Corals on new LR

[jaycapz]

Hi all


I just bought a small piece of LR for my newly cycled and setup 26 g bow front. I wasn't going to go with corals until down the road but now that I noticed baby coral growing on it, what is the requirements light wise? Any advice?

Thanks in advance.

Jay

 

[bigbanker]

Lighting depends on the type of coral. Do you know what it is?

 

[jaycapz]

I'm a noob, I wish I did. I can take a pic. It's purple, with little bumps. Sorry just took with my phone so it's a little blurry. It's real small. Kinda looks like a purple nipple lol.

There's also one with green bubbles on the other side of the rock. Can't get a shot of it.

 

[jaycapz]

Now I'm thinking its an anemone.

 

[jaycapz]

This is the best shot I can get. Those small brown things, are they aiptasia? They have a brown center, and clear like hairs.

The purple thing, no clue what that is. I've seen it come up into a mushroom once, then go back down.

 

[jaycapz]

Anyone, any ideas?

 

[Searchin]

I'm not sure what purple thing you are referring to. As for the brown ones, I think those look like aiptasia.

 

[bigbanker]

The resolution on my phone is horrible! I hope someone on a PC can chime in for you

 

[JesseMessykinn]

Im not sure either, but you might want to focus on the green bubble your talking about. That could be green bubble algae.

 

[jaycapz]

I am getting the feeling I might be better off just returning this live rock. I took a closer look, and it is algae.

When I hit those little guys, the centers ball up. They don't retreat into the rock, they just clam up. Is that the normal behavior of aiptasia?

 

[JesseMessykinn]

Google aiptasia, and see if that is what it is.

 

[jaycapz]

They were aiptasias. Returned the rock, luckily they took it back. Best comment was, "all the rocks have that". -Lfs worker.

Needless to say I won't be buying lr from them again.

 

[Rutrag]

They were aiptasias. Returned the rock, luckily they took it back. Best comment was, "all the rocks have that". -Lfs worker.

Needless to say I won't be buying lr from them again.

In their defense, aptasia and bubble algae spores tend to be just about everywhere. I can't say as I know of any LFS that will police their bulk live rock to the point to guarantee it is pest free. About the only way to guarantee rock is pest free is to buy dry rock or the artificial stuff that has never seen an ocean. Of course, that also means you don't get any of the interesting "good" stuff either like sponges and feather dusters. Aiptasia is pretty easy to clear out if you catch it before it becomes a full blown infestation. Bubble algae is a little more challenging, but not impossible to get rid of either.

 

[jaycapz]

I completely understand that, and I know they get a lot of foreign stuff in on a daily/weekly basis. The problem is there systems for all tanks are connected, if theres is a problem in one tank its probably going to migrate to another. My problem is, that they dont actually attack the problem at all. If someone who is new to the hobby walks in, they will unknowingly infect their new tanks and not know until its to late. When I went back, I saw some of the other rocks had half inch or larger aiptasia's on them. On closer inspection, I noticed 80% of tanks had bubble algae. Thats really bad if your entire stock is untreated (or not even acknowledged). They had some really nice corals, sadly most sitting within inches of the aiptasia's which you know at some point would become a victim.

I was just more insulted by the employees answer. He acted as if this was "ok", and played it down like this is the norm. The rock I brought back had little baby ones all over it, easily half dozen.

 

[JesseMessykinn]

Reefrocks.net <- Good website for dry rock.

Always better off with dry rock, then live IMO.

 

[JesseMessykinn]

I had a nice size rock with a infestation on it, rock is probably 12"long by 5" wide. Put it in a bucket with water, drop some kalk into it and cleaned it all out. Work really good, used peppermint shrimp to clean up the rest.

 

[DaleHauze]

Reefrock.net is a cheaper site but i have read very rough things about their turn around rate. I would look into macrorocks.com. I ordered sunday afternoon they shipped monday by 9:00 am i was emailed notice of shipment as well as the tracking number

 

[DaleHauze]

Opps i meant marcorocks.com

 

[jaycapz]

Ill check it out, thanks for the advice. My only reservation about dry rock is missing out on all the fun extras you get with the established rock.

 

[mr_X]

That looks like a majano anemone to me, though I haven't seen any solid purple. No need to return the rock. just remove the algae.
Oops....didn't see this page.
Well, fun stuff and pests come hand in hand. The LFS worker was correct. Just about all live rock comes with something you don't want.