Hydroid?

[Synthgp]

Hi there -

I saw two of these on a newly acquired Asternia snail.

Can any one confirm if I should be worried? Are these pest hudroids? As soon as I attempt to pull it off, it retracts.

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Hi there -

I saw two of these on a newly acquired Asternia snail.

Can any one confirm if I should be worried? Are these pest hudroids? As soon as I attempt to pull it off, it retracts.

That looks like a feather duster worm rather than hydroids to me - I assume it retracts into a tube hidden somewhere on that shell, correct?

 

[Synthgp]

They are pretty small so it is hard to tell if they retract into a tube, but they definitely do retract as soon as I attempt to touch it with tweezers.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

+1 on feather dusters

 

[Synthgp]

Okay - should I be worried or let them go free in the DT?

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Okay - should I be worried or let them go free in the DT?

Feather dusters are harmless filter-feeders, so there's no need to be worried about them.