Some help with TBS live rock

[JM302]

Nice catch! What did you do with him?

I'll be honest, I speared most of them, not this guy though. He was the one that would do acrobatics for me and look for me to feed it when I was really just trying to lure it out of its hole. I became attached to him. He's living his best life in my fuge that has rock, tons of different macros and pods galore!

 

[Quintin]

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

lol, that’s one big and mean looking crab.
Will definitely give your stylophora a hair cut amongst other things.

 

[Fish Fan]

I'll be honest, I speared most of them, not this guy though. He was the one that would do acrobatics for me and look for me to feed it when I was really just trying to lure it out of its hole. I became attached to him. He's living his best life in my fuge that has rock, tons of different macros and pods galore!

Very cool! Glad to hear he has a home in your sump!

 

[malacoda]

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.

Great decision, IMHO.

I used a TBS package to set up my first tank. A 20g. Tons of critters. No mantis shrimp. But plenty of whelks, keyhole limpets, porceline crabs, pistol shrimp, urchins, sponges, tunicates, barnacles, etc. etc.

Some I removed as quickly as I could — the whelks (so they wouldn't prey on my CUC snails) followed by the keyholes (they began to munch on my acans).

Some I removed later on — a rock urchin (began to get too big for the tank), a polyclad flatworm, and some gorilla crabs (Then I got lazy and just let a few other stay. They never bothered anything.)

And many I was glad to have, and kept — pincushion urchin, the little pistol shrimps, all the rest.

Yes, some of the hitchhikers resulted in the need to alter or delay some of my other stocking plans for the tank. Or caused an occasional noobie freak-out ... until I did some reach and found out my latest discovery was nothing to worry about. (Nothing ever truly was.)

But it was, by far, the most interesting, engaging, diverse, and stable tank I've had.

Every evening, for months on end, my wife and I gaze into it and discover some new and curious critter to marvel at.

 

[Quintin]

Great decision, IMHO.

I used a TBS package to set up my first tank. A 20g. Tons of critters. No mantis shrimp. But plenty of whelks, keyhole limpets, porceline crabs, pistol shrimp, urchins, sponges, tunicates, barnacles, etc. etc.

Some I removed as quickly as I could — the whelks (so they wouldn't prey on my CUC snails) followed by the keyholes (they began to munch on my acans).

Some I removed later on — a rock urchin (began to get too big for the tank), a polyclad flatworm, and some gorilla crabs (Then I got lazy and just let a few other stay. They never bothered anything.)

And many I was glad to have, and kept — pincushion urchin, the little pistol shrimps, all the rest.

Yes, some of the hitchhikers resulted in the need to alter or delay some of my other stocking plans for the tank. Or caused an occasional noobie freak-out ... until I did some reach and found out my latest discovery was nothing to worry about. (Nothing ever truly was.)

But it was, by far, the most interesting, engaging, diverse, and stable tank I've had.

Every evening, for months on end, my wife and I gaze into it and discover some new and curious critter to marvel at.

Definitely, the tank really comes alive at night using a red torch and always something new and interesting to see.

Love the fact that it’s not just dry rock where a cycle is done and add some fish and corals but it’s by no means an insta-tank either, albeit very close.

This approach definitely forces you to pay a lot more attention to the hobby, looking closer at things, followed by tons of research and reading up to get a more in depth understanding of the ecosystem as a whole and what part each critter plays a role in.

 

[areefer01]

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

There are options, right?

• Sump
• Refugium
• Overflow
• Fellow / local hobbyist refugium
• Fellow / local hobbyist predator display
• Fellow / local hobbyist dedicated display
• Fellow / local hobbyist food for predator
• LFS

As already stated there are reasons why releasing animals from our aquariums back into the wild is wrong. Environmental and legal. Not directed at you but I'm actually perplexed that this is even being discussed.

I get it and totally understand. Been in a similar situation when I introduced 25 lbs of KP Aquatic live rock. I have a pair in my overflow box one of which is pretty large. Take a look at their claw...

 

[ingchr1]

My point in discussing this is that some (not directed at either one of you) justify our reef aquariums as we are conservationists and saving the reefs. Yet, in order to have a successful reef we are told that live rock is needed. When we get that live rock, if there are life forms that we perceive or are actual dangers to our reefs one of the methods is to destroy those life forms.

Some may not have friendly options for dealing with hitchhikers. I doubt many LFS will take bad hitchhikers. Everyone does not have a sump, refugium or overflows (e.g. AIOs). Not everyone has friends in the hobby.

Does the Florida law state that non-invasive native species are not allowed to be released back to the wild once in captivity? I have absolutely no idea, so if anyone can point to the law that would be great.

I get it. I have TBS live rock, but luckily it doesn't appear that I got any bad hitchhikers. If I did, then I probably would have had to deal with them in the not so friendly manner.

I have a freshwater tank with snails that have been multiplying. These particular snails destroy the leaves on one specific plant in the tank. When I remove them from the tank, they do not go down the drain or into our lake. Why, because I have no idea if they are invasive to our area or not. It's a 15-gallon tank and the past couple of weeks I must have removed near 100 of them. I guess the only difference is that these snails came from captivity and not the wild.

