Aiptasia or Hydroid polyps?

Snooker00 · 02/13/2006, 10:05 PM

Surely someone here can identify these things. They don't look like aiptasia but I can't find a pic of them anywhere. Please, can somebody tell me what they are?
1st pic is while it was all by its self,
2nd pic is a month later.
O.K. I am begging now!

Thanks in advance.
Steve

1st

2nd

seamommie · 02/13/2006, 10:42 PM

I've got the same thing in my tank. I was told they are hydroids. How do you get rid of them? They spread like crazy.

Snooker00 · 02/14/2006, 05:26 PM

I don't know how to get rid of them, but your right they do spread like crazy. Anybody else have a clue on what they are or what to do about them?

Thanks,
Steve

Snooker00 · 02/14/2006, 07:19 PM

Nobody has any ideas????

AllenFord_SC · 02/14/2006, 07:45 PM

Not sure it is a hydroid.

Here is a pic of a hydroid:

Appears to me to be some sort of tube worm.

Also, this is more than likely wrong, but it looks similar to Scypha ciliata.
But I am just throwing things out there.

AllenFord_SC · 02/14/2006, 07:46 PM

Oops here is the picture.

http://scilib.ucsd.edu/sio/nsf/fguide/cnidaria24.html

One Eyed Bunny · 02/14/2006, 08:27 PM

I'm pretty sure they're not aipstasia. Aipstasia, at least from my knowledge, have visible tentacles and 8 of them.

GMGQ · 02/14/2006, 08:49 PM

Yes I have those fuzzy things on some of my LR too. They're dark green, and are sort of fluorescent at night.

seamommie · 02/14/2006, 09:34 PM

AllenFord-SC - Thanks for the help. Based on your info it doesn't appear to be a hydroid.

What is a Scypha ciliata and do you have a pic? TIA.

AllenFord_SC · 02/14/2006, 10:19 PM

Like I said though, I'm sure I'm wrong but I tried. You may want to do an image search on googl for tube worms.

Snooker00 · 02/14/2006, 10:21 PM

Thanks Allenford,
According to the google search that I did says that the Scypha ciliate is a sponge,

and it definately isn't the hydroid pic. It has tentacles that sway in the current and if it was a worm wouldn't it retract into the rock when touched?

I don't have a clue but it is definately driving me crazy!!
Thanks for everybodys help so far. Now I am on a mission!
Maybe LesileH might know if it is a worm?

Thanks again,
Steve

AllenFord_SC · 02/14/2006, 10:49 PM

Ok one last shot, and I think I'm right this time. Smaller variation of a feather duster.

Branchiomma cf. curtum

This tiny species was first described in aquarium literature by Fossa and Nilsen (2000). It is a common inhabitant of reef aquariums that is introduced with live rock, live corals, algae, or other substrates. It reproduces prolifically in sumps, refugia, and all over live rock and among algae. Aquarists who first see this species often mistake it for small Sabellastarte, because it has a similarly patterned crown. Reports of mass reproduction of Sabellastarte in aquariums are generally due to misidentification of Branchiomma.

This all was taken from this article.
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issu...002/invert.htm

And I then googled Sabellastarte and got this article.
http://species.fishindex.com/species...er_duster.html

So I think thats what you have, Branchiomma curtum

Snooker00 · 02/15/2006, 09:59 PM

AllenFord_SC, Thanks for all the time you have put into helping me I.D. these things. I looked and read the links you posted and checked out the pics.... but I don't think they are worms. I am going to have to get a macro lens for my camera because the pics I posted really don't give the look of real life. I have been searching on google for a while under different life forms and honestly this is the closest I have been able to find that resembles the critters, So far, still looking!
White creeping anemone (Parazoanthus anguicomus) on rock.

We'll find this thing, because I need to know for sure. Good or Bad
The other thing about them is they don't seem to get any bigger they just multiply.
Thanks again,
Steve

mejiggery · 02/16/2006, 04:33 AM

first off let me start by saying i'm no expert lol. but i have what i've always called hydroids that look very similar but they have a hard base to them, yours seem to have an actual soft foot so i'd go with some type of anemone. Either way a good dose of joes juice will get rid of them.

