What is hosting my live rock?

[djfishyy]

I got new live rock at my local shop. I saw what looked like a dead coral on it and grabbed it. Now that it is home, these tubes are indeed hosting something. Not all of them, but definitely some.

I have been told they are from dead vermitid snails, that it is all aiptasia, and that it is from dead clove polyps. Now ai have no idea what to think.

There is definitely something feathery inside the tubes that retracts down into them when disturbed. I've only seen aiptasia free standing with no tube. Can aiptasia host leftover tubes? Are these aiptasia or some sort or tube worm? Thanks

 

[rfurst]

They sure look like Aiptasia to me and no reason why they wouldn't be in the tubes.

 

[Crabs McJones]

colonial hydroids

 

[Euphyllia97]

I would think of aiptasia at first, but could be hydroids aswell. Any pictures from different angles?

 

[Exotrezy]

I got new live rock at my local shop. I saw what looked like a dead coral on it and grabbed it. Now that it is home, these tubes are indeed hosting something. Not all of them, but definitely some.

I have been told they are from dead vermitid snails, that it is all aiptasia, and that it is from dead clove polyps. Now ai have no idea what to think.

There is definitely something feathery inside the tubes that retracts down into them when disturbed. I've only seen aiptasia free standing with no tube. Can aiptasia host leftover tubes? Are these aiptasia or some sort or tube worm? Thanks

Hey I was the guy from the discord server, I found the thread on my homepage lol. As @Crabs McJones said, it could be colonial hydroids but I feel like they look a lot more like aiptasia, especially the way the open, they have a proper mouth.

 

[Exotrezy]

I would think of aiptasia at first, but could be hydroids aswell. Any pictures from different angles?

Same as I was thinking. As for the tubes it could be vermetid snails but they look kinda like clove polyps, not 100% sure.

 

[Exotrezy]

Compare this picture of colonial hydroids to the things in the other picture. The other ones look different.

 

[Crabs McJones]

Colonial hydroids, aiptasia don't have tubes

 

[Euphyllia97]

Compare this picture of colonial hydroids to the things in the other picture. The other ones look different.

Yeah it is hard to tell whether the tubes are from clove polyps or vermetids. But the polyps to me really look like aiptasia. As to answer the question if they can grow on or in those tubes. My answer would be yes, they can grow everywhere

 

[Exotrezy]

Colonial hydroids, aiptasia don't have tubes

Yes but they never said they HAD tubes, they just said they had something similar that looked like it was hiding in tubes. Aiptasia sometimes has a tube-like base.

 

[Exotrezy]

Yeah it is hard to tell whether the tubes are from clove polyps or vermetids. But the polyps to me really look like aiptasia. As to answer the question if they can grow on or in those tubes. My answer would be yes, they can grow everywhere

For real LOL.

 

[Exotrezy]

Colonial hydroids, aiptasia don't have tubes

But you might be right as this picture looks similar to OPs.

 

[X-37B]

Colonial hydroids, aiptasia don't have tubes

I have them in my nano. These type don't bother anything at least in my system. And this rock was from a tank breakdown from the lfs.
Mine are greenish.
Zoom in for a better view.

 

[Euphyllia97]

After zooming in a bit on the picture I’m also tempted to go for colonial hydroids. Really looks like the polyps are part of the tubes and the fact op mentioned they retrqct when disturbed leads me to believe they are hydroids. Aiptasia does the same but takes some effort to “disturb” them enough

 

[tbrown]

Yeah, very likely colonial hydroids. The tubes are leftover from vermetids, not the hydroids.

 

[Reefer Matt]

colonial hydroids

I concur Dr. I had lots of these in my 36 gallon that I shutdown. And those are their own tubes. They will likely start showing up in other places of the tank if not quickly taken care of, if desired.

 

[Red_Beard]

Agreed. Colonial hydroids dwelling amongst old vermetid snail tubes as well.

 

[Exotrezy]

After zooming in a bit on the picture I’m also tempted to go for colonial hydroids. Really looks like the polyps are part of the tubes and the fact op mentioned they retrqct when disturbed leads me to believe they are hydroids. Aiptasia does the same but takes some effort to “disturb” them enough

True, but from my experience, even if i lightly tap the aiptasia with the syringe, it likes to just close up. And I know for a fact it is aiptasia btw.

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

Those look like vermetid tubes. I'm also gonna say hydroids. Aiptasia wouldn't live in tubes like that.

 

[Red_Beard]

Most living things with any degree of autonomy will close if agitated. Clams, snails, zoa polyps, my eye, polyps from pretty well any other coral, normal nems, aiptasia nems, hydroids... etc.