Aiptasia or feather duster?

[Thumbster]

I know it’s not the best picture, but I couldn’t zoom in anymore. Just wondering if this is Aiptasia or something else.

Tank is 4 months old and they just popped up on my rock. Looks to be about 1/4” wide. The rock had been in a box in my basement for 10 years until I started this tank.

 

[CasperOe]

That is extremely hard to tell from that picture- but of the two, to me it looks like a feather duster more than an apitasia. Could go either way though ...

I don't recall any of the aiptasia i have seen to have those white spots.

Experts - Am I wrong?

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Looks like a clove polyp or other octocoral of some sort to me. Does it retract when disturbed?

 

[MelancholyBlenny]

Not an expert but definitely too hard to tell from that pic. To me its not feathery enough in that photo to be a duster.

 

[Thumbster]

Looks like a clove polyp or other octocoral of some sort to me. Does it retract when disturbed?

Yes, they retracted very quickly when I opened the lid of my canopy.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Yes, they retracted very quickly when I opened the lid of my canopy.

Can you see any sort of tube?

 

[Thumbster]

Can you see any sort of tube?

I don’t see a tube. I’m guessing it retracted into a hole in the rock but it is small so I can’t say with certainty.

I turned the whites up to 100% and took another pic but I’m not sure it’s any better.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Really hard to tell but I don't look like aiptasia to me. If you'd rather not worry about them though, you can use some of the same methods to kill these... kalk paste/aiptasia-x, etc. Or super glue over the area.

 

[steveschuerger]

Leaning forward not being aiptasia but small feather worms. If so, harmless

 

[Thumbster]

Well I guess I’ll let them grow out and report back in a while. What’s the worst that could happen? Lol

 

[Thumbster]

Well I’ve noticed a few more of these popping up here and there. They don’t appear to be getting bigger from what I can tell.
Anyway, here’s the best pic I can get with the best camera and the best lens that I own

 

[EricR]

Like others, I'd guess some type of fan worms / tube worms (as opposed to any type of anemone like aiptasia).