Pix & ID: Critters that come in your rocks: the good and the bad.

[catlinth]

Thanks!

[bjtrapjr]

What is this white stuff growing on my live rock

[bjtrapjr]

What is this white stuff growing on my live rock

[Jnickles85]

I have this spot on my rock in my tank that I have noticed a couple of times. The funny part is every time I see it, its in a new spot. In person it's a hot pink spot. In the pics I'm going to upload its a white spot. Its right above the micro star.
uploadfromtaptalk1407802605275.jpg
uploadfromtaptalk1407802624495.jpg

[Jnickles85]

Never mind it shows pink

[Toddmonster261]

What is the white coral on the left?
Thanks

[Big_Boss_77]

Found this guy roaming in my tank today, any idea what he might be? I've only added a CUC and some frags I got from a buddy. He moved during typing so here's another pic.


He looks like a snail growing a new shell in his back. Any help is much appreciated!

[ReeferKimberly]

Originally Posted by Toddmonster261

What is the white coral on the left?
Thanks

toadstool leather

[bjtrapjr]

What is this stuff growing on my live rock I have a couple other spots of it on some of my other rocks

[Big_Boss_77]

Bjttrapjr, are you sure it's not just detritus settling on the rock? I may be wrong but it doesn't look all that attached to me.

[bjtrapjr]

I have no clue what it is ill try to take a better picture of a different area of it

[Big_Boss_77]

Originally Posted by bjtrapjr

I have no clue what it is ill try to take a better picture of a different area of it

You might just try siphoning it off the next time you do a water change and see if it just floats out. I had detritus that looked very similar to that when I first started feeding my tank. If that doesn't work I'll bow to those with more experience than my own.

[billy mitchell]

have these strange thread type of things on the rear of the tank
just appeared over night and have not left...been there for 2 weeks and looks like they are growing...is good or bad.....[/IMG]

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[billy mitchell]

[IMG][IMG][/IMG][/IMG][/IMG]

can anyone id these strands ...just showed up ...is good or bad?????

seems like pic's did not transfer

[Shawn O]

Originally Posted by bjtrapjr

What is this white stuff growing on my live rock

[Shawn O]

Originally Posted by Big_Boss_77

Found this guy roaming in my tank today, any idea what he might be? I've only added a CUC and some frags I got from a buddy. He moved during typing so here's another pic.


He looks like a snail growing a new shell in his back. Any help is much appreciated!

[DDon]

Shawn O,
Looks like a stomatella to me. Good to have

[Big_Boss_77]

Originally Posted by DDon

Shawn O,
Looks like a stomatella to me. Good to have

Actually that was my post and pic lol thanks for the answer

[DDon]

Originally Posted by Big_Boss_77

Actually that was my post and pic lol thanks for the answer

Yea I see that now, sorry about that.

[Big_Boss_77]

Originally Posted by DDon

Yea I see that now, sorry about that.

All good, just glad it got answered

[Shawn O]

Originally Posted by javimarino

like to share this critter, found on some zoas on my lfs. I have no ID. lot of crabs in the sea...

Found it on the net, it's a Gaudy Clown Crab (Platypodiella spectabilis). In the Xanthid family from the Gulf Of Mexico. Gets to be about 1" in size. Have been seen on barrel sponges. Would be a pretty cool thing to make a species tank of.

[billy mitchell]

repost 3938 can anyone tell me what these are ??????

[dustinkimpel]

Originally Posted by Shawn O

Found it on the net, it's a Gaudy Clown Crab (Platypodiella spectabilis). In the Xanthid family from the Gulf Of Mexico. Gets to be about 1" in size. Have been seen on barrel sponges. Would be a pretty cool thing to make a species tank of.

Careful with that crab! Just had a hitchiker take out most of my corals.
See thred:

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2434346

[Shawn O]

Originally Posted by dustinkimpel

Careful with that crab! Just had a hitchiker take out most of my corals.
See thred:

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2434346

This crab is known to eat zoas. Reportedly, while the juveniles eat the polyps and then burrow into it to create a home, nobody seemed to have an answer to whether they would eat the zoas once reaching adulthood.

One poster has had one in their tank for six months and the crab has not been able to eat the corals fast enough to do serious damage. I would imagine if the tank had lots of zoas a few here and there may not be noticeable. Most who have found this hitch-hiker have chosen to put it into their sump or planned to set up a small tank just for this attractive little crab.

Since this crab is from the caribbean and has been coming in on caribbean live rock, I intend to buy this same type of rock since I want a couple of these guys. I'm curious enough about them that I will put some zoas in the sump (as soon as I have the need to start pruning the DT) to see what kind of damage they are likely to do. If it's a matter of them eating to make a burrow and then stop I see no harm it letting them build a home in the DT. If, however, they eat the coral until there's nothing left or the coral dies then they will definitely be a sump-dweller permanently. At the moment I'm of the mind that no one creature in the system is of more value than another (to a point). If a fish or invert occasionally takes a bite of the coral or eats a snail here or there it's okay. As long as the expensive fish aren't being eaten.

[Jimbo530]

i have minimized this trouble by only being able to afford small amounts of live rock and only buying a few choice pieces and species i want and wait for life to do what it does. GET OUT OF CONTROL. then add sum small frags fish or what you want. my way takes long time but for those who can wait i would say just buy a few GOOD pieces from a reliable aqua farm that produces it instead of harvest it. this also helps keep the real ocean beautiful.