Hitchhiker: what is it. Looks bad!

[Brewer]

[aclman88]

Looks like a chiton. 
 

https://www.reefcleaners.org/aquarium-store/fuzzy-chiton

[Brewer]

Thanks! Ok for reef tank?

[Justind823]

1 minute ago, Brewer said:

Thanks! Ok for reef tank?

Yep! Great algae eater

[Tired]

Definitely a chiton. Put it back, if it's still alive. They're distantly related to snails, as you might have noticed from the foot, and are considered completely reef-safe. Mine keep their little patch of rock spotless. Some of them roam around the tank, some pick an area and stick to it. 

[Brewer]

Thanks! I quarantined him, so he's okay. Ugly. But ok. And if he eats algae, he's allowed to be ugly! Lol

[Tired]

I think they look kinda neat. Sometimes algae grows on their backs, which makes them look a bit nicer. 

 

They grow to different sizes, depending on species. Some can hit 3" or so, and therefore may eventually look out of place in smaller tanks, but they grow pretty slowly. They also tend to be secretive and mostly come out at night, so you might not see this one much, especially if it stays small.

[Brewer]

Thanks for the information!

[mcarroll]

If I recall correctly they really like coralline algae.

 

No need to be quite so paranoid going forward. 😎

 

99% of hitchhikers are totally beneficial, in spite of impressions you might’ve gotten while online.

[Brewer]

I've just played the quarantine and tear down game... so yes a bit paranoid,  guess im a one percenter! Lol🤣

 

[mcarroll]

2 hours ago, Brewer said:

I've just played the quarantine and tear down game... so yes a bit paranoid,  guess im a one percenter! Lol🤣

 

That should almost never be necessary – what happened???

[Brewer]

Ick... and sps worms

[mcarroll]

Just some thoughts since that's a fairly common occurrence with new tanks...

 

"Ich" (Cryptocaryon) 

Check out Cryptocaryon irritans Infections (Marine White Spot Disease) in Fish from the Aquaculture archive at U. of Florida.  Read the whole thing...more complete than most hobby guides.

 

But in short, and for posterity...

 

"Ich" generally comes to us as one of two issues.  

 

Either it comes as a "too-many-fish-too-soon" issue, which invites the "one bad apple spoils the bunch" problem.  I think everyone at least understands the concept of "too many" fish.  But the "too soon" part doesn't get enough attention in the scheme of things IMO.  The tank being immature (adding fish too soon) actually exacerbates any problems with stress and potential pathogens – outbreaks are more common and of greater intensity.

 

Or it comes as an overcrowding issue (which has to take into account fish personality).  Overcrowding creates at least two problems – stress which degrades immunity, and progressively higher contact rates between fish.  Immunocompromised and in close quarter – ideal spreading conditions for an outbreak. 

 

Of course it can be both issues at once too!    An overstocked tank (can of gasoline) with one bad apple (a match) is a worst-case-scenario for the fish. 

 

In your case has the root problem been eliminated?  (How?) 

 

What size is the tank, BTW?  What animals survived?  (Do you have a thread on the tank in question?)

 

SPS worms

What do you mean SPS worms?  There aren't too many "SPS-isms" that should cause a full reset....red bugs if you can't get interceptor.  Flatworms are usually treatable.  

 

In any case, how were you able to make sure that root problem was addressed?  Often it's changing where you acquire frags so you avoid the problem in the first place.  But using some kind of dip on new corals is a second-best option...or good adjunct procedure.

 

Both Problems

There are vectors.  Ie. where did the "pest" come from?

 

But there are also fostering conditions in the tank environment.  Ie. why were these animals so susceptible?

 

Both sources of trouble usually need to be "fixed" or addressed for these things to go away for good.  Especially for those issues related to fish.

 

However, a reset doesn't necessarily guarantee that either one of your issues (vectors or conditions) has been addressed.  

 

The potential for a pest-reoccurrence being (statistically) somewhat high is the only reason for asking all this.  👍

 

You mentioned QT, but not sure what you meant/how you've used it...like any tool, a QT can actually do as much damage as good, depending how it's used.  (You could link me if you already posted about your QT somewhere.)

 

What changes are there in the current tank setup / livestock list compared to the first time around?  

 

Were any additional measures taken beyond the QT and reset?

[Tired]

Ich, if you have a viable quarantine tank, is one of the easier pests to get rid of. It takes two months, mind you. But if you remove all fish from the tank for 2 months (and treat them in a separate tank), all the ich in your tank will die for lack of a host. Few other pests will die if you just ignore them. 

 

Really, that strategy works on a lot of things. If you remove their hosts, they die, sooner or later.

[Brewer]

This was on a tank years ago. It was a larger tank. I bought like 10 ten gallon tanks, one for each fish. Treated hypo or copper depending on the fish. 

 

Then treated the buggers  killing the sps, i think i got some precription medicine. Worked.

 

It was a pain. But i quarantined after that and was good and just kinda stopped buying more corals. Let the tank grow out.

 

Right now, i am just not wanting to do all that again. When i set up a custom, ill set up a quaratine and wet room.