Can anyone identify this growth? and my intro

[bntmc]

Hi - this is one of my first posts so I figured I would introduce myself and see if I can get a little help - A little history about me and my tank - I have had a 55 gallon SW tank for almost 10 years - mostly a trigger, puffer tank and FW tanks for years prior to that. I always used dead coral pieces and whenever I did a water change I would bleach my coral, rinse and let sit dry until the next water change (I had enough dead coral to rotate it each water change) Then came September 2004 - and 2 back to back hurricanes (I live in southeast Florida) and power outages for 9 days (just after the first storm) I was not able to locate a battery pump and did not have time to go to my LFS (who apparently had plenty and stayed open late selling them and even ordered more so that they wouldn't run out) I lost my tank (only had 3 fish but still...) So I decided not to get the tank up and running again until after hurricane season, well hurricane season ended and then it was Christmas time and I covered the tank and used to as an extra holiday knick knack display area. Christmas came and went and still I hadn't thought about the tank, then finally I found this board and started doing my research before I even set the tank back up. I read how beneficial live rock is to your tank but I still wasn't sure if that was what I wanted. So I set the tank back up and used my dead coral. I then cycled the tank with 6 small damsels and after a month only one had die. I tested my water and everything was good. I had decided I wanted a different tank then I always had so no more triggers and puffers. So we went back to the LFS (Barrier Reef in Boca Raton - I won't get my stuff from anywhere else!!) and got a small maroon clownfish (one of the fish I lost last year was a decent size maroon) and we got a coral beauty. I also got a clean up crew consisting of 2 blue legged hermits and 5 emerald crabs and a chocolate chip starfish. They must be doing an excellent job because the last couple of time I have tested the water the PH was between 8.0 and 8.3, the ammonia was 0 and the nitrates were <0.3. I finally read enough and decided I wanted to slowly add aquacultured live rock to the tank - the 1st rock I got was approx 3-4 lbs - my hermits had a field day picking off most of the red that was on top and the 2 green plants that were on it. I wasn't going to get anymore LR but noticed that the coral beauty picked at the rock and I liked the way the rocks look so this past weekend we went and got another LR - this time it was a 5 lb piece and he gave me a little piece with some hard coral on it for free and I also got another feather duster. That was Monday, now today I find this growth on the back of the tank. Hopefully someone can identify it and let me know if it is good or bad.


Thanks

 

[bang guy]

It' a Turkey Wing Clam.

 

[bntmc]

Is it good or bad?? And thanks - I thought it looked a little like a scallop or clam.

 

[oceana]

its fine. there are thousands of mullusk types most if not all being no problem for your reef. they do tend to become food for some fish
you can do a search on (Arca zebra) and see if that looks like what you have.
kinda hard to tell for me since there are soo many kinds

 

[ophiura]

Welcome to the board and sorry about your previous losses.
I think that LR is an excellent way to go. Just remember, now that your tank is established, that you need cured LR. Adding any significant amount of uncured LR will cause a recylcing event. Also remember that any rock that is shipped, regardless if it is "precured" will need to be recured in a seperate container.
LR is a wonderful addition to a tank. Its biological capacity to filter water is only part of the beneficial aspects. It helps provide a more natural environment for fish, especially reef associated fish like you currently have. It gives them places to hide and swim in/out of, and it definitely gives them things to graze on. This is normal and natural behavior that, IMO, contributes greatly to fish healhty (notably in more "delicate" fish such as angels and tangs).
Do you intend to keep live corals/anemones and such in the future?

 

[bntmc]

Thanks.
Ophiura ~ I like to make things easy on myself so I made sure the rock I got was cured - smelled it to make sure. Also I will only get my livestock from my LFS - its the only one I have dealt with that I trust and they have pretty knowledgable staff that have been there for years. So I don't think I will ever be getting any rock shipped - I also like to see what things looks like first before I purchase. I haven't really thought about corals/anemones yet because I am not sure of the lighting requirements and if I can use the hoods I just bought. Guess I need to do more research first before getting involved in corals. For now I will slowly get pieces of live rock. I don't want to stress the tank out by getting too much at one time - also I can't afford to get too much at one time!!
I am enjoying the pieces of LR that I have - I actually went out and bought a magnifying glass and have spent plenty of time looking at the rocks. Also last night I looked at the big turkey wing clam that is on the new piece of LR one of the emerald crabs was near and the clam "clamped" down - if I hadn't found out what the "growth" was on the back glass I wouldn't have known about the bigger clam and done a little research and would have thought I was seeing things when it "moved" but I had read that is something they do. Funny thing is now the little clam on the glass is moving around to different spots on the glass - right now it is right behind the intake for my biowheel filter. This tank sure is more "lively" than the last tanks I have had!! I think I might research corals and move in that direction.
I know I will find a wealth of information here!! Thanks!!