What have you gotten for hitch hikers?

[nickyblase]

Just found last night on the glass of my 20 reef a tiny little long spine urchin! From what I've heard, they are reef compatible "with caution." I will probably leave him in there for a little while to give him the chance to get a little bigger before I put him in my 65 FO. Will def. keep an eye on him though.

What do they go after (why are they considered reef safe "with caution")?? I know they are venomous, but do they eat corals, or sting them? So far he's only been on the glass that I can tell.

BTW - what other types of hitch hikers have you seen??? What should I allow to stay in the tank when I see it, and what should I remove/move to my FO?

 

[chuck]

I got some really pretty aptaisia and manjano from my Florida Rock LOL. Oh, and a couple of Mantis Shrimp.

I actually got some really cool Macros that grew out about a month after the cycle ended. They did not stay long, but they were cool while they lasted.

 

[Clutchcargo]

Did you get your LR from Florida?
I had a couple of urchins on my LR, they lasted about 4 yrs and then lost thier spines and died.
I think that they are considered "with caution" because they bumble their way around the tank and knock things over. Otherwise, the ones in my tank were harmless. They eat coraline algae.
I think the highlights from my LR was a mantis, hairy crabs, and the urchins.
GL
Cjh

 

[scavdog]

I'm assuming its a black urchin? I have a small hitchiker urchin that has been growing for a couple years. No munching sps as of yet. However, he keeps my coraline in check. I'll try and post pics later.

I also have a black longspine that eats xenia. That may be something to consider if you are trying to grow any in the same tank.

For now I would keep an eye on it.

 

[KAS]

I got some encrusting coral that noone has been able to identify yet including Borneman (though I don't think he tried very hard)

 

[newfish]

i had a gorrila crab come with my lr we nicknamed him (THE KILLA CRAB) because he ate one of my fish he was the size of a half dollar

 

[zear0]

What I've found so far (over 3 months or so)

A handful of Aiptasia that I'm trying to kill.

A Stomatella.

A few bunches of turtle weed that I'm trying to keep alive...

Some tiny snails that only seem to like hanging out on the front glass of my aquarium.

A couple fan worms.

 

[picasso]

are there any sites or any books that I could get to learn what type of hitchhikers and corals and things in general are. This is my first saltwater tank and I just want to make sure I dont have anything that will be detrimental to my tank.

 

[Greg Hiller]

>I also have a black longspine that eats xenia. That may be something to consider if you are trying to grow any in the same tank.<

FWIW, this is common. I have had two over the years that took to eating Xenia. I've often recommended them to folks that want to keep their Xenia in check.

 

[maurod]

are there any sites or any books that I could get to learn what type of hitchhikers and corals and things in general are. This is my first saltwater tank and I just want to make sure I dont have anything that will be detrimental to my tank.

Check out www.melevsreef.com/id

It's a pretty educational site.

M.

 

[marco67]

>I also have a black longspine that eats xenia. That may be something to consider if you are trying to grow any in the same tank.<

FWIW, this is common. I have had two over the years that took to eating Xenia. I've often recommended them to folks that want to keep their Xenia in check.

No xenia,
But I have had one for about a year, for about the last 2 months he hase decided he likes Acropora.
Maybe I should add xenia to that tank

 

[Mad Reefer]

Here is a good Hitchhiker site http://www.reefs.org/hhfaq/

 

[jovreef]

a few stomatellas and I think a small red coco worm...thought it was a tiny feather duster to start with. no nasties or anything really neat here.

 

[joefitz]

This guy showed up in my liverock...along with a bunch of seriatopa (?), sponges, gorilla crabs, mantis shrimp, a pistol shrimp, some never-identified algae, worms and other miscellaneous critters.

 

[heavydc2]

FWIW, this is common. I have had two over the years that took to eating Xenia. I've often recommended them to folks that want to keep their Xenia in check.[/QUOTE]


Man, why can't I get one of those. I finally got my xenia off everything down low, just grows on the back glass, once in a while I give it a hair cut.

 

[PyroJon]

Do they eat Anthelia? Anthelia is like the new Xenia, evil evil stuff.

>I also have a black longspine that eats xenia. That may be something to consider if you are trying to grow any in the same tank.<

FWIW, this is common. I have had two over the years that took to eating Xenia. I've often recommended them to folks that want to keep their Xenia in check.

 

[nickyblase]

Joe - you had a goby hitch hiker??? I've never heard of a fish hitch hiker, only inverts & corals.... very interesting!

The only other things I've seen so far is a teeny tiny star - maybe a linkia, but it wasn't even the size of an eraser head, so I have no idea if it's still alive. Haven't seen it in a couple months, so I doubt it. The other thing is a long white thing, very thin, with a head that kind of looks like a mini feather duster. It is attached to the rock. Anyone know from this pathetic description what it might be?

 

[smcnally]

I've heard of people getting a frogfish in their TBS shipment a couple times

 

[PyroJon]

I once got a fish that lived inside the anus of a cucumber. Talk about weird!

 

[jovreef]

I've herd of people getting eels in dry live rock that wind up eating their fish in a reef!!