10 legs and swims ID?

[betareef]

This small creature was hiding in some red macro algae. Seems to have about 10 legs, and at first I thought it was an anemone, but while I was watching, it took a swim, flapping along in a similar way that I have seen a feather star swim. It is small, less than 5mm across

 

[BubblesandSqueak]

@ISpeakForTheSeas
that's weird

 

[betareef]

@ISpeakForTheSeas
that's weird

Maybe a juvenile, larval form of something?

 

[kchristensen8064]

You might be right on the anemone, I have seen aiptasia go for a swim before. This looks like an aiptasia to me.

 

[BubblesandSqueak]

Maybe a juvenile, larval form of something?

@ISpeakForTheSeas would know.

 

[twentyleagues]

I have seen aiptasia "swim" before.

 

[GSPClown94]

I forget the name but there are some species of anemones that swim, looks like you have one of those.

 

[betareef]

I forget the name but there are some species of anemones that swim, looks like you have one of those.

I have googled swimming anemones, but the way they swim (bouncing along the bottom) is entirely different to this. This one flapped, a bit like a jellyfish, and very like a feather star, completely free in the top 2/3 of the water in my little pico tank. He swam over and grabbed onto the cleaner magnet until I jostled it, and he swam back to the macro algae.

 

[twentyleagues]

 

[Crabs McJones]

You might be right on the anemone, I have seen aiptasia go for a swim before. This looks like an aiptasia to me.

Agree

 

[betareef]

Yes, although hard to see it the video, that anemone flaps, bumping it's base along the bottom until it finds a better spot, then reattaches the base. Admittedly the aiptasia flaps more than this one.

My creature swam mid water.

 

[twentyleagues]

Yes, although hard to see it the video, that anemone flaps, bumping it's base along the bottom until it finds a better spot, then reattaches the base. Admittedly the aiptasia flaps more than this one.

My creature swam mid water.

I have seen them swim across a 4' tank near the top. Aiptasia swim like jelly fish. I am 95% sure that is what you have there.

 

[betareef]

I have seen them swim across a 4' tank near the top. Aiptasia swim like jelly fish. I am 95% sure that is what you have there.

Fair enough then. Looks like I will hunt it down and remove it

 

[betareef]

Can't find it. Maybe the hermits ate it.

 

[BubblesandSqueak]

Can't find it. Maybe the hermits ate it.

or if your profile pic of a filefish is in your tank.....yum!

 

[betareef]

or if your profile pic of a filefish is in your tank.....yum!

Nah, different tank, different time

 

[twentyleagues]

Can't find it. Maybe the hermits ate it.

Maybe it learned to walk! Check under your pillow!

 

[littlefoxx]

My honest to god first thought was an octopus in the first picture! But thats nuts that nems swim like that

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

@ISpeakForTheSeas would know.

I have googled swimming anemones, but the way they swim (bouncing along the bottom) is entirely different to this. This one flapped, a bit like a jellyfish, and very like a feather star, completely free in the top 2/3 of the water in my little pico tank. He swam over and grabbed onto the cleaner magnet until I jostled it, and he swam back to the macro algae.

There are multiple species of swimming anemones - I suspect yours, OP, is Boloceroides mcmurrichi, which swims like in the below video:

When they're small, they only have a few tentacles like yours - they grow many more as they grow.