Duncan Hitchhiker ID

[eigenbot]

I noticed a little 6 pointed star critter on this stone my duncan frag came on - near the bottom center of the rock in the photo below. Any suggestions for what it could be and if I should be trying to scrape it off or otherwise remove it?

In the picture I also notice a few things I hadn't seen by eye - a few tiny snail shell and tube looking bits seen in the photo. should I be trying to scrape those off or remove them with dips before I put it in my DT as well?

I plan to break off the frag plug and glue it to a new one, but think I need to keep the rock bit the coral seems to be encrusted on, right?

 

[vetteguy53081]

I noticed a little 6 pointed star critter on this stone my duncan frag came on - near the bottom center of the rock in the photo below. Any suggestions for what it could be and if I should be trying to scrape it off or otherwise remove it?

In the picture I also notice a few things I hadn't seen by eye - a few tiny snail shell and tube looking bits seen in the photo. should I be trying to scrape those off or remove them with dips before I put it in my DT as well?

I plan to break off the frag plug and glue it to a new one, but think I need to keep the rock bit the coral seems to be encrusted on, right?

These are tube worms which emit a fan to capture food and often referred to as feather duster

 

[threebuoys]

I'm not sure about the thing that looks like a starfish, but the two tubes to its left look more like vermetid snails to me. I would definitely scrape those off. I f they are vermetid, you will likely have an infestation develop.

 

[eigenbot]

These are tube worms which emit a fan to capture food and often referred to as feather duster

I like feather dusters, I just didn't realize they came with so few feathers! I'll try to hold on to it. They're pretty harmless, right?

 

[eigenbot]

I'm not sure about the thing that looks like a starfish, but the two tubes to its left look more like vermetid snails to me. I would definitely scrape those off. I f they are vermetid, you will likely have an infestation develop.

Yikes. I've been holding it in a bare bottom QT tank with a few other coral frags - I'll try to scrape those off ASAP and look more carefully for anything similar on the others. Any suggestions for finding others or keeping an infestation from the frags with it?

 

[vetteguy53081]

I like feather dusters, I just didn't realize they came with so few feathers! I'll try to hold on to it. They're pretty harmless, right?

Harmless but can multiply in numbers

 

[threebuoys]

If vermetid, scrape them off and dip the base of the plug (not the coral itself) in hydrogen peroxide or cover with superglue. My tank is infested. I have some chalices and montipora that have grown over the top of the vermetid only to have the vermetid to continue growing and creating pointed peaks in the coral. Not particularly attractive.