Some help with TBS live rock

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Yep

That's a hard no, ghost rider!

 

[mikey1958]

Yeah, Tampa Bay doesn't play when they say their stuff is pulled straight out of the ocean.

They have great rock...it's the gorilla crabs that have given me a headache

 

[mikey1958]

I'm FAR from an expert, but it seems to me that this would thrust many delicate organisms into immediate osmotic shock, and cause more die off than it would help. Are you specifically talking about aquacultured live rock from places like Tampa Bay Saltwater that comes teeming with life? Can you link to another post supporting this? I'm genuinely asking. Thank you for your help!

Iyes I was talking about tbs.. I put a rock in freshwater by accident..I realized what I had done in 2 minutes...all I list was a few crabs..I grabbed tge two brittle stars quickly and they are doing fine
..One rather large gorilla survived and showed me what rock in was in after he eat my gsp .,I tried hyper salinty water, he liked it..so i give him a 2 minute freshwater bath and got him

 

[Fish Fan]

Iyes I was talking about tbs.. I put a rock in freshwater by accident..I realized what I had done in 2 minutes...all I list was a few crabs..I grabbed tge two brittle stars quickly and they are doing fine
..One rather large gorilla survived and showed me what rock in was in after he eat my gsp .,I tried hyper salinty water, he liked it..so i give him a 2 minute freshwater bath and got him

Thank you for your reply and for reporting you experience. Respectfully, I'd ask that you link to anyone else who has done this successfully with TBS rock and sand.

 

[mikey1958]

Thank you for your reply and for reporting you experience. Respectfully, I'd ask that you link to anyone else who has done this successfully with TBS rock and sand.

 

[mikey1958]

I will if I find someone who has done it

 

[Fish Fan]

I will if I find someone who has done it

Exactly. Please let us know if anyone else has successfully dipped aquacultured live rock in freshwater. The experience you are posting has to be repeatable amongst other reefers, or it's unfortunately considered misinformation. R2R gurus, please correct me if I'm wrong, I'd love to hear if I am wrong and why.

 

[Quintin]

So, we had a household meeting and everyone got a vote.

It’s been decided that we gonna leave these guys as they are and remove them using traps as and when they get caught.

If we have enough space in the sump. We will make room for them, else they will get donated to whomever wants them - like the octopus.

The rock has way too much beneficial micro fauna and flora to let a couple of mantis shrimps upset the apple cart.

Will be planting a couple of bottle traps for these guys during the day and any unused traps will be used for hitchhiking crabs and other goodies at night.

Was watching the one little guy this evening closing up his burrow for the evening, taking care to make sure the door is locked and bolted.

They are way too interesting and clever with real characters, making them unique.

 

[Fish Fan]

Very glad to hear you are being humane to what many consider pests Best of luck with rehoming your critters!

 

[ingchr1]

You probably should not have done that...

Yeah, releasing wildlife after it has been in an aquarium is generally illegal and frowned upon because it can cause some major problems (it doesn't always, but it can):

That's a hard no, ghost rider!

In this specific case, would a more appropriate action have been to kill it instead?

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

In this specific case, would a more appropriate action have been to kill it instead?

Legally and from an ecology standpoint, yes - though sumping it or giving it away to any interested parties would obviously be preferred.

 

[CBonito]

They have great rock...it's the gorilla crabs that have given me a headache

Oh I bet! I hate those things. And they're STRONG. You have to grab them with long tweezers and pry them out.

My order from them is going into its own compartment in my refugium. It's just for the diversity.

 

[Quintin]

Oh I bet! I hate those things. And they're STRONG. You have to grab them with long tweezers and pry them out.

My order from them is going into its own compartment in my refugium. It's just for the diversity.

I have a small order of premium rock arriving next week. Not as large as the base rock but can’t wait to see how full of life that is.

Their rock, is amazing and like nothing else.
Their team does an absolutely incredible job.

