Identifying species growing around Zoa

[nicksw]

Hello, I’m trying to identify something growing on and around my Zoa. Believe it’s aiptasia in the lower right of the pic, but haven’t been able to identify what’s growing on the Zoa and showing up in a couple other places. Thanks!

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hello, I’m trying to identify something growing on and around my Zoa. Believe it’s aiptasia in the lower right of the pic, but haven’t been able to identify what’s growing on the Zoa and showing up in a couple other places. Thanks!

Looks like hydroids
As zoas don’t have to be direct fed, apply water flow towards the hydroids- not at them and they will soon starve

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Hello, I’m trying to identify something growing on and around my Zoa. Believe it’s aiptasia in the lower right of the pic, but haven’t been able to identify what’s growing on the Zoa and showing up in a couple other places. Thanks!

Those are probably feather duster worms, though I'm not sure which species. Here are a few that have similar branched tentacles though:

These Worms Are Like Feather Dusters With Eyes

Fan worms have everything from simple light detectors to complex compound eyes—but why?

www.nationalgeographic.com

Sabellastarte sp. 03 feather duster worm

Sabellastarte sp. 03is commonly referred to as feather duster worm. Difficulty in the aquarium: Very easy. A aquarium size of at least 50 Liter is recommended.

www.reeflex.net

Notaulax nudicollis Brown fanworm

Notaulax nudicollisis commonly referred to as Brown fanworm. Difficulty in the aquarium: There are no reports available yet that this animal has already been kept in captivity successfully. Toxicity: Toxic hazard unknown.

www.reeflex.net

Paraprotis dendrova Tube Worm

Paraprotis dendrovais commonly referred to as Tube Worm. Difficulty in the aquarium: Not suitable for aquarium keeping. Toxicity: Toxic hazard unknown.

www.reeflex.net

Branchiomma bombyx Bristleworm

Branchiomma bombyxis commonly referred to as Bristleworm. Difficulty in the aquarium: Not for beginners. A aquarium size of at least 50 Liter is recommended. Toxicity: Toxic hazard unknown.

www.reeflex.net

 

[anthonygf]

That is an aiptasia lower right of zoa.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Not duster worms. Thinking Obelia Geniculata hydroids as pictured below or even Bryozoans

 

[michael_cb_125]

If you zoom in on the photo, they appear to be feather dusters/tube worms.
Based just off the photo, I am 99% certain in the tube worm ID.

Do they retract very quickly when touched?

~Michael

 

[michael_cb_125]

The partially closed one at the lower left of the photo also confirms this for me...

~Michael

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Not duster worms. Thinking Obelia Geniculata hydroids as pictured below or even Bryozoans

Obelia geniculata are branching colonial hydroids, and while they may sometimes look similar to that picture (albeit with the polyps coming off the central stem unevenly spaced rather than directly across from each other - Plumaria spp. hydroids are a bit closer since the polyps are evenly spaced on the stem), I'm pretty sure the specimen in that image is actually a crinoid (feather starfish) or (if it has a tube out of sight in the image) a feather duster, as the feathering coming off of the main stems of the tentacles seem totally smooth and not bumpy like you'd find with the polyps jutting off the tentacles of a hydroid.

Obelia geniculata Knotted Thread Hydroid

Obelia geniculatais commonly referred to as Knotted Thread Hydroid. Difficulty in the aquarium: Not suitable for home aquaria!. Toxicity: Toxic hazard unknown.

www.reeflex.net

 

[nicksw]

If you zoom in on the photo, they appear to be feather dusters/tube worms.
Based just off the photo, I am 99% certain in the tube worm ID.

Do they retract very quickly when touched?

~Michael

Thanks. Yeah, they retract very quickly when there is any activity around them.

 

[michael_cb_125]

I would say tube worms. Nothing to worry about.