TB Saltwater Hitchhikers

[Variant]

Looks like their life cycle is about 2-4 weeks, and I'll be quarantining the rock before adding to my tank for that long anyway. I've been monitoring the rock and, clearly, trying to ID any critters I don't recognize. In the meantime, I'm feeding the tank reef roids daily, in hopes of keeping some of the sponges/tunicates/filter feeders alive.

That's what I first read about the life cycle, but that's assuming there is literally nothing to eat. From what I've seen, these isopods are both parasitic but also opportunistic. What that means is that even in the absence of fish, they can survive off other items. These isopods can eat pellet food, flake food, coral foods, etc.

If you're dead set on TBS rock, just be careful. Even if you don't see any, once you add your fish, I would observe every night 2-4 hours after dark for 1-2 weeks to be sure. Nothing beats the optimism out of you like seeing expensive fish be slowly eaten when you're not looking.

Good luck!

 

[CuzzA]

That's what I first read about the life cycle, but that's assuming there is literally nothing to eat. From what I've seen, these isopods are both parasitic but also opportunistic. What that means is that even in the absence of fish, they can survive off other items. These isopods can eat pellet food, flake food, coral foods, etc.

If you're dead set on TBS rock, just be careful. Even if you don't see any, once you add your fish, I would observe every night 2-4 hours after dark for 1-2 weeks to be sure. Nothing beats the optimism out of you like seeing expensive fish be slowly eaten when you're not looking.

Good luck!

Isopods are definitely a concern. You just don't know if you pulled the short straw. Keep in mind he has a 32 bio cube. Most macro pests are going to be much easier to eliminate. If hell comes to high water he could just dunk all of the rocks in club soda and anything not attached is going to jump off .

 

[Variant]

Isopods are definitely a concern. You just don't know if pulled the short straw. Keep in mind he has a 32 bio cube. Most macro pests are going to be much easier to eliminate. If hell comes to high water he could just dunk all of the rocks in club soda and anything not attached is going to jump off .

i have a hypothesis, which is that rocks from TBS that are collected closer to the sandbed are more likely to house the isopods. I assume that most of these scavengers are bottom dwellers since the isopods don't really swim and are probably prone to getting eaten when they are in open water. My past two orders were for nano size tanks that both had the isopod problem, the recent order being the worst offender.

If I had to do it all over again, it would have been cool to order a super small amount of TBS live rock, have it go into the tank fishless. Then after like 2-4 weeks for the beneficial bacterial and micro organisms spread, take all the rock out, then filter the system water through a super fine filter (almost like a coffee grind filter to take out any large organisms, isopod babies included). Then you have water with a good bacterial content and your system will be coated in the good stuff. Only question then would be wether the bad critters laid eggs or hid in your plumbing while you did this.

 

[CuzzA]

i have a hypothesis, which is that rocks from TBS that are collected closer to the sandbed are more likely to house the isopods. I assume that most of these scavengers are bottom dwellers since the isopods don't really swim and are probably prone to getting eaten when they are in open water. My past two orders were for nano size tanks that both had the isopod problem, the recent order being the worst offender.

If I had to do it all over again, it would have been cool to order a super small amount of TBS live rock, have it go into the tank fishless. Then after like 2-4 weeks for the beneficial bacterial and micro organisms spread, take all the rock out, then filter the system water through a super fine filter (almost like a coffee grind filter to take out any large organisms, isopod babies included). Then you have water with a good bacterial content and your system will be coated in the good stuff. Only question then would be wether the bad critters laid eggs or hid in your plumbing while you did this.

I have dove the site a few times and all over the Gulf coast. In fact my video is on their home page. One of my first attempts at underwater video and editing so it's not very good. Nevertheless, there's not much that I could put my finger on at their site that is different than anywhere else. Whether it's ledges or patch reefs or rock piles. Hell even the Middle Grounds which is more like the Caribbean is going to have the same pests.

I think the difference with with TBS rock is it's super fresh and always submerged. Back in the day when we would get imported Pacific live rock it was pretty much dead by the time it made it to the LFS vats. Which is why cycling a tank took forever.

So it's just part of the deal. No different than if you could get fresh Pacific rock. They have isopods too. The ocean is a complex food chain. But there's some pretty good evidence that if you use dry rock your reef will struggle for about a year before more sensitive, harder to keep SPS corals will finally begin to flourish.

 

[sfin52]

Looks like their life cycle is about 2-4 weeks, and I'll be quarantining the rock before adding to my tank for that long anyway. I've been monitoring the rock and, clearly, trying to ID any critters I don't recognize. In the meantime, I'm feeding the tank reef roids daily, in hopes of keeping some of the sponges/tunicates/filter feeders alive.

