Help me identify stuff on my new live rock

[terahz]

Hi there!

Just got my live uncured rock from Sea Life Inc, and I've heard most people here like to identify stuff. I'm quite new and while I'd love to research ever one of these things I have, I'd rather ask here and remove the bad ones before they spread too much.


1. The small black thing in the middle. It looks like Bubble Algea (Valonia macrophysa) and if it is, should be removed? This is quite tiny, the entire thing is less than an inch:
http://joro.geodar.com/images/aquarium/1.jpg


2. Looks like a bristleworm but it is really tiny. Also there are at least 6-7 of these that I could see (most of them half dead). Keeper?
http://joro.geodar.com/images/aquarium/2.jpg


3. This looks like regular coralline algae? Keeper?
http://joro.geodar.com/images/aquarium/3.jpg


4. I have no idea what is that:
http://joro.geodar.com/images/aquarium/4.jpg

5. Again, ping coralline algae? Keeper?
http://joro.geodar.com/images/aquarium/5.jpg


6. This looks like dead? halimeda. Keeper (if it survives). I also have plenty of these.
http://joro.geodar.com/images/aquarium/6.jpg


7. This I don't know what it is. Looks like some sponge?
http://joro.geodar.com/images/aquarium/7.jpg

8. This looks like a fire worm? I've read it's bad? I tried dipping that piece of rock in a high salinity water for a while, but the thing wouldn't go out. Should I remove it (if I manage to catch it?)
http://joro.geodar.com/images/aquarium/8.jpg


Thanks everyone!

[NirvanaFan]

1. Bubble algae, remove it if you can. If not, no big deal
2. Looks like a bristle worm
3. It looks to textured to be coraline. Maybe some type of encrusting coral.
4. some type of urchin. Put it in a tuperwear or something when it comes out to get a good pic.
5. Not sure
6. Halimeda
7. Sponges
8. not sure. A better/closer up pic (especially of the head) is needed.

[jhritz]

WOW thats some pretty diverse LR you got there!

[Salamander]

2. Looks like a Eunice worm to me. I believe the tentacles are kind of indicative. Do a search. If it is...you might want to get them out.
3. Looks like some kind of encrusting coral.
5. Looks like like coraline. Possibly growing over a vermitid snail (the bump/spot in the upper middle)
8. Can't tell.

Other than that I think Nirvana has the others correct.

[cas]

1. Bubble algae, remove it if you can. If not, no big deal
2. Looks like a bristle worm
3. It looks to textured to be coraline. Maybe some type of encrusting coral.
4. some type of urchin. Put it in a tuperwear or something when it comes out to get a good pic.
5. Not sure
6. Halimeda
7. Sponges
8. not sure. A better/closer up pic (especially of the head) is needed.

I agree with the exception that I would recomend you remove the bubble algae. If you leave it it will become an issue in the future. Remove the rock from your tank and pull it off without popping it. Then scrub the rock down with a stiff brush and rinse off. Keep an eye on the rock and remove any new "bubbles" immediately.

[jdallred]

http://www.chucksaddiction.com/hitchhikers.html

[greenbean36191]

3. appears to be a bryozoan. They're harmless filter feeders.
4. is some sort of pencil urchin. They are primarily carnivorous and will eat corals. They're not reef safe, but are fine in FO tanks.

[terahz]

Thanks you all for the help!

Regarding the urchin, I think it didn't survive the trip. I has not moved for more than 12hrs.

The bubble algea is on a couple of more places close by. I will be taking it out today.
http://joro.geodar.com/images/aquarium/1_1.jpg

9. This morning a new guy(gal?) showed up today that I can't identify:
http://joro.geodar.com/images/aquarium/9.jpg

[David Jr.]

Looks like a tunicate.

[sohal1025]

Tunicate

[KarlBob]

#9 does not look like a tunicate to me. It appears to have legs.

[karp12]

Where did this rock come from? Looks like alot is going on for a new tank.

[terahz]

I don't think it is Tunicate, even though I'm really new to this. It does have legs (or something else) on the sides and does not have a hole on the top, more like a head.

karp12, it is uncured live rock from SeaLife Inc. It is the first thing to go in the tank so no danger of destroying anything.

[livingcorals]

That last one remind me of a Sphaeromatids. Tho bleached...Does it move out some?

[terahz]

#9 is almost ethereal. If it is alive it is really lazy!


#10 Just after I finished cleaning the bubble guys I saw this thing extending from the rock. I looked at snails, crabs, shrimp, sponges corals, can't find anything similar. Maybe if the entire thing shows up it might be easier:
http://joro.geodar.com/images/aquarium/10.jpg


BTW, did I mention I have a smiley face :)
http://joro.geodar.com/images/aquarium/smiley.jpg

[redsea reefer]

now that's live rock.

[reefscape15]

I believe that the above ID's are correct, and I'd trust Greenbean's ID's over most. He has probably more good information than most people on the internet. Anyways, I wish I would've gotten my rock from there!

[cas]

#9 is almost ethereal. If it is alive it is really lazy!


#10 Just after I finished cleaning the bubble guys I saw this thing extending from the rock. I looked at snails, crabs, shrimp, sponges corals, can't find anything similar. Maybe if the entire thing shows up it might be easier:
http://joro.geodar.com/images/aquarium/10.jpg


BTW, did I mention I have a smiley face :)
http://joro.geodar.com/images/aquarium/smiley.jpg

Pics are fuzzy, but it looks like some sort of tube worm/feather duster.

[MandM]

You do have some remarkable life on that rock. Excellent that you have it in a tank alone, it's going to take a while to cure and settle in before you add any livestock.

Make sure you remove that urchin, they get toxic when they die. Running carbon in a reactor would be a good idea during the curing phase, a skimmer too.

In the #2 pic you have some red macro algae to the right of that worm. Remove all of that you can. It spreads like crazy and you don't want it.

Do be sure to wear gloves and be careful handling that rock. With the amount of life you have there, you may have a sea spider or mantis shrimp hiding. Watch the tank at night with a flashlight, you'll see even more.

[terahz]

cas, sorry but that's the best my little ps camera can do in macro mode.

MandM, Thanks. I'll probably just add the sand today (fedex tracking number says it was delivered this morning) and wait for the curing to finish before anything else goes in. While I'm arranging the rocks on the sand I'll try to take care of the urchin. I always handle the rock with gloves because I'm kind of afraid something will pop out of somewhere and bite/sting me :D

I tested the ammonia levels yday and they were at ~1 so I suppose the process has started.

[john90009]

where did you get this rock from ?

[terahz]

It is in my first post :) Here is the url http://sealifeinc.net/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=31

Here is a video of what the rock looks like:
http://joro.geodar.com/videos/liverock.html

Edit: by the way, I ordered mine with 2 day delivery, so that's why most of the hikers are DOE. There were also two crabs and one shrimp. However I think it turned out well for me because almost all dead stuff is not good for the reef either way.

[terahz]

Well #10 seems pretty happy. It is out most of the time now:
http://joro.geodar.com/images/aquarium/10_1.jpg


And after I added the live sand I got two new hitchhikers:

#11 Really tiny snail with a shell
http://joro.geodar.com/images/aquarium/11.jpg

#12 Really tiny snail without a shell, I believe it stays in the sand most of the time
http://joro.geodar.com/images/aquarium/12.jpg


Any ideas?

[NirvanaFan]

does #12 have "plates" on it's back? I'd guess it's a chiton from the underside, but can't be too sure.