live rock, how do I know if it is cured?

[seecrabrun]

I am wondering when you buy live rock, how do you know if it is properly cured and when it is safe to add it to an existing tank?

 

[jay0705]

Where r u buying it. I use a general rule if its live when I buy it and its in some water I have an hr to get it in my tank. After that u may have too much die off. Now if its a small peice 3-5lbs in a big tank np

 

[seecrabrun]

Well I brought home a big piece. 7lbs or so. I read that I should hyper salinate but then when I went to put it in the bucket a crab jumped out.
Now I'm worried about it all. So I reset the water to a proper level. I put a heater and airstone until I can get answers from you guys.
I bought the rock from a small fish store about an hour away at 4pm and got it in the water again at 9:30pm
It was in a coral tank with varieties for sale and he put it in a plastic bag and then a box.
What should I really do with this and also is the crab OK to put in the tank with my 2 hermits?

 

[jay0705]

Can u get a pic of crab? If all u have in the tank is hermits yea your ok. Also never hypo salinate , you want the rock live not kill whats on it

 

[pegasus]

Can u get a pic of crab? If all u have in the tank is hermits yea your ok. Also never hypo salinate , you want the rock live not kill whats on ityou won't kill the rock or critters on it with a brief period of hyper salinity... just don't leave it there indefinitely. It's irritating enough to make the critters come out of the rock(s) so you can pick out what you want to keep. I'd never suggest something that would be harmful to the live rock of it's occupants...

 

[seecrabrun]

I'll try to get pictures of everything the rock seems to have come with.
It came out of a coral tank at the store. The Rock I got last time came out of a horse trough full of rock and I don't think it was ever all that alive.

 

[jay0705]

Lol horse trough? Lol I would have been hesitant myself lol.
pegasus, ive never heard of that being done. Thats new to me, I should try it tho lol. I have a mantis shrimp that hitch hiked in, doesnt bother anything but had I know he prob wouldnt have gone in lol

 

[pegasus]

I'm sure the horses appreciate you getting that rock out! LOL!!!
You can keep rock live for awhile in a container as long as there's flow, temp, and lighting. Lighting isn't needed for the critters in the rock, but can help by reducing die-off of any growth ON the rock.
Most critters are welcome additions to the tank, but there are a few (fortunately, very few) that are better left in the ocean.

 

[seecrabrun]

FINALLY caught him.
Good or bad?

 

[jay0705]

Hmm I say ok but iam not an expert lol

 

[flower]

Well I brought home a big piece. 7lbs or so. I read that I should hyper salinate but then when I went to put it in the bucket a crab jumped out.
Now I'm worried about it all. So I reset the water to a proper level. I put a heater and airstone until I can get answers from you guys.
I bought the rock from a small fish store about an hour away at 4pm and got it in the water again at 9:30pm
It was in a coral tank with varieties for sale and he put it in a plastic bag and then a box.
What should I really do with this and also is the crab OK to put in the tank with my 2 hermits?

Hi,

If it was trusted by the fish store to be in a coral tank... it's cured for certain. They should have a way to keep it wet during transfer...even a plastic bag is good. Live rock is loaded with living critters, that's why it's called "live"...the rock itself is just a rock. Some rock has good hitchhikers, and some have not so good ones. Be it a good or bad hitchhiker, is in the eyes of the owner...some folks pay good money for a crab, others don't want them in their tank.

If you add the rock to extra salty water in a bucket... (Hyper salinate), the critters in the rock will be emerge for a moment or two for you to pick out what you don't want in the rock before you add it to your tank...but be quick, they will go right back into the rock as soon as they realize it's the only place to go, and they will return to the rock to hide. Have gloves on and some forceps (long tweezers) ready, in case it's something that might sting, pinch or bite.

 

[bang guy]

Your crab looks like an algae eater. I'm just guessing based on the claws. It will still be an omnivore but if those are flat disks and the points of the pincers then it will primarily eat algae. I would keep it and just watch it closely.

 

[old man reef]

LIVEROCK GOD GIFT TO REEF TANKS.
I use my nose and eyes to know if to cure, if out of the water more than 6 hours.
I use my magnifying glass to try to identify all hitchhikers and residents of the rock. The more life the higher quality of rock.
THANKS

 

[flower]

I was told when I first joined this site that all crabs with dark claws were bad in a reef. I had my doubts about that, but I'm not a crab expert, and have kept that rule of thumb all these years...your explanation is much more reasonable.