Rock growth

[the_chef_pierre]

I'm totally new to saltwater aquariums and was sold this small live rock being told that theres a mushroom coral on it. Not sure if this is a good coral or not but what I'm more concerned about is the other growth on the rock. Its like redish sticklike growth. Not sure if this is some kind of algae or nuisance. Kinda looks like it might have been something that was trimmed off at some point and grew back. Can anyone help identify what this rock growth is? Thanks

 

[Euphyllia97]

Is it hard (calcified)? If it is, you probabely have one of the most hated pest called “vermetid snails”.

 

[Crabs McJones]

Colonial Hydroids

 

[the_chef_pierre]

are you referring to the coral part or the hairy things? the coral opens and closes to the lights but the other thing appear to not be super hard and can move a bit from the water flow

 

[the_chef_pierre]

oh ya it kinda looks like hydroids. is this a bad thing?

 

[Crabs McJones]

oh ya it kinda looks like hydroids. is this a bad thing?

They are considered a pest. Personally if the rock is small enough I'd just pull it.

 

[the_chef_pierre]

how bad would it be for my tank if i chose to leave it in? its a small rock but kinda fits with the aquascape, plus im kind of hoping the coral on it will grow into something nice (or am i just wishful thinking. still new to this). I have nothing in my tank yet other than the rocks and live sand. Still confused about whether or not its even cycled yet (posted about this on here but havent heared anything back yet). thanks for helping identify the hydroids

 

[Crabs McJones]

how bad would it be for my tank if i chose to leave it in? its a small rock but kinda fits with the aquascape, plus im kind of hoping the coral on it will grow into something nice (or am i just wishful thinking. still new to this). I have nothing in my tank yet other than the rocks and live sand. Still confused about whether or not its even cycled yet (posted about this on here but havent heared anything back yet). thanks for helping identify the hydroids

Usually they tend to die out on their own as the tank matures.

 

[Topekoms]

Well I hope you didn't pay much for that rock cause I don't see a single mushroom on it. What is on it looks like a paly

 

[the_chef_pierre]

yeah, thats what i was thinking. the rock was only $3/lb, so didnt cost much. It is a paly though eh? It opens and closes to the light and literally closes instantly if u touch it with something like the end of the turkey baster

 

[Topekoms]

yeah, thats what i was thinking. the rock was only $3/lb, so didnt cost much. It is a paly though eh? It opens and closes to the light and literally closes instantly if u touch it with something like the end of the turkey baster

You will find most corals will react to touch and light

 

[the_chef_pierre]

good to know. thanks again, still learning more and more about this daily. in your opinion, is the little paly on that rock worth holding on to?

 

[Topekoms]

I would not if you do decide to keep it put in in the middle of the sandbed away from most of your rock work as those will spread and then you will never get rid of em

 

[the_chef_pierre]

Good to know. Not sure if you can see how its positioned right now but it's already kinda in be middle and pointed towards the front glass with nothing else really around it. Think I should be ok or is it bad enough that I'd be best to just get rid of it? I probably will rearrange my rock work at some point anyways since I'm still not too sure how much I like its positioning

 

[Topekoms]

The issue you will have with it is it is a fairly boring coral. Its not very attractive and will spread rapidly. So it will become a fight for you. We all fall in to that trap when we first start. Mine was green palys that got me. Took me forever to get rid of it

 

[the_chef_pierre]

Haha yeah you're totally right. Maybe I'm getting ahead of myself. Considering the rock piece is small (only around 3 inches) maybe I'll just hold on to it for a little bit and not attach it to the rest of the rocks that way I can easily pull it if I dont want it. Still dont even know what to stock the tank with due to its size (30 gal long breeder tank).

 

[the_chef_pierre]

im still confused as to whether its a snail or hydroids? as far as i know, if i touch it with something it seems to be soft and can move, if i look at it super closely the ends appear slightly feathered (which is what makes me believe its actually hydroids)

 

[the_chef_pierre]

Maybe this pic shows it better. I'm referring to the greenish brown colored things coming out of the rock near the front that have a bit of a feathered in? Then again I just noticed the pinkish colored thing behind it. Could that be a snail?

 

[the_chef_pierre]

Also, on I side note, does anybody happen to know what type of paly this is? It's the one also on the same rock but has been opening up a bit more now that I've added a little food to the tank. Thanks again guys

 

[reef lover]

Sand paly and they grow fast and cover alot of real estate. The hard pink tube is a vermitid snail you can crush it or epoxy it shut .and the others might be yellow polyps instead of hydroids but theyre just as much a plague as the sand plays.