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

There are options, right?

• Sump
• Refugium
• Overflow
• Fellow / local hobbyist refugium
• Fellow / local hobbyist predator display
• Fellow / local hobbyist dedicated display
• Fellow / local hobbyist food for predator
• LFS

As already stated there are reasons why releasing animals from our aquariums back into the wild is wrong. Environmental and legal. Not directed at you but I'm actually perplexed that this is even being discussed.

I get it and totally understand. Been in a similar situation when I introduced 25 lbs of KP Aquatic live rock. I have a pair in my overflow box one of which is pretty large. Take a look at their claw...

 

[areefer01]

My point in discussing this is that some (not directed at either one of you) justify our reef aquariums as we are conservationists and saving the reefs. Yet, in order to have a successful reef we are told that live rock is needed. When we get that live rock, if there are life forms that we perceive or are actual dangers to our reefs one of the methods is to destroy those life forms.

Some may not have friendly options for dealing with hitchhikers. I doubt many LFS will take bad hitchhikers. Everyone does not have a sump, refugium or overflows (e.g. AIOs). Not everyone has friends in the hobby.

Does the Florida law state that non-invasive native species are not allowed to be released back to the wild once in captivity? I have absolutely no idea, so if anyone can point to the law that would be great.

I get it. I have TBS live rock, but luckily it doesn't appear that I got any bad hitchhikers. If I did, then I probably would have had to deal with them in the not so friendly manner.

I have a freshwater tank with snails that have been multiplying. These particular snails destroy the leaves on one specific plant in the tank. When I remove them from the tank, they do not go down the drain or into our lake. Why, because I have no idea if they are invasive to our area or not. It's a 15-gallon tank and the past couple of weeks I must have removed near 100 of them. I guess the only difference is that these snails came from captivity and not the wild.

I don't know the laws of Florida nor their fish and game code(s). Unboxing, releasing into home aquaria and support system, then releasing back? Velvet? Ick? Other? Just not a sound idea.

 

[Quintin]

Just to give you an idea of how amazing this product from TBS is. The rock was collected and placed in the tank on 26 January 2024 and already have coralline algae growing on the gyre pumps.

Absolutely incredible.

 

[Hadla]

Omg when you get the mantises out, I will take them! Will pay for shipping to Sacramento and for your trouble! That’s how much I love them lol

But if you do decide to keep them, they only need about a 10 gallon tank most of the Florida species (wennerae, ciliata most common) only grow to a few inches! One of the best things about the small species is that you don’t need a lot of space to keep them lol I’ve had like 3 10gs set up at one time. Go here to learn the most about them! https://ucmp.berkeley.edu/arthropoda/crustacea/malacostraca/eumalacostraca/royslist/index.html

Last edit I promise haha I also LOVE that you’re not just killing whatever comes out. It hurts me to see posts about people just flushing stuff we aren’t in the 1900s anymore people!

 

[Hadla]

I will be getting 100+ pounds of TBS base rock for a new system.
I plan on doing a high salinity dip in a container for 2 minutes.
Most everything will exit for easier removal. 1.040

If you’re willing to ship whatever mantises come out, I’ll pay for it and your time!

 

[X-37B]

If you’re willing to ship whatever mantises come out, I’ll pay for it and your time!

It will be a few months before I get the rock. Check my 170 build and remind me. I would be more than happy to find them a home.
Thanks!

 

[Quintin]

If you are looking for a specific Mantis, TBS also sells a mantis package under their treasure chest section that ships with UPS next day delivery.

Contains live sand, live rock and a mantis.
Enough to get you an insta tank setup for a small nano, if interested.

 

[Hadla]

If you are looking for a specific Mantis, TBS also sells a mantis package under their treasure chest section that ships with UPS next day delivery.

Contains live sand, live rock and a mantis.
Enough to get you an insta tank setup for a small nano, if interested.

Haha I actually got one from them a month ago… I’m looking for a ciliata and hoping they’ll sneak in.. or more wenneraes lol I’ll welcome them all

 

[jttide]

I would love to see us keep this thread going. This is all very interesting and beneficial for us who are going to purchase from TBS. Thanks fellas for sharing the information from your experiences.

 

[Matt2939]

I have a premium nano treasure chest live rock coming from TBS next week. I will definitely share what arrives

 

[Quintin]

Sorry, forgot to take pictures but in total 4 mantis shrimps ranging in size and colour (green and brown) 1 inch to 2 1/2 inches have all been removed using lots of patience and bottle traps and given to people that wanted them who came to collect locally.

 

[Hadla]

Do you have pics? Or were they all the same species? Would love to get a tiny inch long one to watch it grow

 

[Quintin]

Do you have pics? Or were they all the same species? Would love to get a tiny inch long one to watch it grow

Good morning.
There were all Wennerae, so don’t grow that large. Max size for them is about 3 inches.

 

[Hadla]

Yeah mine is about 2 inches right now