Aiptasia or Feather Duster?

hfa3501 · 10/04/2017, 04:38 PM

I bought this LR a couple weeks ago with zoas on it....in the past couple days I have noticed these little things popping up all over it and I can't tell if they are aiptasia and I should be concerned...or if they are small feather dusters and it's no big deal.

They are so small it's hard for me to tell....I blew the pictures up as much as I could with my phone. They are probably less than 2cm each.

I am thinking they are feather dusters but not sure. Any help identifying them would be GREAT!

mcgyvr · 10/04/2017, 04:41 PM

yep just harmless tube worms (Featherdusters)..
not aiptasia at all..

hfa3501 · 10/04/2017, 04:56 PM

Glad to hear! Whew - LOL
Feather dusters are kinda cool...aiptasia not so much!

Knifeguy · 10/04/2017, 05:06 PM

Yea not so much. I let the Aiptasia get out of control and I can’t beat it now. I nail the big ones but 3 or 4 days later dozens of little ones pop up all over. I’m gettin ready to order the Bergia Nudibranch. There’s just no way to beat em.

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mcgyvr · 10/04/2017, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Knifeguy

Yea not so much. I let the Aiptasia get out of control and I can’t beat it now. I nail the big ones but 3 or 4 days later dozens of little ones pop up all over. I’m gettin ready to order the Bergia Nudibranch. There’s just no way to beat em.

peppermint shrimp or matted filefish work well too..

not to mention ensuring you have good water quality.. aiptasia seem to get out of hand when water quality isn't what it should/could be too..

Knifeguy · 10/04/2017, 05:18 PM

Yea, I have tried peppermint shrimp, didn’t know how savage the cleaner shrimp and fire shrimp were towards them. Killed them in a few days. I have 3 large feather dusters so no cb butterfly, and I have some coral so the filefish can’t be trusted as well as some small fish. Very peaceful 40 gal breeder. Thought of throwing the big shrimp in the sump for now and getting a bunch of peppermints but they aren’t guaranteed to work anyway. I have slight phosphates, that’s what’s stopping me of getting the Nudibranch. Not sure if they can handle it. Got a reactor going now hoping to wipe the phosphates out. It’s only the first measurement on the scale. Everything else is good.

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mcgyvr · 10/04/2017, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Knifeguy

and I have some coral so the filefish can’t be trusted as well as some small fish.

I had no problems with the matted filefish bothering any of my corals..

hfa3501 · 10/04/2017, 07:44 PM

good luck killing the aiptasia......I have been lucky enough that when I have had them, it's only a couple - enough to spot kill. A big infestation scares the daylights out of me.

10/04/2017, 04:41 PM	#2
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	yep just harmless tube worms (Featherdusters).. not aiptasia at all.. __________________ Who me?

10/04/2017, 04:56 PM	#3
hfa3501 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Strongsville, Ohio Posts: 99	Glad to hear! Whew - LOL Feather dusters are kinda cool...aiptasia not so much!

10/04/2017, 05:06 PM	#4
Knifeguy Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2016 Posts: 6	Yea not so much. I let the Aiptasia get out of control and I can’t beat it now. I nail the big ones but 3 or 4 days later dozens of little ones pop up all over. I’m gettin ready to order the Bergia Nudibranch. There’s just no way to beat em. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

10/04/2017, 05:18 PM	#6
Knifeguy Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2016 Posts: 6	Yea, I have tried peppermint shrimp, didn’t know how savage the cleaner shrimp and fire shrimp were towards them. Killed them in a few days. I have 3 large feather dusters so no cb butterfly, and I have some coral so the filefish can’t be trusted as well as some small fish. Very peaceful 40 gal breeder. Thought of throwing the big shrimp in the sump for now and getting a bunch of peppermints but they aren’t guaranteed to work anyway. I have slight phosphates, that’s what’s stopping me of getting the Nudibranch. Not sure if they can handle it. Got a reactor going now hoping to wipe the phosphates out. It’s only the first measurement on the scale. Everything else is good. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

10/04/2017, 07:44 PM	#8
hfa3501 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Strongsville, Ohio Posts: 99	good luck killing the aiptasia......I have been lucky enough that when I have had them, it's only a couple - enough to spot kill. A big infestation scares the daylights out of me.