Live rock question

[Cubswin17]

I am starting my tank and my original plan was to do live rock and fish at the recommendation of my LFS. I have about 20lbs of live rock at the moment in a 30 gallon tank. I am getting all kinds of hitchhikers with the rock. So far I have 2 starfish, either a bristle worm or fire worm (still trying to figure that out), and a couple of feather dusters. That's just what I've seen. Being new to this, I'm afraid of getting something in my tank that I don't want. My question is how beneficial is the live rock when cycling the tank, and... Now that I have the live rock is it too late to go back? Anyone have some advice? Am I too worried about picking up something bad in the live rock? Stories of 2' bristle worms are freaking me out!!! Thanks everyone!!

 

[E-rock]

Since it's already in your tank I would just leave it in IMO. Just keep an eye out. If it gives you any peace of mind, don't be afraid to take stuff out, and eye them up to check.

 

[joy13]

Chances are the rock will be fine, you might find some nice little hitchhikers. Before you decide to kill anything come on here and ask if it is good or bad. There are people that are looking for mantis shrimp all over the place for a species only tank.

BTW bristle worms are a very important part of my clean up crew. It sorta freaks out people when I will drop extra food in the tank just to feed them.

 

[huma-huma]

The majority of he hitchikers are beneficial...now if by some chance you were to get some apatasia (a nuisance coral) then yes you'd want to kill it. But id let everythig else go I had 2 blue-legged hermits hitchike int'l my tank, they were pretty cool

 

[Cubswin17]

It sounds unanimous! Thank you all for your advice!! It's my own lack of knowledge that is freaking me out. Being so new to this I'm not sure what's beneficial and what may harm me or my tank. I need study up I suppose. Good advice to ask people on this board about things in question. I have done that twice now and it really helps!!!! Thank you for all of your advice!!!!

 

[cjbaker]

Things could be worse, you could have just bought 25kg of live rock and then found out its covered in the apatasia like me lol. This is all new to me too. Not sure what I'm going to do to get rid of it all !!
That must have been the reason it was so cheap !