now that things have settled one of my rocks has a few things growing on it that I am not sure what they are (macro algea, corals...). In this picture I am wondering about the red bushy thing in the middle top, the one on the left & bottom right.

On the same rock I have a number of things that look like little honeycombs. There are about 5.

Then there is this. Its green & yellow with some corraline growing around it as well.

Any help to tell me what these are would be great and if they should be removed.

 

[Mike J.]

The red algae I wouldn't worry about; your fish and clean up crew will eat it. The middle picture is a favia - good score. Not sure about the bottom photo.

 

[blue2337]

Thanks for the reply. Thats good news about the favia. The rock that they came on is a large piece so it will stay at the bottom of the tank, which is what I read they prefer. Some of them are white but a couple are turning tan since I got them. I assume this is normal after shipping and finnally settled in a new tank.

 

[blue2337]

Ok, since everyone has been very helpful & this is my first reef tank I have a couple more questions about what is on my rock. My corraline has started to grow but there are a couple of rocks that have something different than what is on the rest. Not sure if it is corraline or something else.

The last picture is different than the other becuase it has small tube like things growing from it.

 

[Mike J.]

Coralline Algae comes in many colors, and I believe that all your pictures except the last one are Coralline. The last picture is a montipora or a porite species. Hard to tell right now. You obviously got some good rock. Who knows what will show up next?

 

[kes]

most look fairly innocent, sponges, and few other nice growth

 

[blue2337]

I rearranged my live rock for the final time and found something else that I have could not find on any website about hitchhikers. Shuld I remove this or is it ok? The white thing in the center of the picture.

 

[Mike J.]

I can't see the photo real good. Are you sure it's not a Pineapple Sponge (Selcon)? LionfishLair.com - Hitchhiker Guide to your Aquarium

 

[blue2337]

Im not too sure. I have a coupl eof ball sponges inside my rock but this one is not a "fuzzy" as the pictures in your link. I am assuming it is not a worm since it did not move at all when I shined a flashlight on it and even lightly blew some water on it with a turkey baster. I guess I will just keep an eye on it.

 

[blue2337]

Are these aiptasia? Their a number ofb them together. They have not grown at all in the past few months.

 

[Mike J.]

Yup, Aiptasia. Get rid of it and stay on top of it or you'll end up regretting it.

 

[blue2337]

Since it is on a smaller rock, can I take it out and boil it in a pot with lemon juice. I hear that injecting lemon juice could work but thought of boiling it to make sure they are compltely gone since there are a number of them.