my first LR.com order, hitchhikers, pics

[copi]

I'm sure I'm just overly nervous since I've never had LR or unknown hitchhikers before... what do you think of these guys I've found so far...

The one with the spoon is larger than the others, quick moving, and hairly looking. The anenomie-looking thing fell off the rock but there are a few others around.

I know this is better suited for the ID board, but there is so much more traffic here it seems...

 

[Phyl]

If the crabs are red then they'll pick at corals and if their claws have black tips then they're probably predatory. The anenome is most likely an aptasia. Put it in your QT tank until you can tell for sure. If it is you won't want to put it into the tank. As much as it seems that there's more traffic here you always get fast reliable advice from the ID forum! Don't be afraid to post there!

 

[copi]

So it sounds like I should remove all of these things???

 

[JamesR]

anemone looks like aipstasia. i would remove it for sure.

Jim

 

[copi]

anemone looks like aipstasia. i would remove it for sure.

Jim

I'm on my way out to buy some Joe's Juice right now, and peppermint shrimp if I can easily find them.

Can I pop off the big ones or just stick to the juice to kill them?

Is 2 peppermint shrimp a reasonable quantity for 29 gal?

 

[RMPD109]

I have 1 peppermint in my 28 gallon and it cleared the tank in a day.

 

[Phyl]

If your tank isn't cycled yet I would wait on the peppermints. The aptasia will not take over your tank in the time it takes for your tank to stabilize. The ones that fall off great (do they come off by themselves if you squirt fresh water on them?), but I wouldn't go trying to physically remove them. They're tough little buggers when they want to be. I ended up using scalding hot water to wash/pry/dig it off of the one rock it was on, but ended up really damaging the coraline in the process. You probably won't be able to just pluck them off.

 

[Thumper]

I Joe Juiced several of mine and I have 3 peppermint shrimp that have it under control but I think i did find a spot that has 6 or 7 in a group right next to where i joe juiced one earlier. But I have none that I'm aware of larger than a pencil tip.
I ordered three bottle's of Joe Juice before I ordered my LR just to be safe.

 

[Fluff]

Removing apstasia by hand is a bad idea. If you don't get absolutely all of it, another will grow in it's place. Wait til you get the Joe's Juice.
I agree wait til after your tank is cycled for shrimp.

 

[copi]

If your tank isn't cycled yet I would wait on the peppermints.

My tank is cycled. It was FO that I'm now upgrading to FOWLR with the intention of moving into reef in the coming months.

Just got home with the Juice... I decided to give that a try.

 

[copi]

What should I expect from Joe's Juice? I know it will kill only those aiptasia that are fed -- how long should this take, and do the dead aiptasia fall off or disappear or what?