Help identifying what’s on my live rock

[southd14]

I’m starting up my first reef tank, an IM fusion 20 AIO. After browsing through a ton of these threads I landed on ordering live rock to make live easier, hopefully. I just received my order from gulf live rock and I’m pretty happy with what I got. I’ll definitely have a lot of options for the aquascape.

Before I get out my glue and epoxy I was hoping to get some help identifying anything cool that came along with the rocks, and if there is anything I should remove.

So far, I found a brittle star and some bristle worms. That’s the extent of my identification ability at the point in the journey.

Since I have coral on a couple of these rocks, should I turn my light on? From what I’ve read it looks like you want to let the tank do its thing before turning the lights on.

 

[corosato]

Bottom left picture is a Tube Coral that is probably still alive, mine looked like that and now has bright green polyps. Second one up from right is a Rose coral Skeleton. Sponges, Gorgonian on third pic might recover. I ordered a 10 lb box from them, I had to yank my macro algae covered rock as it popped out about 7 anemones and the macro algae just attracted GHA like it owed it money. make sure that snail shell on bottom right doesn't have a Whelk in it. I "cured" mine in a tank with a light for a bit had lot of worm die off but my 2 corals survived. just be careful of the almost assured hidden mantis shrimp that shows up 2 months later....

 

[DDenny]

Looks like you have a bunch of live attached. Depending on where you got it they might have a hitchhiker ID page as well. I know TBS does and it is pretty extensive as far as what they have on there.

hitchhikers – Tampa Bay Saltwater

tbsaltwater.com

 

[Dburr1014]

Some coral dead(Brite white) some living. One looks like a sun coral that doesn't need light.
I would turn the light on at least a few hours a day.

 

[corosato]

Here is what my tube coral looks like now after recovering. Not the most exciting coral but it’s seemingly happy.

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

I see some sponges, some Halimeda algae, another green macroalgae (this is the only one that I'd keep an eye on for issues with spreading), spirorbid worms, feather duster worms, a couple of red macroalgae species, some sort of large critter (possibly an isopod, but I can't tell for sure from the pic - it's in the last pic just to the right of your thumb; I's try to get a better look at it to be safe), and a snail that I'd suggest getting a closer look at.

That's all I've got for now - beautiful live rock there, and I'd turn the lights on to help the corals and macroalgae out.

 

[southd14]

Here is what my tube coral looks like now after recovering. Not the most exciting coral but it’s seemingly happy.

At this point I find all coral pretty interesting. One less coral for me to buy too! Thank you for the help!

 

[corosato]

At this point I find all coral pretty interesting. One less coral for me to buy too! Thank you for the help!

The nice thing is that since you can't get it in a store, it's something "different" for your tank which is why I like mine.

 

[southd14]

I see some sponges, some Halimeda algae, another green macroalgae (this is the only one that I'd keep an eye on for issues with spreading), spirorbid worms, feather duster worms, a couple of red macroalgae species, some sort of large critter (possibly an isopod, but I can't tell for sure from the pic - it's in the last pic just to the right of your thumb; I's try to get a better look at it to be safe), and a snail that I'd suggest getting a closer look at.

That's all I've got for now - beautiful live rock there, and I'd turn the lights on to help the corals and macroalgae out.

Thank you, I’ll see if I can manage to get a better picture of the critter and snail. At least it seems like I don’t have a whole lot of “bad” hot hikers so far. Guess time will tell what’s inside the rock.