WHITE COTTON LOOKING MATERIAL

by **angel687407** » Wed Mar 25, 2009 2:44 pm

Hello, I just set up a 14 gallon biocube on 3/21 with about 15 pounds of live rock. I just noticed what looks like white cotton on the underside of my biggest piece of rock. It seems to be over the entire piece. Can anyone please advise me to what this could be and if it is harmful. Sorry, I dont have any pics.

I also have a tiny starfish that is all white that hitched a ride with the rock and this morning it was attached to one of my button polyps. Is either one harmful to the other? Again sorry but no pics. Thank you

by **blueshoes2208** » Thu Mar 26, 2009 12:01 am

starfish most likely good, cotton most likely bad.... id take out hte rock and scrub off all that cotton stuff.... do you have ne experience in SW btw?

by **angel687407** » Thu Mar 26, 2009 12:15 am

I had a fish only tank about 15 years ago. This is my first reef tank, first time with live rock.

by **blueshoes2208** » Thu Mar 26, 2009 12:22 am

oh ya... live rock is pretty new to the hobby so i hear... 15 years ago is a while back as far as fish tanks go... i dont think ill ever try a tank that small though... from what ive head levels can variate in just a matter of hours

by **angel687407** » Thu Mar 26, 2009 1:32 pm

Thanks for the advice blue. Took the rock out and after getting a good look at it it looked more like a grayish white slime. Gave it a good scrub, now will wait to see if it comes back. Do you have any idea what this stuff might be or why I am getting it?

I have read alot about tank sizes and levels variating. I feel if I go slow and don't over stock and don't over feed I should be able to maintain the proper levels. I know its small so I plan on just a few starter corals, a small cleaner crew, and see how it goes. After a few months when I get a better feel for maintaining a reef tank I may add a clown. Thanks again.

by **blueshoes2208** » Thu Mar 26, 2009 5:35 pm

yeah the set up seems pretty good, i have no idea what the stuff on the rock could have been, i mean look at all the stuff thats in the ocean... its endless possibilities. Def go slow when youre setting up and stuff, sounds like youll be okay though, keep us updated

by **newbie916** » Thu Mar 26, 2009 6:07 pm

It could be a sponge of some sort. I have yellow sponges growing out of my rock and some white sponges growing on one of my corals. It seems to be pretty harmless though. Starfish, brittle stars, snails, are common hitchhikers on LR and they start breeding like mad. You'll probably notice copepods, mushrooms, and feather dusters coming out as well. It's pretty cool to see what stuff grows in established systems

by **blueshoes2208** » Thu Mar 26, 2009 6:11 pm

yeah there are alot of stuff on the rock, i had bristle worms till i got my pseudochromis, had aiptaisa fixed it with a p-shrimp, got startfish, no snails so far, i think all my copepods got eaten haha lots of feather dusters and i had a sponge growing but i didnt like it so i ripped it out... looked like a fungus ahha after jus one night of being out of water it looked like dehydrated beef jerkey haha

by **angel687407** » Thu Mar 26, 2009 7:44 pm

I have noticed what looks like a yellow sponge on a couple of the rocks and I do have 1 mushroom growing.....thats pretty cool. Every time I look at the tank it's almost like I'm looking at it for the first time with all the different stuff I keep finding.

by **fihsboy** » Thu Mar 26, 2009 7:56 pm

It was probably just a sponge. Filter feeder. Wouldnt have hurt anything. I have a few green and a few yellow in my tank in the shaded parts of my rocks. They reproduce quickly...so if you dont like them rid them. But they dont hurt. Theres a few diff types of (small) starfish. Make sure its not an asternia. They eat corals.

WHITE COTTON LOOKING MATERIAL

10 posts