Not sure what this is.

[Trommell]

Hello everyone, I just notices two of theses creatures hiding in my rock. They react quickly to movement and light sucking the head into a worm/tube like body. After about 30 seconds after being spooked the will re-emerge from the same spot. Any idea what they may be?

 

[Duffer]

unfortunately can you get a clearer pic,less blues...hard to make out in that pic

 

[attica38]

I have had those same things and not sure what they are. So hopefully someone on here can tell us!

 

[Trommell]

Tried to get a few better, hope it helps. Thanks

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

When you say it sucks the head into the tube, do you mean it retracts something other than the tube into the hole of the tube, or do you mean the tube itself collapses/folds inward?

Based on what I can see in the pictures (which is, admittedly, not much), I'd guess either a barnacle (if something else retracts into the tube) or a tunicate (if the tube itself collapses in - I know at least some tunicates are photosensitive). Neither of these are generally harmful.

 

[TnFishwater98]

Does it look like this?

 

[TnFishwater98]

 

[Trommell]

The "head" of the creature looks like the head of a feather duster but very small and will retract very rapidly when I approach the tank to where you can only see a slight white dot then will fan back out.

 

[TnFishwater98]

The "head" of the creature looks like the head of a feather duster but very small and will retract very rapidly when I approach the tank to where you can only see a slight white dot then will fan back out.

They do react to movement/ light change

 

[TnFishwater98]

They do react to movement/ light change

Should be no worries

 

[TnFishwater98]

 

[TnFishwater98]

You might find red things that look similar if you got real Gulf live rock

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

The "head" of the creature looks like the head of a feather duster but very small and will retract very rapidly when I approach the tank to where you can only see a slight white dot then will fan back out.

Looking at a couple of the pics again, I realized you’ve got one with the crown out and one with it in for the same critter - I agree that it’s most likely a feather duster.

 

[Trommell]

Looking at a couple of the pics again, I realized you’ve got one with the crown out and one with it in for the same critter - I agree that it’s most likely a feather duster.

I wonder where/when they came in. Finally getting tangs in a few days to help keep this algae down