Coral ID

[rooroo]

Okay, I have started a 125 gallon tank and the live rock I bought has tons of different corals and plant life and who knows what else. I have not been able to find anything remotely close to what I have going on in my tank. What is the best way to go about identifying them. I need to find out what they are so I can care for them properly. I can post pictures if need be but that will be a lengthy process also.

 

[flower]

Originally Posted by rooroo
http:///forum/post/3254159
Okay, I have started a 125 gallon tank and the live rock I bought has tons of different corals and plant life and who knows what else. I have not been able to find anything remotely close to what I have going on in my tank. What is the best way to go about identifying them. I need to find out what they are so I can care for them properly. I can post pictures if need be but that will be a lengthy process also.

You need to download some pictures, many corals look very similar to one another. Mostly we just like to ogle the new corals.

Also AFTER you have the coral is a tad late to do your homework and see what the needs are, that could easily lead to disaster. I know sometimes it can’t be helped…this is for future purchases.

 

[rooroo]

Yeah, I know that, however they are coming out of the rocks that I bought.....

 

[rooroo]

okay here are some of the things growing in my tank. can anyone help me out on what they are so I can look up their care requirements. I also put a picture of a little fish on there. It came with part of my cleaner package. I think it is some kind of goby.

 

[shrimpy brains]

Pic 1: yes goby of some sort. Green plant in front looks like Halimedia (spelling?) Good macro, needs calcium to grow(reg. water changes should provide plenty)
pic 2: Red mushroomsVery nice (no care requirements)
Pic 3: Some sort of Caulerpa. Nice macro, but grows fast, will need to be pruned, or eventually add a tang(if your tank is big enough)
Pic 4: Some sort of zoa (no care requirements) ecxept I would pull all the green hair algae you can out of there so it doesn't smother it
Pic 5: looks like a toadstool leather
Nice rock!!
You really need to get rid of that hair algae! What are your parameters, and how long are you running your lights??

 

[rooroo]

This is a new tank. The parameters have been great, I am going to test again tonight. My lights are running about 8 hours. I have my cleaner package coming in tomarrow. I am hoping they will much down most of the algea. I am in love with this rock. I will never buy any from anyone else again. In pic 4 there is a couple little things that look like anemones but I am not sure. I have tose little things all over my rock. I will try and get a better pic so you can see it

 

[rooroo]

Okay, here is the thing that looks like an anemone, it has a stoney base and the tips are more white that clear. I hope it is a little better

 

[shrimpy brains]

Ooops, sorry I did notice the aptasia in pic 3 and forgot about them when I was writing ID's. You can kill these easily with boiled water and a syringe(no needle) just approach slowly and inject the water in their mouths. You can also buy aptiasa-x or joe's juice for this. You do want to get rid of them quickly as they will spread fast.
Your clean up crew may help with the hair algae, but I would still pull as much out as possible by hand.

 

[shrimpy brains]

Yea, kill it!
Also, are you testing for phosphates?? Phosphates and nitrates are #1 problems with hair algae!

 

[rooroo]

Originally Posted by Shrimpy Brains
http:///forum/post/3255866
Yea, kill it!
Also, are you testing for phosphates?? Phosphates and nitrates are #1 problems with hair algae!
no, i haven't yet, I didn't even think about it. I will test it tonight. I guess I thought Aptiasa was different than that. I thought they were darker...

 

[rooroo]

I just did a search and all the pictures I can find of aptiasa are ugly. These are quite beautiful. I wish I had a better camera....

 

[rooroo]

I also noticed a tube that is clear. I can not get a picture of it. It is about 1/2 inch high. ANy ideas. I know it is hard with out a picture

 

[shrimpy brains]

Aiptasia also called glass anemone. You can look up mejano anemones also, they can be quite beautiful, but will also take over your tank.
clear tube, maybe tunicate?

 

[rooroo]

Originally Posted by Shrimpy Brains
http:///forum/post/3255918
Aiptasia also called glass anemone. You can look up mejano anemones also, they can be quite beautiful, but will also take over your tank.
Not Mejanos. I did find one picture of aiptasia that kind of looks like it. I have peppermint shrimp coming today so I will see if they go away in the least little bit.
clear tube, maybe tunicate?
Are tunicates good or bad?

 

[rooroo]

I dont think this is a leather. When I first put this piece of rock into my tank, this part was white and hard stoney. It actually looked like dead coral. Now it is coming out and is a brownish color. It is beautiful.

 

[shrimpy brains]

Tunicates are fine. It probably won't live though.
Sorry, last pic. is just a coral skeleton. Probably has diatoms on it. Your cleanup crew will eat those.
Diatom algae bloom is natural part of cycle. You may get several different algae blooms in a new tank!

 

[spanko]

Would need a better picture, but this may be Porites sp.

 

[rooroo]

Would need a better picture, but this may be Porites sp.
I googled it and found pictures. That is what it looks like. It is really cool. Anytime something runs over it, it retracts then slowly comes back out. I wish I knew how to take better pictures of it..

 

[rooroo]

Originally Posted by spanko
http:///forum/post/3256197
Would need a better picture, but this may be Porites sp.
That is what it looks like. It retracts if something runs over it. I wish I could take better pictures of it but I am not sure how to in a tank....

 

[rooroo]

okay, i finally found some better pictures of my unknowns. THey are not of the ones I have but are identical. Someone that can take better pictures than me.. Hope this helps. The have a stoney base.