Liverock hitchhikers

[PghReef]

I'm going to be ordering about 30 lbs of liverock from kpaquatics. Worried about pest but it's a risk I feel worth taking to really establish a tank for sps.

I've read about bottle traps and hyper salinity dips. I'm not too worried about crabs and shrimps as they arent too hard to deal with. My biggest concern is parasitic isopods though.

How common are they?

How long should the tank remain fallow to guarantee they all die off if present?

I plan on curing the rock and treating it like it has ich and fallow for 76 days. Will this suffice?

 

[TriggerFinger]

I’ve received two orders of live rock from KPA. The only bad guys I came across was a nudibranch I couldn’t identify and some massive bristleworms. I leave my rock by itself for 30 days before adding to my tank.

 

[DeniseAndy]

I would also isolate the rock on its own for up to 30 days minimum. I think I did a full 6 weeks on mine. I got a mantis shrimp, coral, urchin and some aiptasia, but it was no other issues. Always good to qt.

 

[PghReef]

I’ve received two orders of live rock from KPA. The only bad guys I came across was a nudibranch I couldn’t identify and some massive bristleworms. I leave my rock by itself for 30 days before adding to my tank.

How was your experience with the rock? I'm assuming most nudibachs will die of quickly without a food source. Did you get a lot of goodies with the rock?

Also how was your curing process?

 

[PghReef]

I would also isolate the rock on its own for up to 30 days minimum. I think I did a full 6 weeks on mine. I got a mantis shrimp, coral, urchin and some aiptasia, but it was no other issues. Always good to qt.

It will be cured outside the tank for at least a month then in the DT with no fish for even longer. Going to take it slower and stock up corals first then fish.

 

[cshouston]

I got 20lbs from KP, and the only hitchhikers I got were several pistol shrimp, several mithrax crabs, lots of bristle starfish, bristle worms, spaghetti worms, and some polyclad flatworms I removed beforehand. Nothing to really be concerned about. Lots of good sponges, tunicates, and gorgeous coralline though.

 

[TriggerFinger]

How was your experience with the rock? I'm assuming most nudibachs will die of quickly without a food source. Did you get a lot of goodies with the rock?

Also how was your curing process?

I’m a repeat customer, very satisfied with KPA. Good hitchickers came too; chitons, sponges, unique feather dusters, spaghetti worms (personal favorite), red mithrax crabs, pistol shrimp, tunicates, macro algae, other crabs I can’t identify but have remained nickel sized. Urchins, brittle stars. Here’s some pics from my order at the end of September. This batch I put in a tank with circulation and a skimmer. I did 5-7 gallon water changes for the first week to control ammonia. I didn’t register any ammonia after 13 days. I will monitor the rock for another 3 weeks or so before putting in my display tank. I will add a bit of food to see what comes out and I will watch it after lights out; that’s when the real show begins
Edit: the rock is curing in my garage so doesn’t require heat this time of year. Also because the smell is pretty strong

 

[JohnnyBlowfish]

I received my rock from KP several weeks back. Put it in a quarantine tank for a few weeks to observe. The only undesirables I had were a few baby gorilla crabs. The positives were many! There were urchins, pistol shrimp, mirthrax crabs, bristle worms, starfish, pods, tiny shrimp, etc. Overall, the live rock is very high quality and I will be ordering again.

 

[Pistol Peet]

I bought my live rock at my local fish store and it was honestly the last time I did it nothing super harmful a bunch of bristle worms bunch of spaghetti worms a bunch of brittle starfish and a few mushrooms I myself personally hate bristle worms this is why I opted to go with dry Rock instead also easier in my opinion the Aquascape with

 

[Hyde2406]

KP aquatics is the best love them and their shop! This is a shot of my son's tank. The big rock was from my old reef tank but the really pretty rock is kp aquatics. I have some sail fin blennys (I think that's what they are anyway...can't remember) they are so comical. Suck a great store and great family to support.