Hitchhiker coral and star-help identify!

Pavementends42 · 01/22/2012, 08:04 PM

Found these guys on some new live rock in a newish tank. Any ideas?!

Hold, pics coming momentarily, have to transfer from my phone.

Pavementends42 · 01/22/2012, 08:14 PM

The culprits....

bundybear1981 · 01/22/2012, 08:23 PM

the 2nd pic is button polys, harmless I have heaps of em on my rock too

tebstan · 01/22/2012, 08:26 PM

Pic 3 looks like an aiptasia, you'll want to get rid of that one.

Pics 2 and 1 - palys, maybe zoas. "button polyps," they're safe.

Pic 1 - the starfish is hard to be sure since the pic is dark, but probably just an aterina star. They can be a nuisance if the populations gets out of control, but it's normal to see a few pop up in a new tank.

Pavementends42 · 01/22/2012, 08:26 PM

Thanks! Thought so, but wanted some confirmation. Can anyone tell me if the star or that anemone-looking one could be a problem? Having a really hard time finding good info online on identifying stars....

Pavementends42 · 01/22/2012, 08:28 PM

So should I inject the aipitasia or get something to eat it? It's just finished cycling, water quality is great and I only have a few things in a 55 gallon tank. Wouldn't mind getting some shrimp or something, if that would work. Sorry about the pic of the star, it's down low, very small and that was with flash! Anyway, it's very darkly colored, not white with markings, if that makes a difference.

Pavementends42 · 01/22/2012, 08:35 PM

ALSO, should I get a new light to keep the coral up? I just have the basic, t5, two-blue, two-white light that came with my setup.

tebstan · 01/22/2012, 08:58 PM

Inject the aiptasia with a commercial killer, then keep an eye out for new ones to pop up over the next few weeks.

Those polyps are probably fine under that lighting. You can play with the bulbs to bring out the colors of different corals. ATI and UVL make a nice variety, but plain old white and blue is just fine.

Pavementends42 · 01/24/2012, 01:18 PM

Better pic of the star. Thing's cruising all over the tank. Can barely keep track of it!

Raggamuffin · 01/24/2012, 01:47 PM

IMO they have all 3 spot on. the polyps are just standard buttons, your lights are fine for those... hell could prolly grow them under a 40w incandesent bulb if they were high enough in the tank LMAO (just kidding but you get what I am saying)

01/22/2012, 08:04 PM	#1
Pavementends42 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Maryland Posts: 9	Hitchhiker coral and star-help identify! Found these guys on some new live rock in a newish tank. Any ideas?! Hold, pics coming momentarily, have to transfer from my phone.

01/22/2012, 08:23 PM	#3
bundybear1981 Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Bundaberg, Queensland, Australia Posts: 685 Blog Entries: 1	the 2nd pic is button polys, harmless I have heaps of em on my rock too __________________ Tank inhabitants : 2x Clownfish, 1x Blue Koran, 1x Foxface Lo, 1xCoral Beauty, 1x Blue Tang, 1x Sailfin Tang Current Tank Info: New Build : 250g (6x3x2) with 2x RW15 pumps, 2x 2200lph return pumps, Tunze ATO, Jebao Dosing Pump, AquaOne G220 Skimmer

01/22/2012, 08:26 PM	#4
tebstan Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Texas Posts: 961	Pic 3 looks like an aiptasia, you'll want to get rid of that one. Pics 2 and 1 - palys, maybe zoas. "button polyps," they're safe. Pic 1 - the starfish is hard to be sure since the pic is dark, but probably just an aterina star. They can be a nuisance if the populations gets out of control, but it's normal to see a few pop up in a new tank. __________________ Washington's Rule #110: Labor to keep alive in your breast that little spark of celestial fire called conscience.

01/22/2012, 08:58 PM	#8
tebstan Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Texas Posts: 961	Inject the aiptasia with a commercial killer, then keep an eye out for new ones to pop up over the next few weeks. Those polyps are probably fine under that lighting. You can play with the bulbs to bring out the colors of different corals. ATI and UVL make a nice variety, but plain old white and blue is just fine. __________________ Washington's Rule #110: Labor to keep alive in your breast that little spark of celestial fire called conscience.

01/22/2012, 08:28 PM	#6
Pavementends42 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Maryland Posts: 9	So should I inject the aipitasia or get something to eat it? It's just finished cycling, water quality is great and I only have a few things in a 55 gallon tank. Wouldn't mind getting some shrimp or something, if that would work. Sorry about the pic of the star, it's down low, very small and that was with flash! Anyway, it's very darkly colored, not white with markings, if that makes a difference.

01/22/2012, 08:35 PM	#7
Pavementends42 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Maryland Posts: 9	ALSO, should I get a new light to keep the coral up? I just have the basic, t5, two-blue, two-white light that came with my setup.

01/24/2012, 01:47 PM	#10
Raggamuffin Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Brandon SD. Posts: 541	IMO they have all 3 spot on. the polyps are just standard buttons, your lights are fine for those... hell could prolly grow them under a 40w incandesent bulb if they were high enough in the tank LMAO (just kidding but you get what I am saying)