KP Aquatics Overnight Hitchhikers

[highpoint]

Please let me know whatever you can identify!

Link to videos of live rock and hitchhikers:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/10WzHBIdehdeJpcxtH_1vltySyuzQxTyt

 

[highpoint]

Google drive link last update: 3/13/24 3PM EST

 

[JGT]

That it? Looks like a type of cowrie and macro algae-halameda.

 

[areefer01]

That it? Looks like a type of cowrie and macro algae-halameda.

Lol! Made me giggle although to be honest I was thinking the same thing and was expecting more.

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

That it? Looks like a type of cowrie and macro algae-halameda.

Yeah, looks like the Atlantic Gray Cowry, Luria cinerea, and some Halimeda algae.

 

[JGT]

Lol! Made me giggle although to be honest I was thinking the same thing and was expecting more.

Oh I see there are more pics on the Google drive link. Those pics/videos are hard to see though.

 

[highpoint]

Oh I see there are more pics on the Google drive link. Those pics/videos are hard to see though.

I realize now that they are blurry unless you actually download them to your phone or pc… will post better pics here later

 

[JGT]

No prob. Just an fyi, KPA rock is awesome. I got over 300 pounds of their premium shipped in water. 0 die off, ammonia, Dino’s, GHA, uglies, etc.
For hitchhikers, dips in hi salinity water will help root them out. I just kept my tank empty for a couple of months and grabbed and removed most that I didn’t want in there during that time. Nigh time is fun with a flashlight.

 

[highpoint]

No prob. Just an fyi, KPA rock is awesome. I got over 300 pounds of their premium shipped in water. 0 die off, ammonia, Dino’s, GHA, uglies, etc.
For hitchhikers, dips in hi salinity water will help root them out. I just kept my tank empty for a couple of months and grabbed and removed most that I didn’t want in there during that time. Nigh time is fun with a flashlight.

Very happy with the product. I got 15 lbs to start my IM 40L Nuvo. I’m going to add some Caribsea shapes in there as well when I have a chance to do a quick aquascape, nothing crazy. Going for minimalist.

Right now the 15lb is inside a 10 gal tank because I’m not fully ready to put the 40gal up yet. Finishing up quarantine on my old tank and heading out for tournaments the next two weekends. I plan to keep the live rock by itself for a couple months as well.

So far zero ammonia or die off. Rock came in fresh ocean water with zero die off smell.

 

[JoJosReef]

Very happy with the product. I got 15 lbs to start my IM 40L Nuvo. I’m going to add some Caribsea shapes in there as well when I have a chance to do a quick aquascape, nothing crazy. Going for minimalist.

Right now the 15lb is inside a 10 gal tank because I’m not fully ready to put the 40gal up yet. Finishing up quarantine on my old tank and heading out for tournaments the next two weekends. I plan to keep the live rock by itself for a couple months as well.

So far zero ammonia or die off. Rock came in fresh ocean water with zero die off smell.

Nice, make sure to set up a build thread for your tank! Here's my IM 40L AIO

 

[highpoint]

Nice, make sure to set up a build thread for your tank! Here's my IM 40L AIO

Looks awesome, shoot me the link to your thread - my son and myself are excited to put ours up but being patient as the nano was riddled with ich and is now a QT tank.

He is also a future NHL first round draft pick (as all youth hockey parents think their kid is) so we have a couple of out of state tournaments coming up this month.

Until then we'll keep the rock isolated. When we get back the QT will be ready for observation and we will put the 40L up and start transferring rock into it and scaping. I plan to keep fish out as long as we can handle it.

 

[highpoint]

What is this meaty thing in the top left?

Also a couple little bubble algae spots in pics below. Will probably just remove the rock and get it out. Anyone know the best method for removing it by hand when it’s in a little cave like that? I plan to just pull the rock out and remove with a tweezer and exacto knife then rinse the rock.

Looking to identify the crab. Seems like most crabs are not reef safe. Pic is kind of blurry but he doesn't like light and shoots back inside the rock as soon as the flash goes off.

Anything else anyone can identify besides the sponge is greatly appreciated. Hoping there's not too much I need to remove.

BTW, the other crabs in the container that are in the brittle star video are dead.

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

What is this meaty thing in the top left?

With blob-esque critters like this, pics of it in the water are best; that said, this has a number of visible holes (siphons) in the pic, so it's either a sponge or colonial tunicate - either one should be harmless.

Looking to identify the crab.

Seems to be a Mithracid species of some variety - should be either reef-safe or reef-safe with caution (so probably a keeper, but may cause some issues at some point).

Anything else anyone can identify besides the sponge is greatly appreciated.

I see a coral (not sure what kind - maybe a Porites or Orbicella?), a few different kinds of sponges, and at least two kinds of macroalgae (possibly Dictyota, Sargassum, and - if I'm not wrong in thinking I see a couple of long and skinny bubbles - a green algae like Lychaete or similar).

 

[highpoint]

With blob-esque critters like this, pics of it in the water are best; that said, this has a number of visible holes (siphons) in the pic, so it's either a sponge or colonial tunicate - either one should be harmless.

Seems to be a Mithracid species of some variety - should be either reef-safe or reef-safe with caution (so probably a keeper, but may cause some issues at some point).

I see a coral (not sure what kind - maybe a Porites or Orbicella?), a few different kinds of sponges, and at least two kinds of macroalgae (possibly Dictyota, Sargassum, and - if I'm not wrong in thinking I see a couple of long and skinny bubbles - a green algae like Lychaete or similar).

Thanks for the input - I took off about 5 pieces of bubble algae today. Hoping if there’s anymore the couple of crabs will take care of it. Glad they are (hopefully) reef safe!

 

[highpoint]

Update: As of last night (about 24 hrs ago) I noticed the ammonia starting to rise. Seems to have leveled at a less than alarming rate. This is where it’s at now:

Just added a small bottle of Dr Tim’s in (30ml) as we are still at zero for both nitrite and nitrate.

Better pic of the tank: