unclenedsfishfactory.com

I hope this is the appropriate place for this thread. I've got a couple of things growing on some live rock that weren't there when I started...and quite frankly I don't know what to make of them. It'd be nice to know that these things are something cool that is desireable instead of an omen of some sort like...I added too much calcium and I had my lights on for too long.

here are external links to the pictures:
http://img407.imageshack.us/img407/963/ ... 003uk2.jpg
http://img174.imageshack.us/img174/138/ ... 004ih9.jpg
http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/5757 ... 005yk6.jpg
http://img407.imageshack.us/img407/8582 ... 006db0.jpg

The thing is question looks like a reddish leaf. I have another one that is a brilliant purple but I couldn't get a good shot of it. I tried taking several pictures of it because if you look at it the wrong way you could easily mistake it for a mushroom or something, but rest assured it is pretty flat. It just looks like a leaf sprouting up. Any ideas on what this is?

This other thing:
http://img407.imageshack.us/img407/7393 ... 009at3.jpg

The blueish looking bubble on the rock. This is a rock I got from Ned that had a bunch of tube worms on it...he received it as a trade in of some sort. The tube worms seem to be alive. This little blue bubble I'm not sure that it has grown or shrunk or done anything since I've had it but it definitely looks organic to me. Is it something that was once alive and is now dead? Is it alive? Is it Iron Man? I don't know but any insight anyone can provide me on these items I'd great appreciate.

To anyone who is interested, the tank seems to be doing quite well. I haven't been keeping up with checking levels as consistently as I should but everyone seems happy and I've been running since late October. No fights with the blue damsel, he seems to have relaxed quite a bit.

I've got coralline algae popping up all over. But like Ned I think it seems to be growing more on the tank walls than on the rocks! DOH!

The first links you posted look like it is just some red algae. Not the bad red slime algae, but in my experience with that red algae, it is a bit invasive, I would scrape it off and toss it.

The other link to the blue bubble thing. It looks like it is a chiton of sorts. I find them often in tanks. They don't cause any harm from what I have seen. Most chitons are grazers.

Josh

ack...so leafy-looking thing = bad?

as I mentioned I've got another one that looks similar although not as mature as this one that is a nice purple color. Same type of beast?

I do have alot of green hair crap algae growing in the tank now...it's a kind of mossy type stuff that is pretty much _.
It started off as a few strands on some of this branch-like rock that I acquired and I wasn't sure what it would turn into. Now it's a fuzz that's covering quite a bit.

I wasn't quite sure how to deal with it...was contemplating pulling some of the rocks out and trying to physically remove the stuff and then re-insert them but I wasn't sure how that would affect the cycle of life in the tank.

yes, leafy = bad in my book.

I would recommend pulling the rock and physically removing the hair algae. However, if there is even a little bit left it will return. I would recommend getting a bristle toothed Tang. They do an unbelievable job on eating the algae. They are also a community fish that will get along with most everything in the tank. They also do not get overly large. It is a relatively cheap fish that is worth it's weight in gold.
I noticed you said you had neglected the tank for a bit. even though the fish all look good, they will adapt to their environment. It would be a very good idea to perform some water tests to see what your levels are. Saltwater is not as forgiving as freshwater. Once your tank starts to go downhill it is a lot of work to bring it back. A 20% water change at least monthly is HIGHLY advised.

Just my 2 cents.

Josh

ooo cool another fish I have an excuse to get.
I'm going to jump back on the maintenance bandwagon.
I want to get something that will eat bristleworms too...I hate those bastids.

arrow crab. I think Ned will be getting those in tomorrow (keeping fingers crossed).
They grab them out of the rocks and eat them like spaghetti.

6 lined wrasse also are said to snack on the nasty critters. When I had a nano SW without room for extra livestock to get rid of them, I turned the lights off for an hour, threw a sinking food tablet or three in an open area, then waited a bit. Turn the lights on and swoop in with a net, and flush the bastards.

NOT that I would recommend this method, but..................I did a few experiments and found that flatworm killer drives bristle worms nuts and eventually kills them. NEVER NEVER use this stuff with fish in the tank. That would be the down side to my results. In the end though it looks like a bristle worm mascre. I wouldn't say this is the best method for flatworms either. Maybe the chemical label should be changed to bristle worm exit????

I've read that the longnose hawkfish as well as the coral banded shrimp are big fans of eating BRISTLEWORMS!

I'm seriously contemplating picking these guys up and tossing them into the tank to take care of the worms.

However; for the time being, my wife setup her 10 gallon tank as marine and we took out the two rocks that had the big infestation of worms. I don't have a heater on this tank and I haven't been putting any food in it. I've seen the worms peek out briefly but they haven't been coming out like they usually do in my main-production tank.

I'm kind of hoping I can cycle them out, but I don't know how long they can live without food and whether or not they have a big food stash inside their rocks! I guess I could toss in some of that flatworm killer or get a heater for this tank and toss in a coral banded shrimp or an arrow crab and see what happens.