White root like structure growing on live rock

[Rsheeh1]

Hello I was just wondering if anybody could help me figure out what this white root like structure is that is growing on my life rock. It's not a coral that I bought at all. Seems to have some sort of flower or polyp at the end of it. Any suggestions how I could get rid of it?

 

[itsken37]

Those are hydroids. Get rid of them.

 

[Paul B]

I would leave them as I also have them and love them. I wish more would grow. But it's up to you

 

[itsken37]

I would leave them as I also have them and love them. I wish more would grow. But it's up to you

I hear they can hurt coral. What is your thought on that?

 

[Tired]

They actually look like tubeworms to me. If you disturb them, do the little fans all suddenly vanish?

Hydroids can sting corals they're directly up against, but some corals will grow right over them. They usually aren't a problem.

 

[boboyo]

Those are hydroids. Get rid of them.

Are you sure? They look like feather dusters to me but I’m new so I will stand corrected if I’m wrong

 

[Brandon3152134]

I don't think hydros have hard skeleton but I'm not too sure so don't quote me on that

 

[itsken37]

Are you sure? They look like feather dusters to me but I’m new so I will stand corrected if I’m wrong

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1112089
I saw this awhile ago or you can google Colonial Hydroids

 

[Rsheeh1]

They actually look like tubeworms to me. If you disturb them, do the little fans all suddenly vanish?

Hydroids can sting corals they're directly up against, but some corals will grow right over them. They usually aren't a problem.

Correct, yes if they are disturbed they will vanish. My LFS said that I should put superglue on the tips and remove them from the rocks. Any thoughts?

 

[Tired]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1112089
I saw this awhile ago or you can google Colonial Hydroids

The only picture I can see in this thread is a photo of feather dusters.

I wouldn't remove these. If they start to rapidly spread, supergluing them will kill them, but they still look like feather dusters to me. Some hydroids are completely harmless, due to being slow-growing, so can be left in.

 

[eggplantparrot]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1112089
I saw this awhile ago or you can google Colonial Hydroids

if you read a bit more carefully, you'll see that the poster of the picture says they are NOT hydroids

 

[boboyo]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1112089
I saw this awhile ago or you can google Colonial Hydroids

Yup. Feather dusters confirmed in the thread you posted

 

[P-Dub]

They are not colonial hydroids. These are worms, similar to feather dusters, only much smaller. They will ebb and flow based on the nutrient levels in your tank. I wouldn't worry too much about them as they are generally harmless unless they explode and take over a large amount of real estate. This could have a negative impact on some corals trying to grow or spread. If this is happening, I would consider managing your nutrient levels to control them.

 

[boboyo]

Some people buy feather dusters. Consider yourself lucky you got them for free if you like them

did you turn over your rock? They seem to like darker places to grow their tubes in my tank.

i saw my hermit crab feasting on most of mine and I only have 1 feather duster left (to my knowledge) since that incident.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Agree on Tube worms which use the fan to capture food for which they favor Brine shrimp. Starving them is only way to rid of them by directing water flow towards them- NOT at them and they will be unable to capture food and starve off

 

[code4]

I like mine. They sometimes get to be to many. But then I just knock them off.

 

[Rsheeh1]

Some people buy feather dusters. Consider yourself lucky you got them for free if you like them

did you turn over your rock? They seem to like darker places to grow their tubes in my tank.

i saw my hermit crab feasting on most of mine and I only have 1 feather duster left (to my knowledge) since that incident.

Right, yes, if I look under the rock. The white root like structure is a lot more visible. I appreciate everyone's feedback. I feel like they must be some time of feather duster / worm now.

 

[boboyo]

Right, yes, if I look under the rock. The white root like structure is a lot more visible. I appreciate everyone's feedback. I feel like they must be some time of feather duster / worm now.

Feather dusters are a type of worm

i find them pretty and they’re beneficial hitchhikers unless they get out of hand which I don’t think will be a problem with a few hermit crabs

 

[Paul B]

I hear they can hurt coral. What is your thought on that?

If you listened to everything you ever read on these forums, you would constantly be keeping all your fish in a quarantine tank with copper and Prizapro. Dipping your corals in tree stump remover, changing the water every 2 1/2 hours and using outside air in your skimmer so you don't change the pH. The rest of your free time you would be on the disease forums with 16 problems a day including where do you get calibration fluid for your expensive, not needed refractometer.

They are simple, cute, harmless tube worms that sit there minding their own business and occasionally remove some tiny bit of something floating in your water that maybe shed off your cat or parakeet.

So that is my thought on that.

 

[itsken37]

If you listened to everything you ever read on these forums, you would constantly be keeping all your fish in a quarantine tank with copper and Prizapro. Dipping your corals in tree stump remover, changing the water every 2 1/2 hours and using outside air in your skimmer so you don't change the pH. The rest of your free time you would be on the disease forums with 16 problems a day including where do you get calibration fluid for your expensive, not needed refractometer.

They are simple, cute, harmless tube worms that sit there minding their own business and occasionally remove some tiny bit of something floating in your water that maybe shed off your cat or parakeet.

So that is my thought on that.

ok cool. I have had some friends that have had their coral suffocated and stung by them.