Is this some form of aiptasia growing on my emerald crab?

[EditOne]

I caught a glimpse of my emerald crab today and was surprised to see this white, cotton like growth all over his shell. It's not anywhere else in my tank, just on the one crab. Can anyone please help me figure out what it is?
-Thank you

 

[flsalty]

Wow. That looks like hydroids. Can't say I've ever seen that before.

 

[WV Reefer]

I caught a glimpse of my emerald crab today and was surprised to see this white, cotton like growth all over his shell. It's not anywhere else in my tank, just on the one crab. Can anyone please help me figure out what it is?
-Thank you

that’s crazy! Looks like hydroids.

 

[EditOne]

Wow. That looks like hydroids. Can't say I've ever seen that before.

Yeah, it's definitely a new one on me as well! I'm gonna fish him out and put him in my frag tank for the time being until I can better identify what it is.

that’s crazy! Looks like hydroids.

 

[35ppt]

+1 on hydroids. I've seen them grow on emeralds before. By the looks of the rock it's a new tank. They should subside on their own unless you're over-feeding but if they're an issue you can always scrub them off with a toothbrush. Do you have any on rocks or in your overflow or anything?

 

[bsr2430]

Did anyone else google this?
I’ve never seen a hydroid before.
This is crazy looking!

 

[EditOne]

+1 on hydroids. I've seen them grow on emeralds before. By the looks of the rock it's a new tank. They should subside on their own unless you're over-feeding but if they're an issue you can always scrub them off with a toothbrush. Do you have any on rocks or in your overflow or anything?

The tank is fairly new. About 10 months old, the rock is covered in coraline, I just shifted the rock recently and that was the side that was buried in sand. The tank is also about 6 weeks into a fallow period at the moment so overfeeding is definitely not the culprit. I have absolutely zero anywhere else in the tank. After spotting that little dude I threw my OCD into overdrive and thoroughly checked my entire system.

 

[El_Guapo13]

What? ...but how??? Hydroids... on a living creature??

 

[flsalty]

Yeah, it's definitely a new one on me as well! I'm gonna fish him out and put him in my frag tank for the time being until I can better identify what it is.

I would isolate him and wait for the molt. Then just toss it and them. Careful with letting him run loose. He could spread them everywhere.

 

[flsalty]

What? ...but how??? Hydroids... on a living creature??

Technically, the exoskeleton of a crab is not living.

 

[EditOne]

I would isolate him and wait for the molt. Then just toss it and them. Careful with letting him run loose. He could spread them everywhere.

Thank you for your advice. I've moved him to the bottom of my coral quarantine tank, as it is empty at the moment. We'll see what becomes of that little dude.