Let's discuss...hitchhikers.

Sk8r · 02/15/2016, 11:28 AM

Those are 'unscheduled' life that lands in your tank.

Many people go to extreme lengths to avoid any chance of them.
Others court them enthusiastically.

What are the bad ones?
Caulerpa and various algaes, including turf, crabs other than mithrax species---little tiny anemones (aiptasia and majanos), any crab with one conspicuously large claw is a no-no, eunicid (bobbit) worms, hermodice carunculata (actual fireworm, one of the prettier worms there is), mantis and pistol shrimp---which can live happily in your sump, bothering nothing. And nudibranchs and asterinas (zoa eaters) that don't (ime) hurt much else. Some people stress about spionid worms, little fishers that make tubes in your sand and extend little tentacles catching detritus. Some people stress about sponges. Some people stress about tubeworms and brittle stars. Some people stress about bristleworms, which are valuable to corals, and a good cuc component---a dollar each from some dealers.

Do I stress? Honestly, no. There are removal methods for about everything. The ones I DON'T want in order of horror, are caulerpa algae, eunicid worms, fireworm, and mantis or pistol. I would spend energy getting rid of those real fast. Crabs, same thing. Even mithrax will take a piece out of a passing fish-fin. I used to think sally lightfoots were cute---until I found they grow the size of dinner plates; and arrow crabs eat all your bristleworms, which is not a good thing. So stray algaes, two worm species, and anything with a shell plus legs. The rest---no problem. Dip your corals, quarantine or tank-transfer your fish, and observe your zoas for nudibranch eggs---that's as far as I recommend.

Four species of fish I consider ich-magnets. Tangs, angels, rabbits, and puffers. Lovely, but highly ich-prone. Clowns are hardy but they do often suffer not only from ich but brook. Learn to recognize both. There are pix on the internet. Google it. Learn the symptoms before you go out to buy one.

With hitchhikers in general---you decide for yourself what risks to run, and observe your tank carefully during cycle, because usually a knowledgeable person will spot the problem. Ghost-feeding is particularly good for luring problems out where they can be observed, if they're worms or the like. Any rock that has algae on it should be taken out immediately, dipped for 30 seconds on a side in hydrogen peroxide (out of the drugstore bottle: that's a 3% solution), rinsed, then restored to the tank. This procedure can also dispose of most problem species you spot during cycle. If you EVER do it with a rock from a functioning reef, be SURE to rinse it well and do not let the bubbles from it contact anything you want to keep, such as, eg, coral on the rocks above it. Or fish. It will burn them. And do not pass this method on without that caution.

Sk8r · 02/15/2016, 12:30 PM

BTW, all the people who set up with no-life rock? I swear the ways things get into a tank are real mysteries. I got a couple of coral frags. Now, for the first time in my entire reefing career I have 'pineapple' sponges. They'll bloom for a while, then give way to something else. I'm pretty sure the frags have something to do with it, despite the dip.

The minute you add life to your tank, you risk adding---life.

ScienceRulez · 02/15/2016, 12:54 PM

Personally I don't sweat much. That said I have to add that the tank I care for is an educational tank. We have 150K people a year look at "my" tank. Even aiptasia anemone is in the tank. Next week we will be installing a file fish to keep it under control, along with about 10 peppermint shrimp. The goal is not eradication but control for me. Even the crabs would be welcome too. Bristle worms? The horseshoe crab takes care of those, algae? I have a Sailfin Tang and several large hermit crabs of unknown species, I only know they eat everything, including the larger aiptasia.

I fully understand and appreciate people who want a beautiful tank with nothing in there they didn't personally introduce, but my tank is for education and everything has a purpose as we explain to the kids. I don't recommend this type of care for every tank. I have one aiptasia that somehow found its way into the carbon reactor. It occasionally moves around in there but it seems happy. Some of our regulars want me to mark where it moves to so they can track it. They seem amazed that they can even move.

As I said though, I don't suggest this for everybody.

Sk8r · 02/15/2016, 01:00 PM

The little anemones are the one thing for which I do recommend 'something to eat them' ---pep shrimp or a filefish. Pep shrimp can be annoying for sps owners, who have only a tiny frag and have these rowdy shrimp investigating it, maybe stealing a precious polyp; but they're generally well-behaved. A matted filefish is a personable, bold, non-aggressive fish who will take out aiptasia in his own sweet time (he prefers other foods) but can reportedly be a problem to corals...I have lps and a filefish with no problem, but the way he eats the tentacles off aiptasia, I kind of suspect zoa eyelashes could be attractive to him. With caution, I'd say. But I've gotten fond of this unlikely fish. He's a good influence on my pretty-large (4.5") domino damsel and calms her by his presence. One other advantage---he has no fear and is very easy to catch if you have to.

ScienceRulez · 02/15/2016, 01:50 PM

I'm hoping that between the file fish and the 10 or so peppermint shrimp it will keep them under control. Like I said, my goals are not to eradicate but control. Right now there are hundreds of those little things everywhere and while the hermits are doing their part, they can't keep up with them, though the ones that show up on my rocks tend to disappear pretty fast.

