ID Lineup. Want to know more!

[LiverockRocks]

Okay. Got a lineup here. I’m not necessarily worried about anything but more curious than anything. All came from TBS live rock so just excited to see what came with it.

Have no idea what this is, but it seems to be growing. Was just on the sand bed as debris from the live rock but then stopped and started growing?

I’m guessing the below image, the orange/brown substance on the rock, is a sponge of sorts? Unsure about the fan like structure/substance on the right of it as well.

Unsure what this red stuff is. It looks nice. Based on some research it seems like tunicates?

Hard to tell on the below image but the purple and orange like pieces on the side of the rock. The purple weren’t there initially or at least very noticeable but seem to be growing more.

Any info would be greatly appreciated!

Don't forget about the juvenile Florida coral to the left of the orange sponge.

 

[TeeSquared1214]

I'm not sure on this one, though I've seen similar things a couple of times now - it should be harmless.

The brown is a sponge - it should be harmless/beneficial. The white structure on the right is a hydroid colony; unless you're feeding lots of pods, rotifers, brine shrimp, etc. it should go away on its own soon.

Yeah, most likely tunicates; harmless filter-feeders. I would guess Eusynstyela tincta, but I would need clearer pics to feel more confident there.

The whitish stuff to the left of the purple and orange is probably a sponge; the purple and orange are more colonial tunicates - these ones are a kind that may potentially become invasive (with some species being able to grow over and smother healthy corals), so I usually suggest these ones be isolated on their own rock separate from the main rockwork so you can more easily control the spread. They neat little critters though.

If you want to try and help the tunicates do well, offering some phytoplankton would probably be wise. Isochrysis and Rhodomonas or a blend containing at least one of these would be my first choice. For a more intensive diet that would likely show better results, see "Table 3" in the link below:

Coupling feeding activity, growth rates and molecular data shows dietetic needs of Ciona robusta (Ascidiacea, Phlebobranchia) in automatic culture plants

The sea squirt Ciona robusta is a model organism characterized by a transparent body, exhibiting peculiar physiologic and evolutionary characters. In vitro fertilization and breeding of sea squirts is possible, in order to preserve consistent genetic ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

I agree this is a Calliostoma species - I'm not familiar enough with the genus to feel confident in my ability to ID them at the species level just yet (the genus has a lot of species in it), but the Jujube Topshell is a solid guess.

These species do seem to prefer very large substrate to grab onto (be it rocks, coarse gravel, corals, or macroalgae blades), so I probably would move it off that fine sand.

As mentioned, the first one is a Red Mithrax crab - it should be as safe as an Emerald Crab to keep. The other one is not reef-safe, but if you want a proper ID on it, I would a pic of it's back/top (the dorsal side).

Thank you so much for the information! I find myself unintentionally learning so much about this hobby and ocean life in general just because of my curious nature. When I first set out to start this hobby about a year ago, I did a ton of research and looking at forums like this one or Reddit. Many people knew the differences between certain fish, inverts, etc. it seemed overwhelming at first but like you mention in another reply. The more you see and look at it. The more you understand/recognize it. Hobbies where you never stop learning are truly the most rewarding.

 

[Gribbles]

It's a true treat getting to watch @ISpeakForTheSeas do their thing. Impressive!

 

[BristleWormHater]

I haven't seen him since day 1. He's hiding pretty well. I've seen other crabs that I've been able to ID but not this little guy. Will put him in the sump once I find him. These are amazing reference photos for ID use. I also didn't know TBS had a hitch hikers page on they're site. It covers some of this stuff and only found it after posting.

I really wouldn't worry to much, they act the same as emerald crabs; so completely fine until they aren't. Some people say the ruby crabs are more aggressive, but that could just be due to the smaller ammount of people that actually have or have had one. If your crab is a female they are typically considered less aggressive if you can catch it get a picture of the apron (the underbelly) for gender.

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

It's a true treat getting to watch @ISpeakForTheSeas do their thing. Impressive!

Haha, I'm happy to help when I can.