Need help ID this creature from zoa

[Jeisold]

Hey all, new reefer with first tank here, first hitch hiker so not familiar with how each can present.. photo is of this worm like creature but it fans it's head out as shown, when startled it retracts the fan portion. This came in on some new zoanthid frags.. there's actually two more still on one of the zoa's almost appears like the body is embedded in the tissue of the zoa. Only the fan portion comes out when in the tank, but retracts right away if I come near with say tweezers, making manual removal impossible it also seems un effected by dipping with seachem reef dip (iodine based i believe) any ideas for ID? Aptasia? And suggestions for removal? Thanks!

 

[Mvictor]

Bristle worm!

 

[xxkenny90xx]

Feather duster worm. No worries, it's a good filter feeder!

 

[Jeisold]

Awesome thanks!

 

[JGT]

Duster, good guy.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Neither. Its a tube worm. It utilizes the feather head to capture food and keep particles from entering its tube.
One of the things you'll often times find in your tank are spinoid worms and tube worms. They extend feathery appendages to filter feed particulates from the water, just like the larger Featherdusters that come from Fiji or Hawaii. They generally are found at the base of some zoanthids in the tank and can spread on their own, but usually they arrive as hitchhikers.

 

[Jeisold]

That sounds exactly like it, does it harm the zoa or tank?

 

[xxkenny90xx]

Neither. Its a tube worm. It utilizes the feather head to capture food and keep particles from entering its tube.
One of the things you'll often times find in your tank are spinoid worms and tube worms. They extend feathery appendages to filter feed particulates from the water, just like the larger Featherdusters that come from Fiji or Hawaii. They generally are found at the base of some zoanthids in the tank and can spread on their own, but usually they arrive as hitchhikers.

Right, this is a different type than the feather dusters we buy from the lfs. It won't get big like a feather duster but other than that pretty much the same thing

 

[sacutshall]

That sounds exactly like it, does it harm the zoa or tank?

NO

 

[JGT]

Good guy.

 

[vetteguy53081]

That sounds exactly like it, does it harm the zoa or tank?

No harm - just a hitchhiker

 

[Jeisold]

Ok thanks for all the info, helping out a newb! Hehe

 

[Tired]

Feather duster, tube worm- same thing. Many different species. Some large, colorful ones are bought for aquaria. What you have there is a very small species, totally harmless. They filter-feed for plankton, and, if disturbed enough, may come out of their tube to crawl away. Probably it seems embedded because the zoas have been growing onto/around it.