TB Saltwater Hitchhikers

CuzzA · Jan 19, 2020

duberii said:
I couldn’t get away with a wrasse- I have a 32 gallon biocube that this rock will be going in...what I might end up doing is chiseling off the cup corals and sponges that I want in my tank ASAP, then keeping the rest of the rock and watching it until I feel better putting it in my tank. Obviously not 100% effective nor ideal but at least I won’t be scared of having a hundred predatory worms....

If only I could just inject the tube with something while leaving the stuff around it unharmed, but that’s pretty unlikely

You could squirt some peroxide into the holes they are in with a syringe. For a nano I wouldn't worry too much, everything is easier in a nano in terms of removing things. It's the big systems with lots of rock that provide an environment for some of these worms to get a few feet long. Then trying to remove it is a nightmare.

duberii · Jan 19, 2020

CuzzA said:
You could squirt some peroxide into the holes they are in with a syringe. For a nano I wouldn't worry too much, everything is easier in a nano in terms of removing things. It's the big systems with lots of rock that provide an environment for some of these worms to get a few feet long. Then trying to remove it is a nightmare.

If I go for that method, should I worry too much about secondary losses? I have all my rock in a 10 gallon tank right now, and I'm wondering if it's worth isolating a rock, injecting the worm's lairs, then putting it back or if it's pretty safe to just go for it.

CuzzA · Jan 19, 2020

duberii said:
If I go for that method, should I worry too much about secondary losses? I have all my rock in a 10 gallon tank right now, and I'm wondering if it's worth isolating a rock, injecting the worm's lairs, then putting it back or if it's pretty safe to just go for it.

I would do it in a different holding tank, tote or just out of the water. In the holding tank you wouldn't want to exceed 1ml per ten gallons which seems to be the established safe level for peroxide dosing.

duberii · Jan 19, 2020

Also found tons of these guys- the way they move reminds me of how a munnid isopod scurries around. Any ideas?
(Look at the leftmost barnicle)

CuzzA · Jan 19, 2020

Man, I have no idea what that is, but I'll tell you, Gulf rock is seriously alive. When you observe this rock every inch is moving. I bought a pack of those kids finger led lights in red and observing Gulf liverock at night is amazing.

duberii · Jan 19, 2020

CuzzA said:
Man, I have no idea what that is, but I'll tell you, Gulf rock is seriously alive. When you observe this rock every inch is moving. I bought a pack of those kids finger led lights in red and observing Gulf liverock at night is amazing.

I'm gonna camp out tonight- I DIYed a red flashlight and I have at least 3 gorilla crabs to catch

samnaz · Jan 19, 2020

Ohmigosh I can’t wait to order some of this stuff!

ScottB · Jan 20, 2020

duberii said:
I'm gonna camp out tonight- I DIYed a red flashlight and I have at least 3 gorilla crabs to catch

This thread was a fun read. I am a huge fan of boring, boneheaded things like natural bacteria and microfauna -- my exuberance hindered only by hitchhiker consequences. A lot to learn.

Iamjeff6 · Jan 20, 2020

Eagle_Steve said:
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

So what happens when you can’t find it in here lol.

not to highjack a thread..

Having trouble finding what this is

CuzzA · Jan 20, 2020

Iamjeff6 said:
So what happens when you can’t find it in here lol.

not to highjack a thread..

Having trouble finding what this is

Will it eat if you put food on it?

lmm1967 · Jan 20, 2020

The whelk snails were the only hitch hikers I really hated. The gorilla crabs - I had 2 that got sizable - but by the time they were large (half dollar size body) I was hand feeding them meaty foods and they were model citizens. The pretty much stayed holed up in their general area and never really hurt anything.

Eventually the toadfish that also came with the rock wound up eating them.

Tunicates and sponges only lasted a couple months

- the pistol shrimps that come in are really small and harmless - at least the couple I had were. You'll hear them but rarely see them. I caught a glimpse only a couple times and was surprized at how small mine were. Less than 1/2" for sure and that was after having the rock for several months.

TBS rock is great and I wish I had the space, time & money to dedicate a large tank to a TBS package - the life that comes in with that rock is just amazing.

Iamjeff6 · Jan 20, 2020

CuzzA said:
Will it eat if you put food on it?

don’t have any food since I have nothing in the tank yet. I only have freshwater flakes, cyclops and freeze dried bloodworms for my freshwaterfish.

duberii · Jan 20, 2020

ScottB said:
This thread was a fun read. I am a huge fan of boring, boneheaded things like natural bacteria and microfauna -- my exuberance hindered only by hitchhiker consequences. A lot to learn.

I've been wanting to play the bacteria game... Been considering carbon dosing recently

duberii · Jan 20, 2020

lmm1967 said:
The whelk snails were the only hitch hikers I really hated. The gorilla crabs - I had 2 that got sizable - but by the time they were large (half dollar size body) I was hand feeding them meaty foods and they were model citizens. The pretty much stayed holed up in their general area and never really hurt anything.

Eventually the toadfish that also came with the rock wound up eating them.

Tunicates and sponges only lasted a couple months - the pistol shrimps that come in are really small and harmless - at least the couple I had were. You'll hear them but rarely see them. I caught a glimpse only a couple times and was surprized at how small mine were. Less than 1/2" for sure and that was after having the rock for several months.

TBS rock is great and I wish I had the space, time & money to dedicate a large tank to a TBS package - the life that comes in with that rock is just amazing.

you got a toadfish????? Got any pictures of it?

CuzzA · Jan 20, 2020

Iamjeff6 said:
don’t have any food since I have nothing in the tank yet. I only have freshwater flakes, cyclops and freeze dried bloodworms for my freshwaterfish.

It looks like an anemone to me. Just hasn't settled in and fully extended its tentacles.