Try phyto that and roids may have a better shot

 

[duberii]

Try phyto that and roids may have a better shot

Any affordable brand of phyto you recommend? I'm reefing on a budget.

 

[duberii]

A bit bummed I didn't get a ball nem/ rock flower nem/a brain coral- anybody have any experience with any of these just popping up after a while? I'm praying because I think they're so cool

 

[sfin52]

Any affordable brand of phyto you recommend? I'm reefing on a budget.

So am I. I can't find live around me so I use dead cultures. It's the only thing I can afford. Contemplating growing my own.

 

[duberii]

So am I. I can't find live around me so I use dead cultures. It's the only thing I can afford. Contemplating growing my own.

I’ve heard some mixed things about dead cultures. Do you think they actually do good for your tank?

 

[CuzzA]

I’ve heard some mixed things about dead cultures. Do you think they actually do good for your tank?

A decent article from the founder of AlgaGen. I'm not sure about dead, but they sell a frozen live product that can apparently be re-cultured.

#1 Essential Guide to Reef Tanks and Phytoplankton (Expert Advice)

Detailed Guide. Understanding the Microscopic World of Phytoplankton and Reef Tanks. Reef Tank Phytoplankton – Forget Everything You Think You Know.

reefhacks.com

 

[9Trees29gal]

Some of the small white snails look like might be wentletrap snails... They are predators of other snails. Lionfish Lair has a helpful hitchhikers guide that might help with your other snails. https://www.lionfishlair.com/hitchhikers-guide/

 

[sfin52]

I’ve heard some mixed things about dead cultures. Do you think they actually do good for your tank?

I've read good things about it. Just have to be careful not to overdue it. May cause nitrates and phosphates.

 

[duberii]

Some of the small white snails look like might be wentletrap snails... They are predators of other snails. Lionfish Lair has a helpful hitchhikers guide that might help with your other snails. https://www.lionfishlair.com/hitchhikers-guide/

Can you circle the one you're talking about? None of them look quite like them to me...

 

[duberii]

A decent article from the founder of AlgaGen. I'm not sure about dead, but they sell a frozen live product that can apparently be re-cultured.

#1 Essential Guide to Reef Tanks and Phytoplankton (Expert Advice)

Detailed Guide. Understanding the Microscopic World of Phytoplankton and Reef Tanks. Reef Tank Phytoplankton – Forget Everything You Think You Know.

reefhacks.com

That's really interesting- I've never heard of that. Might be worth buying.

 

[duberii]

Newest guest- possibly a type of sea slug? An I’d on this would be pretty cool- it almost looks like a sea bunny, but doesn’t have any black on its body. It’s clear but has something darker inside of it, which I’m sure is safe to assume is its guts. I also assume it eats sponges, and I’d love to keep it alive. Cool critter.

 

[BloopFish]

baby decorator crab? I’ve always wanted one

John at reefcleaners calls these guys mime crabs. This crab is an Epialtid crab. They don't decorate themselves and I think John considers them reef safe.

 

[duberii]

John at reefcleaners calls these guys mime crabs. This crab is an Epialtid crab. They don't decorate themselves and I think John considers them reef safe.

I lost that one- it looked like it was being harassed by something since it only had 2 legs left However, I’ve seen at least 3 more genuine decorator crabs, with actual decorations. Here are some (attempted) pics

 

[duberii]

@KJ - are you still thinking Oenone Fulgida after this? I finally got one of them (actually 2 if you can see it in the video but I mashed that one up pretty bad) on tape and I think a better ID is possible here

kinda looks like a bobbit worm to me now that it’s out

 

[duberii]

@KJ - are you still thinking Oenone Fulgida after this? I finally got one of them (actually 2 if you can see it in the video but I mashed that one up pretty bad) on tape and I think a better ID is possible here

kinda looks like a bobbit worm to me now that it’s out

Update- definitely not a fulgida. Found an actual fulgida in the rock and it had that stereotypical slime, while this worm does not. It also has white tentacles on its front end, while the fulgida doesn't. My belief is that it's a bobbit worm at this point.

 

[flsalty]

Update- definitely not a fulgida. Found an actual fulgida in the rock and it had that stereotypical slime, while this worm does not. It also has white tentacles on its front end, while the fulgida doesn't. My belief is that it's a bobbit worm at this point.

Does it have 5 tentacles? It does look like a Eunice sp, but I couldn't make out how many tentacles on the head.