Sk8r · 02/15/2016, 02:20 PM

That'll be one very happy file fish, I suspect. And he'll be great for kids. No fear of people near glass, very curious about whatever moves.

Moeshi · 02/16/2016, 05:06 PM

I used to panic every time unwanted hitchhikers made it into my tank. I have since then accepted that it's impossible to completely eradicate most of these pests and therefore work to control them, rather than going to any extreme measures.
I seriously suspect that some organisms can survive even the most hardcore dipping routines. Even being dried out wont stop some pests in the end.

I fear the day I will stand face to face with the dreaded monti eating nudibranchs. I've seen first hand what they can do to a system once they run rampart. It makes me cherish every aiptasia I have in my tank.

CarrieB · 02/16/2016, 06:16 PM

I'm so excited that the spionid worms and tube worms have started showing up on my rock after all the abuse of changing tanks in February. I find watching them to be like watching a fire, sort of hypnotizing. I'm sure my DH thinks I'm cuckoo.:-)

Just as well, since it will be a while before I get a fish through QT.

Koop · 02/16/2016, 06:26 PM

Funny Carrie

I think all reefer significant others find us a little cookoo!

Maritimer · 02/16/2016, 07:55 PM

Gotta say, so far I've taken delight in most . . .

Black Stomatella snail, six-armed brittle star, multitudes of cope-, amphi- and isopods, pineapple sponges, _really_ tiny five-armed brittle stars, bristle worms (I never see them, but I know they're in my rock because of the way my hands felt after I had to move it all out - and back in) and an Asterina. That I know of. So far. And my tank is only close to a season old! They're a big part of the fun for me.

The one hitcher that's caused me a headache so far? Cryptocaryon. Ick.

~Bruce

CarrieB · 02/16/2016, 09:08 PM

Found one lone little mushroom tonight! Can't believe I didn't notice him before, so I'm wondering if he was in a hidden spot and just moved into a spot with better current. Don't they jump off sometimes? Or maybe just got brighter.

02/15/2016, 11:28 AM	#1
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Let's discuss...hitchhikers. Those are 'unscheduled' life that lands in your tank. Many people go to extreme lengths to avoid any chance of them. Others court them enthusiastically. What are the bad ones? Caulerpa and various algaes, including turf, crabs other than mithrax species---little tiny anemones (aiptasia and majanos), any crab with one conspicuously large claw is a no-no, eunicid (bobbit) worms, hermodice carunculata (actual fireworm, one of the prettier worms there is), mantis and pistol shrimp---which can live happily in your sump, bothering nothing. And nudibranchs and asterinas (zoa eaters) that don't (ime) hurt much else. Some people stress about spionid worms, little fishers that make tubes in your sand and extend little tentacles catching detritus. Some people stress about sponges. Some people stress about tubeworms and brittle stars. Some people stress about bristleworms, which are valuable to corals, and a good cuc component---a dollar each from some dealers. Do I stress? Honestly, no. There are removal methods for about everything. The ones I DON'T want in order of horror, are caulerpa algae, eunicid worms, fireworm, and mantis or pistol. I would spend energy getting rid of those real fast. Crabs, same thing. Even mithrax will take a piece out of a passing fish-fin. I used to think sally lightfoots were cute---until I found they grow the size of dinner plates; and arrow crabs eat all your bristleworms, which is not a good thing. So stray algaes, two worm species, and anything with a shell plus legs. The rest---no problem. Dip your corals, quarantine or tank-transfer your fish, and observe your zoas for nudibranch eggs---that's as far as I recommend. Four species of fish I consider ich-magnets. Tangs, angels, rabbits, and puffers. Lovely, but highly ich-prone. Clowns are hardy but they do often suffer not only from ich but brook. Learn to recognize both. There are pix on the internet. Google it. Learn the symptoms before you go out to buy one. With hitchhikers in general---you decide for yourself what risks to run, and observe your tank carefully during cycle, because usually a knowledgeable person will spot the problem. Ghost-feeding is particularly good for luring problems out where they can be observed, if they're worms or the like. Any rock that has algae on it should be taken out immediately, dipped for 30 seconds on a side in hydrogen peroxide (out of the drugstore bottle: that's a 3% solution), rinsed, then restored to the tank. This procedure can also dispose of most problem species you spot during cycle. If you EVER do it with a rock from a functioning reef, be SURE to rinse it well and do not let the bubbles from it contact anything you want to keep, such as, eg, coral on the rocks above it. Or fish. It will burn them. And do not pass this method on without that caution. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%. Last edited by Sk8r; 02/15/2016 at 12:31 PM.

