Help identifying

[Tristanyurieef]

I recently got some zoas from my LFS. I dipped them and did my due diligence, but today I noticed some tendrils waving from underneath the frag plug. When I poked them with my pipette, they retracted, causing me to pull up the plug and find this.

What is this? Is it a problem? I know the lighting makes it hard to see, but maybe someone can identify it.

 

[Saltyreef]

Aiptasia

 

[Tristanyurieef]

Aiptasia

Omggg well thanks haha

 

[EnterName]

I second Aiptasia/Exaiptasia, which would be bad news. Those guys are a real pest and spread aggressively. Don't scrape it off as tiny fragments of pedal tissue are enough to regrow into new anemones. If you can take out the plug, take it out.

It's really hard to keep those guys out forever, but the longer you keep them out of your tank, the better. I would recommend dissolving it with kalk paste or specifically designed products like Elimi-Aiptas, Aip-Away, or AiptasiaX and making sure it is fully dissolved before returning the plug into the tank. Others will be even more careful and would discard of the whole plug which is the much safer option, but can lose you the coral if you can't get it off the plug.

If there are Zoanthids on the plug, remember to use gloves and eye protection before messing with it. These guys can suddenly retract and spit water in your eyes or simply release Palytoxin (depending on species, and symbiont activity) when you physically hurt them accidentally.