Live Rock Critters?

[conda]

Does anyone have a link to pictures of creatures that would possible come on live rock? I just got some more and found this red worm/millipede looking thing on it. It keeps squirming out of its hole and back into different holes. Something I never thought I'd see. But also, there are brown worm type things with white dandelion looking things coming out, other colorfull spiral dandelion type things, but smaller. Just loads of interesting things I'd like to identify.

Thanks

[szwedo]

well the white dandelion things are probably aiptasa anemones which peppermint shrimp eat. so do coperband butterflyfish but those get to big. from your discription the worms could be fireworms.

[ricksreef]

here ya go.

http://www.reefs.org/hhfaq/pages/mai.../faq_rock1.htm

[conda]

Great link, thanks for that.

Looks like I got amphipods: http://www.reefs.org/hhfaq/pages/pic..._amphipod.html

A bristleworm: http://www.reefs.org/hhfaq/pages/pic...q_bristle.html

Lots of feather dusters: http://www.reefs.org/hhfaq/pages/pic...q_dusters.html

Trying to identify the other stuff. Intersting things in these rocks.

Thanks again.

[Reefland]

These are all commonly found on liverock. It's a good indication to you that you got some decent quality rock for your tank.

[Key Of David]

I only purchased a 2 lb piece for my tank from the lfs. I just wanted to initially see what LR was like before making a big purchase. It was Fiji rock and I wasn't expecting much at all.

So far I've found two sponges, a few "white worms", a small starfish, two bristleworms, a small white snail, an amphipod, and countless little copepods that are creepy crawling all over the rocks and sand of my tank. This on top of a great coralline algae bloom along with some red and green spots here and there. Its almost like every week I find something new. I also have an aiptasia anenome but it hasn't reproduced yet.

If you want to be surprised....catch them in the middle of the night when most of them come out.

[conda]

If you want to be surprised....catch them in the middle of the night when most of them come out.

I'll have to try that. I've just moved the rock around so I could make it look better and found some sponges, a mushroom, and something living inside of holes. Don't know what they are yet, but there are alot of them. They look like small white mushrooms living inside of broken off coral.

Who ever thought live rock could be this interesting.

[apantale]

I have copepods, two mussels, some sponges and a few aiptasias, but those are now ixnayed due to my carnivorous peppermint shrimp. I have had some outbreaks on my smaller 15gal nano, but I introduced my Berghia's and they are also now gone!!! One thing I will suggest is that you get peppermints, but verify from your LPS that they are true peppermints. I have had some cross breeds that not only cleaned out my aiptasia, but also some of my corals and some valuable invertebrates such as my carpet and sebae anemones!! Just be careful.. but for the most part peppermints are the most cost effective aiptasia killers. Coral-band butterflys are too expensive, and are not guaranteed to remove aiptasia from personal experience. Plus they are tempermental when it comes to feeding habits.

[RevClyburn]

Hey K of D

where did you get your live rock, looking to buy some for my 90 gal. Trying to use different types of LR through out the whole tank. Can you tell me the price and what other live rock you may have.

RevClyburn

I only purchased a 2 lb piece for my tank from the lfs. I just wanted to initially see what LR was like before making a big purchase. It was Fiji rock and I wasn't expecting much at all.

So far I've found two sponges, a few "white worms", a small starfish, two bristleworms, a small white snail, an amphipod, and countless little copepods that are creepy crawling all over the rocks and sand of my tank. This on top of a great coralline algae bloom along with some red and green spots here and there. Its almost like every week I find something new. I also have an aiptasia anenome but it hasn't reproduced yet.

If you want to be surprised....catch them in the middle of the night when most of them come out.

[Key Of David]

RevClyburn - you have a PM.

[conda]

I just found what looks like the top of a jelly-fish in one of the live rocks. It is living in one of the holes in the rock and is stuck to the top side of it. I have found no pictures on the net that looks like this, but the only way I can describe it is that it looks like the top of a jellyfish, about two inches in diameter.

Any ideas?

Thanks