02/15/2016, 12:30 PM	#2
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	BTW, all the people who set up with no-life rock? I swear the ways things get into a tank are real mysteries. I got a couple of coral frags. Now, for the first time in my entire reefing career I have 'pineapple' sponges. They'll bloom for a while, then give way to something else. I'm pretty sure the frags have something to do with it, despite the dip. The minute you add life to your tank, you risk adding---life. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

02/15/2016, 01:00 PM	#4
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	The little anemones are the one thing for which I do recommend 'something to eat them' ---pep shrimp or a filefish. Pep shrimp can be annoying for sps owners, who have only a tiny frag and have these rowdy shrimp investigating it, maybe stealing a precious polyp; but they're generally well-behaved. A matted filefish is a personable, bold, non-aggressive fish who will take out aiptasia in his own sweet time (he prefers other foods) but can reportedly be a problem to corals...I have lps and a filefish with no problem, but the way he eats the tentacles off aiptasia, I kind of suspect zoa eyelashes could be attractive to him. With caution, I'd say. But I've gotten fond of this unlikely fish. He's a good influence on my pretty-large (4.5") domino damsel and calms her by his presence. One other advantage---he has no fear and is very easy to catch if you have to. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

02/15/2016, 02:20 PM	#6
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	That'll be one very happy file fish, I suspect. And he'll be great for kids. No fear of people near glass, very curious about whatever moves. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

02/16/2016, 07:55 PM	#10
Maritimer Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: SW Connecticut, U.S.A. Posts: 419	Gotta say, so far I've taken delight in most . . . Black Stomatella snail, six-armed brittle star, multitudes of cope-, amphi- and isopods, pineapple sponges, _really_ tiny five-armed brittle stars, bristle worms (I never see them, but I know they're in my rock because of the way my hands felt after I had to move it all out - and back in) and an Asterina. That I know of. So far. And my tank is only close to a season old! They're a big part of the fun for me. The one hitcher that's caused me a headache so far? Cryptocaryon. Ick. ~Bruce __________________ Because anything else ... is just a fishtank. Zoey's Reef has come to life! Zoas, 'shrooms and LPS of several sorts, CUC, dartfish, wrasses and others swim above the sand . . . Current Tank Info: Kingston & Zoey's Reef; 220g, Deltec skimmer, 2 MaxSpect Gyre x-50s, 2,500gph or so through the sump. SPS are surviving . . .

02/15/2016, 12:54 PM	#3
ScienceRulez Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Allentown PA Posts: 286	Personally I don't sweat much. That said I have to add that the tank I care for is an educational tank. We have 150K people a year look at "my" tank. Even aiptasia anemone is in the tank. Next week we will be installing a file fish to keep it under control, along with about 10 peppermint shrimp. The goal is not eradication but control for me. Even the crabs would be welcome too. Bristle worms? The horseshoe crab takes care of those, algae? I have a Sailfin Tang and several large hermit crabs of unknown species, I only know they eat everything, including the larger aiptasia. I fully understand and appreciate people who want a beautiful tank with nothing in there they didn't personally introduce, but my tank is for education and everything has a purpose as we explain to the kids. I don't recommend this type of care for every tank. I have one aiptasia that somehow found its way into the carbon reactor. It occasionally moves around in there but it seems happy. Some of our regulars want me to mark where it moves to so they can track it. They seem amazed that they can even move. As I said though, I don't suggest this for everybody.

02/15/2016, 01:50 PM	#5
ScienceRulez Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Allentown PA Posts: 286	I'm hoping that between the file fish and the 10 or so peppermint shrimp it will keep them under control. Like I said, my goals are not to eradicate but control. Right now there are hundreds of those little things everywhere and while the hermits are doing their part, they can't keep up with them, though the ones that show up on my rocks tend to disappear pretty fast.

02/16/2016, 05:06 PM	#7
Moeshi Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Posts: 135	I used to panic every time unwanted hitchhikers made it into my tank. I have since then accepted that it's impossible to completely eradicate most of these pests and therefore work to control them, rather than going to any extreme measures. I seriously suspect that some organisms can survive even the most hardcore dipping routines. Even being dried out wont stop some pests in the end. I fear the day I will stand face to face with the dreaded monti eating nudibranchs. I've seen first hand what they can do to a system once they run rampart. It makes me cherish every aiptasia I have in my tank.

02/16/2016, 06:16 PM	#8
CarrieB Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Charlottesville, VA Posts: 526	I'm so excited that the spionid worms and tube worms have started showing up on my rock after all the abuse of changing tanks in February. I find watching them to be like watching a fire, sort of hypnotizing. I'm sure my DH thinks I'm cuckoo.:-) Just as well, since it will be a while before I get a fish through QT.

02/16/2016, 06:26 PM	#9
Koop Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Madison, VA Posts: 79	Funny Carrie I think all reefer significant others find us a little cookoo!

02/16/2016, 09:08 PM	#11
CarrieB Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Charlottesville, VA Posts: 526	Found one lone little mushroom tonight! Can't believe I didn't notice him before, so I'm wondering if he was in a hidden spot and just moved into a spot with better current. Don't they jump off sometimes? Or maybe just got brighter.