Live Rock

I just got 10 LBS of LR from the LFS. It looked like decent quality rock. I have had it in my tank for about 3 days. Today I noticed a gray pattern growing on one of the rocks. It looks as if someone painted it on to the rock. It is gray with darker gray lines making a pattern. I'm kind of confused as to what it is. Any help please?

Also...on of the rocks there is this small (1-2 inch), brown thing with jelly like spikes floating about. If I could get some info on that as well please.

- $imple

[gear-head]

pics?

[phases99]

could be some coralline algae bleaching. almost impossible to tell without pics or more details.

I have a Canon G2 Powershot 4.0 Megapixel digital camera but I can't seem to get a good picture of anything inside my tank. I could use some help. I don't think there is anything wrong with the camera I'm using so it must be my technique.

Wow. I heard people saying "use a tripod" and I was like, yeah right, that's going to do much. Well I tried it and my pictures got 100% clearer. Ok here's what I got (the last one is of the weird jelly spikey thingy):

[malkore]

turn off all the lights in the room, except the tank light itself. use a tripod on the camera, or if you don't have one, steady your elbows on a chair, tv tray to minimize blurriness.

Ok I didn't resize so they didn't come up, but here they are now. The first gray pattern thingy looks greenish in the picture but it is really gray though.

[phases99]

The first picture looks like Aipstasia, maybe someone can make a positive ID for you. The second one may be some sort of macroalgae.

I think you might be right. What exactly is it though? I mean what class of creatures would it go in. I'm kind of worried about it because I don't have very good lighting and I don't want it to die off. I am assuming it either has very strong senses or it has eyes because when I bring the net near it, it goes into its hole on the live rock. Completely hidden.

one more thing, i have read so much negative things about them. what is so bad about them and how should i get rid of it?

[XXFirefighter]

www.joesjuice.com
or you can TRY peppermint shrimp...

[BillyZ]

the reason folks dislike them is the same reason people don't like dandelions in their grass. They grow quickly, spread rapidly and take over. Aptasia also has a nasty sting when it encounters fish or other corals. Basically, they're a nuisance. (and they're not all that pretty either)

[bound_for_obx]

Hey, check out the first picture again. Just to the right of the aptasia, it looks like there is another critter that needs identifying!

[revhtree]

Looks like a hermit crab.

[austinsdad]

What else is in your tank? Shrimp friendly? I've been set up for 9 months and keep 5-10 peppermint in my 75g. Haven't seen any aptasia yet.

yup you guessed it right, that's a hermit crab. I am thinking of getting a cleaner shrimp, will that be as effective as a peppermint shrimp?

[phases99]

Originally Posted by $imple

yup you guessed it right, that's a hermit crab. I am thinking of getting a cleaner shrimp, will that be as effective as a peppermint shrimp?

Not for Aipstasia.

darn....anyone have an extra peppermint shrimp laying around?

[XXFirefighter]

Originally Posted by $imple

darn....anyone have an extra peppermint shrimp laying around?

No but I do have a extra bottle of Joes Juice if you want to drive to Lompoc to get it... Or I can drop it off to you !

[austinsdad]

Make sure the other inhabitants don't eat shrimp. Whatcha got in there?