 

[Doctorgori]

I placed my Florida rock over a bare bottom tank and quickly removed it several times leaving several mantises and crabs behind…not 100% effective but helped…
I did score a giant spaghetti worm, long spine urchin and flame scallop

 

[Quintin]

I placed my Florida rock over a bare bottom tank and quickly removed it several times leaving several mantises and crabs behind…not 100% effective but helped…
I did score a giant spaghetti worm, long spine urchin and flame scallop

Many years ago I had a long spine urchin but that thing was as mean as they came. Any time I would do something in the tank, it would point those spines and move over my way.

Eventually had to rehome him as it and its spines got way too large for the tank.

Also received a scallop from them as a gift in a separate bag, which was really nice of them.

 

[Roatan Reef]

Hi guys.

Got some really great live rock from TBS full of life, sponges, micro brittle stars, ect.

But have a problem with a number of undesirables that also arrived on the rock.

Upon initial inspection I removed an octopus, 2 mantis shrimp, a couple of gorilla and decorator crabs…. And some whelks.

However, now that the rock is in the tank and cycling, I found a couple other things.
A clutch of octopus eggs- which can easily be removed.

But….
From what I can see it looks like 20+ mantis shrimps ranging in sizes from 0.5 inches to another big one at 2 inches. Also suspect some more nasty crabs as well as the initial cleanup grew is all but wiped out in less than 4 days.

Any suggestions on how to get these critters off the rock?

Obviously, I will take the rock out again and inspect by hand but don’t want to do anything as drastic as a fresh water dip as that is gonna kill a lot of beneficial flora and fauna as well.

Any suggestions and advice welcomed.

Great story and thread @Quintin

I too have bought 2 smaller pieces of live rock and 10lbs of sand from TBS...and I must have lucked out.

I only got a really cool phyllangia hidden cup coral, and it's my favorite coral in the tank....because, you really can't buy them. It has tripled in size.

 

[Fish Fan]

I have a small order of premium rock arriving next week. Not as large as the base rock but can’t wait to see how full of life that is.

Their rock, is amazing and like nothing else.
Their team does an absolutely incredible job.

The premium stuff is awesome! If you got all those hitchhikers on the base rock, I can't wait to see what you get with the premium stuff! The ladies at TBS a definitely great to work with, very responsive and helpful. I would absolutely recommended them, and I look forward to getting more of their rock and sand in the future.

I have never personally delt with gorilla crabs, but I have read that you can trap them by placing a chuck of table shrimp or similar in a shot glass or highball glass placed in the tank. The crabs can find their way in, but can't climb the smooth glass to get out. They are also more active at night, so hunt them after lights out.

 

[JM302]

The premium stuff is awesome! If you got all those hitchhikers on the base rock, I can't wait to see what you get with the premium stuff! The ladies at TBS a definitely great to work with, very responsive and helpful. I would absolutely recommended them, and I look forward to getting more of their rock and sand in the future.

I have never personally delt with gorilla crabs, but I have read that you can trap them by placing a chuck of table shrimp or similar in a shot glass or highball glass placed in the tank. The crabs can find their way in, but can't climb the smooth glass to get out. They are also more active at night, so hunt them after lights out.

That definitely worked for me. This is Crabzilla. His body (not including his legs) was bigger than a quarter. He’s my friend. Lol.

 

[Fish Fan]

Great story and thread @Quintin

I too have bought 2 smaller pieces of live rock and 10lbs of sand from TBS...and I must have lucked out.

I only got a really cool phyllangia hidden cup coral, and it's my favorite coral in the tank....because, you really can't buy them. It has tripled in size.

That coral is very cool, I'm jealous! I actually started two small tanks with my TBS order, one of which is a 10 gallon for a Florida mantis. I want to make this 10 gallon kind of a Florida gulf themed tank using only animals native to the area. The problem is you can't find much of this stuff in the pet trade anymore. I would have loved to have gotten a coral on with my TBS order, I think that would have been so cool and would fit with my "theme tank" idea. If you are ever able to frag or propagate that coral, please keep me in mind for a piece ;-)

 

[Fish Fan]

That definitely worked for me. This is Crabzilla. His body (not including his legs) was bigger than a quarter. He’s my friend. Lol.

Nice catch! What did you do with him?