Feather duster? Aiptasia? Both??

[Fredds]

Picked up a pulsing Xenia 2 days ago, dipped it in coralrx, it pretty much shed the whole Xenia but I’m just noticing this underneath the coral, not sure what it is? Also, last week sometime found something tiny floating around the water. See pics. Any help IDing both pictures. Thank you

 

[Fishy888]

Picked up a pulsing Xenia 2 days ago, dipped it in coralrx, it pretty much shed the whole Xenia but I’m just noticing this underneath the coral, not sure what it is? Also, last week sometime found something tiny floating around the water. See pics. Any help IDing both pictures. Thank you

Both are feather dusters. Good clean up crew. They’re almost as big as they’re going to get.

 

[Fredds]

I wonder if they’re the same one. The first one I found I put back in tank, but lost it immediately lol

 

[Fishy888]

They could be one and the same. They’re really hardy and they like to hide themselves, at least at first. It’ll do quite well and most likely you’ll have more over time.

 

[Fredds]

My friend thinks it’s a hydroid??

 

[Reeflix]

Maybe, does it have a hard tube that it is coming out of?

 

[Fredds]

Maybe, does it have a hard tube that it is coming out of?

It’s so small I can’t see anything other than the flower looking thing. Which also retracts and hides if I move tweezers near it.

 

[Fishy888]

The first image clearly shows a tube. The second one is close to the rock so it could be a hydroid in theory. If it’s a hydroid it might multiply at first but within a couple of weeks they should die off.

 

[Fishy888]

Well I did a little more research on this topic. I fear your friend might be right… about both. There’s a picture in this thread of one with a tube just like in your first image.

Are we sure these are colonial hydroids?

I still dont think these look like athecate hydroids, they look exactly like a Nausithoe species in OP's pic and the others in this thread. mine haven't stung me like OP though... If you want to keep your hydriods, keep them. But in some aquariums they take over and kill whoever they want...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Reeflix]

It’s so small I can’t see anything other than the flower looking thing. Which also retracts and hides if I move tweezers near it.

Well, go In the tank and touch it, doesn’t matter if it will go back into the tube, if it’s hard I think that it is a feather duster, if it soft (my hydroids were) then it’s a hydroid. If it isnt hard 100% not a feather duster

 

[Fredds]

Some videos if it helps.

 

[Fredds]

Well, go In the tank and touch it, doesn’t matter if it will go back into the tube, if it’s hard I think that it is a feather duster, if it soft (my hydroids were) then it’s a hydroid. If it isnt hard 100% not a feather duster

I took the frag out and cut the portion of the rock off where I think the thing was? I couldn't see it so I Just chopped away hoping I got it out.

 

[Reeflix]

If it’s a hydroid it will come back, otherwise you are in the clear!