Pest ID

[tdbeelde]

Can someone id these? They look like small anemones with feather like tentacles. But it's hard to get a clear photo of it.

 

[bradleym]

Any chance you could get pictures with white light? Maybe use a flashlight, or a different setting on the tank light?

 

[mww00ds]

Looks like they might be a type of Clove Polyps or maybe Xenia coral. Picture under white lights would help

 

[shakacuz]

sympodiym coral likely. if so, they are very invasive and will overwhelm neighboring corals. i’d say remove. and quickly

 

[tdbeelde]

 

[tdbeelde]

 

[tdbeelde]

 

[shakacuz]

i still believe it’s a sympodium coral

 

[Reefkeepers Archive]

I second that /\


I'd say xenia or some really weird Kenya tree, unless you want just that and nothing else in your tank I'd check out some threads to remove it. @encrustingacro @ISpeakForTheSeas any removal advice?

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Xenia would have a stalk the polyps would branch out from, but this is definitely something like Clove Polyps, Sympodium, Sarcothelia, or Anthelia (I don't know how to tell them apart at this point, unfortunately).

Sympodium is known to be fine (i.e. not invasive) as it's relatively slow growing and easy to contain. Some of the others are fine, but certain kinds of Clove Polyps, Sarcothelia, and Anthelia are know to extremely invasive:

Was going to say, it looks like Blue Clove Polyps to me (though I can't see if the polyps have the little branches shooting off in the pictures) - they're noted for being incredibly invasive. Like, there are multiple articles warning people against them and some people consider tearing down the tank to get rid of them, invasive.

The only solutions I've heard for blue clove polyps aren't reef safe (they might kill off other things in the tank), but the most common treatment I've heard is Fenbendazole. Someone else used Lugol's Iodine, but they also lost some corals from that. Some people say kalk paste or super glue may work, but I haven't seen many people reporting success with it. The links below may help:

Invasive purple clove polyps

Does anyone know how to kill off invasive clove polyps? They’re starting to spread and envelop my acans and I don’t want them swallowing my garden.

www.reef2reef.com

Eliminating Blue Clove Polyps with Fenbendazole

A few years ago, I purchased a rock that had some beautiful Space Monster zoas on it. It also had some Blue Clove Polyp on it as well. I saw the BCP, I knew it was there, I really didn't worry about it at all because I had no idea what it could become. Fast forward....its now everywhere. Its...

www.reef2reef.com

I can't find the post, but I recently read someone saying they had a particularly invasive brown strain of clove polyps that survived the fenbendazole treatment too.

Anyway, my advice would be to remove the rock and remove as many of the polyps as you can, rinse it, then put it back in the tank and observe it. If the polyps start coming back, try a more aggressive treatment.

 

[Reefkeepers Archive]

Xenia would have a stalk the polyps would branch out from, but this is definitely something like Clove Polyps, Sympodium, Sarcothelia, or Anthelia (I don't know how to tell them apart at this point, unfortunately).

Sympodium is known to be fine (i.e. not invasive) as it's relatively slow growing and easy to contain. Some of the others are fine, but certain kinds of Clove Polyps, Sarcothelia, and Anthelia are know to extremely invasive:


I can't find the post, but I recently read someone saying they had a particularly invasive brown strain of clove polyps that survived the fenbendazole treatment too.

Anyway, my advice would be to remove the rock and remove as many of the polyps as you can, rinse it, then put it back in the tank and observe it. If the polyps start coming back, try a more aggressive treatment.

Still looks like xenia to me, the video works on my device, heres a closeup screenshot

 

[bradleym]

Another possibility, one that's been on my "must own" list for a awhile:

Thalassianthus - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Still looks like xenia to me, the video works on my device, heres a closeup screenshot

Seeing the base there, it could be Xenia (which, while still known for spreading fast, spreads manageably/isn't nearly as invasive as clove polyps could be).

 

[tdbeelde]

Thanks for the feedback.
I looked at the different species and it is the Thalassianthus. Is there a natural enemy for these?

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Thanks for the feedback.
I looked at the different species and it is the Thalassianthus. Is there a natural enemy for these?

None that I know of at the moment.

 

[bradleym]

Thanks for the feedback.
I looked at the different species and it is the Thalassianthus. Is there a natural enemy for these?

Your best bet in this case would be to treat it like aiptasia or majanos. Kalkwasser paste in the center of each one will kill it, for example. Now I just need to find someone in the USA with your problem.