TB Saltwater Hitchhikers

[duberii]

I just got a shipment from TB saltwater and I'm trying to pick out the nasties before I add it to my tank. I found multiple of each of these, and I'm looking for an ID and a clarification if they're reef safe or not.
1) Some type of snail

2) AIptasia/ some type of anemone

3) Hairy white/cream hermit crab

4)Whelk?

5) Different tiny snail?

I may have more as time passes, but please let me know what you think of these!

 

[El_Guapo13]

Definitely looks like Aiptasia. Not sure if the snail species.

#reefsquad

 

[GoldeneyeRet]

Oh my, that's great rock!

 

[Eagle_Steve]

I am horrible at ID’ing stuff, so I keep the below link handy for things like this. Also, @KJ can probably ID all of it.

Account Suspended

 

[duberii]

Oh my, that's great rock!

You're telling me! Here's some other stuff I got with it:
This orange tunicate:

Some cup corals:

I also got a ton of sponges, a reclusive crab that I just saw the leg of, hundreds of barnacles, all types of tubeworms, macroalgaes, snails, hermit crabs etc! It's amazing how much is here!

 

[jlanger]

I ordered form TBS last summer and I was very pleased with the rock and the diversity of life that comes with the rock. I was impressed with the amount of sponges, tunicates and squirts that were growing on the rock, but I was cautious of the motile hitchhikers that also came along.
I "cured" the rock for a couple of weeks in a Brute container and I removed every single snail and crab that I found. I know what snails and crabs that I want in my display so I buy them. It's not worth the risk of keeping an unknown species in the tank. I placed all of the rock in my sump so I am able to monitor the rock over time. Even after months of being in the system, I will find new gorilla crabs crawling on the rock. Gorilla crabs seem to be the most prolific hitchhiker that I had with my rock.

Having mentioned all of that, I am very pleased with adding the TBS live rock to my system. I now have sponges, tunicates and other microfauna growing in my display that came with the live rock.

There was one "hitchhiker" that I did keep.
I received a piece of rock that had two branches of coral growing on it. It turns out that it is Oculina robusta; a protected Caribbean coral. It arrived in rough shape (bleached and receding from the base) but has definitely rebounded and is growing well in my reef.
This is one of the branches after it has colored back up.

 

[Sierra_Bravo]

The only thing from that entire list I'd remove is the whelks. The anemone is not aiptasia - the Gulf doesn't have them. Those won't spread or be a nuisance. Feed Sponge Power or similar as long as you can to help the tunicates, barnacles and the sponges live longer. I have a clean (relative to the Gulf) SPS tank and mine slowly declined over time - three years later and most of them are gone.

 

[Bryce M.]

Wow! this has made me consider getting some rock form them, tank needs a refresh after a coral crash. Nice diversity!

 

[duberii]

Wow! this has made me consider getting some rock form them, tank needs a refresh after a coral crash. Nice diversity!

It's crazy- Last night when I first picked up the rock, I was pretty disappointed because I didn't see much beyond some gray/white sponges and some algae. But the longer it sits the more life emerges... I'm hoping I can score some type of baby urchin or some brain coral- I'll have to keep flipping the rock to see what I can find

 

[Bryce M.]

It's crazy- Last night when I first picked up the rock, I was pretty disappointed because I didn't see much beyond some gray/white sponges and some algae. But the longer it sits the more life emerges... I'm hoping I can score some type of baby urchin or some brain coral- I'll have to keep flipping the rock to see what I can find

Did you order the package or just a rock?

 

[duberii]

The only thing from that entire list I'd remove is the whelks. The anemone is not aiptasia - the Gulf doesn't have them. Those won't spread or be a nuisance. Feed Sponge Power or similar as long as you can to help the tunicates, barnacles and the sponges live longer. I have a clean (relative to the Gulf) SPS tank and mine slowly declined over time - three years later and most of them are gone.

I'll definitely need to feed them- some of these tunicates are amazing and I'd hate to see them go.

 

[duberii]

Did you order the package or just a rock?

I just went with rock- I already have a tank set up and just wanted a little extra rock and some cool sponges, stars, etc, but I kinda wish I got some of the stuff from the package- it seems like a pretty nice tank starter.

