What is this ?

gtaudioworks · Jan 7, 2023

I'm a 40 yr marine fish only hobbyist, I started with inverts about 2 yrs ago.
I have noticed these polyps growing everywhere on my rock and on other corals.
Any ideas ? I can't name all the inverts I have but I can send you pics of the others if that helps.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Greg

Sharkbait19 · Jan 7, 2023

Can you post some pics of what you see?

dedragon · Jan 7, 2023

lol, you have just been lucky til now it seems, that is aiptasia

AydenLincoln · Jan 7, 2023

BAD! BAD! BAD! Aiptasia. Try a natural predator or a product like Aiptasia-X.

gtaudioworks · Jan 7, 2023

Sharkbait19 said:
Can you post some pics of what you see?

I did

Sharkbait19 · Jan 7, 2023

Agree with the others that that’s aiptasia. True Peppermint shrimp + berghia nudibranches will eat them, otherwise there are chemicals like aiptasia x that do it.

gtaudioworks · Jan 7, 2023

AydenLincoln said:
BAD! BAD! BAD! Aiptasia. Try a natural predator or a product like Aiptasia-X.

I suppose they hitched a ride with one of my other tank inhabitants.
They seem to have exploded in numbers over the past few weeks.
Thanks Ayden

Brennin · Jan 7, 2023

gtaudioworks said:
I'm a 40 yr marine fish only hobbyist, I started with inverts about 2 yrs ago.
I have noticed these polyps growing everywhere on my rock and on other corals.
Any ideas ? I can't name all the inverts I have but I can send you pics of the others if that helps.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Greg

If I’m reading that right then teach me your ways… 40 yrs without aiptasia.

AydenLincoln · Jan 7, 2023

Brennin said:
If I’m reading that right then teach me your ways… 40 yrs without aiptasia.

If you start with dry rock and sand and don’t ever add any corals or inverts and only have fish….you basically keep a sterile tank for years and never introduce coralline or any of the other desirable organisms either.

gtaudioworks · Jan 7, 2023

Brennin said:
If I’m reading that right then teach me your ways… 40 yrs without aiptasia.

Over the years in my many tanks I only had fish, no live rock. I used the old bleached white coral you can't get any more. I have significantly downsized and now use that artificial Carib sea painted coralline algae stuff. Never had this issue till I got into inverts 2 years ago.