02/13/2006, 10:05 PM	#1
Snooker00 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Bradenton,Fl Posts: 59	Aiptasia or Hydroid polyps? Surely someone here can identify these things. They don't look like aiptasia but I can't find a pic of them anywhere. Please, can somebody tell me what they are? 1st pic is while it was all by its self, 2nd pic is a month later. O.K. I am begging now! Thanks in advance. Steve 1st 2nd

02/14/2006, 07:45 PM	#5
AllenFord_SC Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Ridgeland, SC Posts: 703	Not sure it is a hydroid. Here is a pic of a hydroid: Appears to me to be some sort of tube worm. Also, this is more than likely wrong, but it looks similar to Scypha ciliata. But I am just throwing things out there. __________________ We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl..... Roger Waters, Pink Floyd Current Tank Info: 150 Gallon Mixed, 55 Gallon sump, 35 gallon fuge

02/14/2006, 07:46 PM	#6
AllenFord_SC Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Ridgeland, SC Posts: 703	Oops here is the picture. http://scilib.ucsd.edu/sio/nsf/fguide/cnidaria24.html __________________ We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl..... Roger Waters, Pink Floyd Current Tank Info: 150 Gallon Mixed, 55 Gallon sump, 35 gallon fuge

02/14/2006, 10:19 PM	#10
AllenFord_SC Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Ridgeland, SC Posts: 703	Like I said though, I'm sure I'm wrong but I tried. You may want to do an image search on googl for tube worms. __________________ We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl..... Roger Waters, Pink Floyd Current Tank Info: 150 Gallon Mixed, 55 Gallon sump, 35 gallon fuge

02/14/2006, 10:49 PM	#12
AllenFord_SC Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Ridgeland, SC Posts: 703	Ok one last shot, and I think I'm right this time. Smaller variation of a feather duster. Branchiomma cf. curtum This tiny species was first described in aquarium literature by Fossa and Nilsen (2000). It is a common inhabitant of reef aquariums that is introduced with live rock, live corals, algae, or other substrates. It reproduces prolifically in sumps, refugia, and all over live rock and among algae. Aquarists who first see this species often mistake it for small Sabellastarte, because it has a similarly patterned crown. Reports of mass reproduction of Sabellastarte in aquariums are generally due to misidentification of Branchiomma. This all was taken from this article. http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issu...002/invert.htm And I then googled Sabellastarte and got this article. http://species.fishindex.com/species...er_duster.html So I think thats what you have, Branchiomma curtum __________________ We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl..... Roger Waters, Pink Floyd Current Tank Info: 150 Gallon Mixed, 55 Gallon sump, 35 gallon fuge

02/13/2006, 10:42 PM	#2
seamommie Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Broken Arrow, OK Posts: 69	I've got the same thing in my tank. I was told they are hydroids. How do you get rid of them? They spread like crazy.

02/14/2006, 05:26 PM	#3
Snooker00 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Bradenton,Fl Posts: 59	I don't know how to get rid of them, but your right they do spread like crazy. Anybody else have a clue on what they are or what to do about them? Thanks, Steve

02/14/2006, 07:19 PM	#4
Snooker00 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Bradenton,Fl Posts: 59	Nobody has any ideas????

02/14/2006, 08:27 PM	#7
One Eyed Bunny Awaiting Email Confirmation Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Poughquag, New York Posts: 143	I'm pretty sure they're not aipstasia. Aipstasia, at least from my knowledge, have visible tentacles and 8 of them.

02/14/2006, 08:49 PM	#8
GMGQ Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Vancouver, BC Posts: 491	Yes I have those fuzzy things on some of my LR too. They're dark green, and are sort of fluorescent at night.

02/14/2006, 09:34 PM	#9
seamommie Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Broken Arrow, OK Posts: 69	AllenFord-SC - Thanks for the help. Based on your info it doesn't appear to be a hydroid. What is a Scypha ciliata and do you have a pic? TIA.

02/14/2006, 10:21 PM	#11
Snooker00 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Bradenton,Fl Posts: 59	Thanks Allenford, According to the google search that I did says that the Scypha ciliate is a sponge, and it definately isn't the hydroid pic. It has tentacles that sway in the current and if it was a worm wouldn't it retract into the rock when touched? I don't have a clue but it is definately driving me crazy!! Thanks for everybodys help so far. Now I am on a mission! Maybe LesileH might know if it is a worm? Thanks again, Steve

02/15/2006, 09:59 PM	#13
Snooker00 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Bradenton,Fl Posts: 59	AllenFord_SC, Thanks for all the time you have put into helping me I.D. these things. I looked and read the links you posted and checked out the pics.... but I don't think they are worms. I am going to have to get a macro lens for my camera because the pics I posted really don't give the look of real life. I have been searching on google for a while under different life forms and honestly this is the closest I have been able to find that resembles the critters, So far, still looking! White creeping anemone (Parazoanthus anguicomus) on rock. We'll find this thing, because I need to know for sure. Good or Bad The other thing about them is they don't seem to get any bigger they just multiply. Thanks again, Steve

02/16/2006, 04:33 AM	#14
mejiggery Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: south-west uk Posts: 469	first off let me start by saying i'm no expert lol. but i have what i've always called hydroids that look very similar but they have a hard base to them, yours seem to have an actual soft foot so i'd go with some type of anemone. Either way a good dose of joes juice will get rid of them.