Anyone ever had these?

[ekopapers]

So these worm like things just started popping up in my tank. They shrink up during the day but come out at night and extend a good inch and a half into a straight line, when I turn the lights on they start to shrink back and move in jerky motions. I can't imagine they are good, but I can't figure out what they are and how to get rid of them, but all of a sudden there are a bunch of them

 

[Lasse]

Fascinating - but why do you think they are not good? Looks like a filtrating animal.

Sincerely Lasse

 

[TriggerFinger]

I’ve never seen anything like that before...following to find out what it is

 

[ekopapers]

Fascinating - but why do you think they are not good? Looks like a filtrating animal.

Sincerely Lasse

They are multiplying pretty fast which makes me worry that they are going to take over. Really I just don't like having things that I don't know what they are

 

[minus9]

Seems similar to a digitate hydroid maybe?

 

[ekopapers]

Seems similar to a digitate hydroid maybe?

thank you! not macro shots of it look exactly like a digitate hydroid, I had never heard of them before. Now to try to get rid of them

 

[TriggerFinger]

Master identifier @KJ! any ideas on this one?

 

[Mike N]

I had a long battle with digitate hydroids a year or two ago in a pico tank. They look nothing like OP's video (no matter what time of day/night they were observed). I guess its possible the ones I had were babies, but the one in the video seems very thick.
I would hesitate to call this solved.

 

[Lasse]

I would hesitate to call this solved.

I agree

Sincerely Lasse

 

[ekopapers]

I had a long battle with digitate hydroids a year or two ago in a pico tank. They look nothing like OP's video (no matter what time of day/night they were observed). I guess its possible the ones I had were babies, but the one in the video seems very thick.
I would hesitate to call this solved.

I agree

Sincerely Lasse

This is a video of it during the day when it hasn't been surprised when the lights pop on and not taken with my macro lens. Does this look like what you had? Thanks I appreciate the help and advice

 

[Mike N]

This is a video of it during the day when it hasn't been surprised when the lights pop on and not taken with my macro lens. Does this look like what you had? Thanks I appreciate the help and advice

Ok, I stand corrected. That is absolutely a digitate hydroid.
Apparently, the ones I had were very small in comparison. That is a stout digitate hydroid in your OP.

 

[ekopapers]

Ok, I stand corrected. That is absolutely a digitate hydroid.
Apparently, the ones I had were very small in comparison. That is a stout digitate hydroid in your OP.

The one in my original post does get really long and skinny but he mostly likes it dark it seems, others in the tank do come out at day. What did you end up doing to get rid of them?

 

[andrewey]

I had something pretty similar in one of my tanks once- at the time I just assumed it was a beefier hydroid. They never seemed to bother any of my inhabitants and they went away after a year or so, which would be consistent with most hydroids.

 

[Mike N]

The one in my original post does get really long and skinny but he mostly likes it dark it seems, others in the tank do come out at day. What did you end up doing to get rid of them?

I honestly just left them alone and they seemed to go away over time. However, mine weren't irritating coral or anything like that. I may have done something different if that was the case.