 

[duberii]

I ordered form TBS last summer and I was very pleased with the rock and the diversity of life that comes with the rock. I was impressed with the amount of sponges, tunicates and squirts that were growing on the rock, but I was cautious of the motile hitchhikers that also came along.
I "cured" the rock for a couple of weeks in a Brute container and I removed every single snail and crab that I found. I know what snails and crabs that I want in my display so I buy them. It's not worth the risk of keeping an unknown species in the tank. I placed all of the rock in my sump so I am able to monitor the rock over time. Even after months of being in the system, I will find new gorilla crabs crawling on the rock. Gorilla crabs seem to be the most prolific hitchhiker that I had with my rock.

Having mentioned all of that, I am very pleased with adding the TBS live rock to my system. I now have sponges, tunicates and other microfauna growing in my display that came with the live rock.

There was one "hitchhiker" that I did keep.
I received a piece of rock that had two branches of coral growing on it. It turns out that it is Oculina robusta; a protected Caribbean coral. It arrived in rough shape (bleached and receding from the base) but has definitely rebounded and is growing well in my reef.
This is one of the branches after it has colored back up.

What kind of tank do you have? I have a mixed reef (LPS/softie). I feed the corals as often as they'd like, and the growth has been great. Do you feed reef roids to the oculina, or is it just getting stuff from the water column?

 

[jlanger]

What kind of tank do you have? I have a mixed reef (LPS/softie). I feed the corals as often as they'd like, and the growth has been great. Do you feed reef roids to the oculina, or is it just getting stuff from the water column?

It's a120gal mixed reef; montipora, lobophyllia and goniopra; and the oculina.
The coral can capture bits of the frozen foods that I add to the water column, but when I do spot feed the gonipora and lobophyllia, I also give them some of the coral foods; Reef Roids, Reef Chili, Reef Nutrition, etc.

I forgot that I did get a baby urchin on my rock as well. It was smaller than a pencil eraser when I found it and it grew to be over an inch in diameter before it perished. Since I have a Harlequin Tuskfish in my display, the urchin stayed in my sump. It did very well moving about and finding enough to eat. After a couple days of not noticing it, I found many urchin spines inside my protein skimmer. Urchins are not smart.

 

[duberii]

It's a120gal mixed reef; montipora, lobophyllia and goniopra; and the oculina.
The coral can capture bits of the frozen foods that I add to the water column, but when I do spot feed the gonipora and lobophyllia, I also give them some of the coral foods; Reef Roids, Reef Chili, Reef Nutrition, etc.

I forgot that I did get a baby urchin on my rock as well. It was smaller than a pencil eraser when I found it and it grew to be over an inch in diameter before it perished. Since I have a Harlequin Tuskfish in my display, the urchin stayed in my sump. It did very well moving about and finding enough to eat. After a couple days of not noticing it, I found many urchin spines inside my protein skimmer. Urchins are not smart.

An urchin I bought met the same fate in my tank. Got into the protein skimmer and my guess is filled up with air at least it was a fun last meal

 

[duberii]

First round of removals- Aeolid Nudis and Whelks

 

[duberii]

Found some type of orange snail that could use an ID as well...

 

[duberii]

baby decorator crab? I’ve always wanted one

 

[Sierra_Bravo]

It's a120gal mixed reef; montipora, lobophyllia and goniopra; and the oculina.
The coral can capture bits of the frozen foods that I add to the water column, but when I do spot feed the gonipora and lobophyllia, I also give them some of the coral foods; Reef Roids, Reef Chili, Reef Nutrition, etc.

I forgot that I did get a baby urchin on my rock as well. It was smaller than a pencil eraser when I found it and it grew to be over an inch in diameter before it perished. Since I have a Harlequin Tuskfish in my display, the urchin stayed in my sump. It did very well moving about and finding enough to eat. After a couple days of not noticing it, I found many urchin spines inside my protein skimmer. Urchins are not smart.

About that urchin. . . you'll probably end up with more. They kept hatching from the rocks for over a year. Look for old barnacles or pitted spots on the rock. If you see a dark spot inside, it might be a baby urchin. They are small and flat when young and seek those crevices out during the day.

 

[fish farmer]

About that urchin. . . you'll probably end up with more. They kept hatching from the rocks for over a year. Look for old barnacles or pitted spots on the rock. If you see a dark spot inside, it might be a baby urchin. They are small and flat when young and seek those crevices out during the day.

I have bought the Gulfview coralline rock before...30 lbs yielded about 9 urchins, they were tiny but grew to about a quarter in a couple of months.

baby decorator crab? I’ve always wanted one

Careful what you wish for, watch that one. I took a freebie decorator crab about half dollar size and he picked at my softies. He liked wearing colt coral as a hat.