What’s this hairy thing?

Mattks · Mar 21, 2018

I started my tank on Sunday, I bought it used and it came with live rock and live sand. It came with pods and some algae in the refugium, but it looks like all the pods died.

I found this little guy in my live rock, at first I thought it was a clump of hair algae, but when I was cleaning the live rock it moved into its little hole. It’s about the size of a dime. As far as I can tell, it’s the only living thing in the tank atm. The tank seems to be done cycling already, but I want to wait a few days before I put anything in just in case.

Tahoe61 · Mar 21, 2018

Hi and Welcome to R2R

I am not really sure, hopefully someone else will have an idea. I would be tempted to say feather duster type.

redfishbluefish · Mar 21, 2018

I'm thinking I'm looking at two aiptasia....a pest anemone. Google that and see if that's what you have.

Mattks · Mar 21, 2018

redfishbluefish said:
I'm thinking I'm looking at two aiptasia....a pest anemone. Google that and see if that's what you have.

I worry you might be right. Do aiptasia move around? It’s been hiding inside the rock for the last couple hours so I haven’t been able to look at it again.

If that’s what it is, could I simply take the live rock back out and boil it? I have nothing else on it.

reef lover · Mar 21, 2018

Seems like too many tentacles to be aptasia.....maybe a paly??

Fudsey · Mar 21, 2018

Don't boil your rock, you don't know what it could release into the air you breath

redfishbluefish · Mar 21, 2018

Here's the test....

Touch it with whatever....say a turkey baster.

If it retracts quickly, and there is a tube there, it's most likely a feather duster.

If it doesn't retract, it's likely a paly.

If it retracts quickly and you only see a little to no blob, it most likely is aiptasia.

As mentioned, do not boil that rock. Not only can it put out nasties, you will kill the bacteria in and on the rock. However, if the rock easily comes out, microwave a coffee cup of RO/DI and hit this aiptasia with a turkey baster full of boiling water. Then put the rock back into your tank.

Mattks · Mar 21, 2018

redfishbluefish said:
Here's the test....

Touch it with whatever....say a turkey baster.

If it retracts quickly, and there is a tube there, it's most likely a feather duster.

If it doesn't retract, it's likely a paly.

If it retracts quickly and you only see a little to no blob, it most likely is aiptasia.

As mentioned, do not boil that rock. Not only can it put out nasties, you will kill the bacteria in and on the rock. However, if the rock easily comes out, microwave a coffee cup of RO/DI and hit this aiptasia with a turkey baster full of boiling water. Then put the rock back into your tank.

Thanks. When I was cleaning the rock it retracted and I don’t see anything in the hole. I can’t see very far in the hole though.

redfishbluefish · Mar 21, 2018

Mattks said:
Thanks. When I was cleaning the rock it retracted and I don’t see anything in the hole. I can’t see very far in the hole though.

I'm now confident it's aiptasia.

Tahoe61 · Mar 21, 2018

reef lover said:
Seems like too many tentacles to be aptasia.....maybe a paly??

Agreed too many tentacles to for an aiptasia.

redfishbluefish · Mar 21, 2018

Some of these guys can be very hairy!

Again, have the OP google Aiptasia and look at images.

reef lover · Mar 21, 2018

Wow I guess so !! Thanks for the info!

BellaCoop · Mar 21, 2018

Is that the only place it is in the tank?

Fudsey · Mar 21, 2018

If it is Aiptasia, take the rock out of the tank to do anything to it. Not worth infesting the rest of the tank if it's the only spot.

Mattks · Mar 27, 2018

Thanks everyone. I determined it was likely aiptasia. I removed the rock and squirted a small amount of boiling rodi water on it. I stabbed it with a toothpick to make sure it didn’t recess back into the cavity. It worked well and it’s died. I’ve been watching that rock and the whole tank and haven’t seen anymore since the last update.