found new critters, who can ID them (pics inside)

[jacksonpt]

I was checking out my tank last night and started noticing some new stuff. I found some kind of tube worm feather duster thing (pic 1). Then I noticed a small maroon colored thing growing. I've had it for a while (i.e. at least six months), but I noticed about 4 more similar growths last night. I don't have any idea what they are... the almost look like very small chili corals. They are no more than .25" in height or width. I also found 2 things that behave like tube worms (i.e. the suck into a hole when startled, fan out to eat), but don't look like typical tube worms. I had a hard time getting the pics to turn out, but take a look at pic #3. I also found something that looked like some kind of dead worm. Strange, but new to me, so I thought I'd ask.
Pic 1, some kind of tube worm/feather duster thingy

Pic 2, some kind of maroon coral, very small... 4 different growths, no more than .25" x .25"

Pic 3, behaves like a tube worm, doesn't look like a typical tube worm. 2 separate growths, both about .33" in diameter.

Pic 4, what apprears to be dead worms, or something similar

Thanks for any info you can give me on these things... curious to know what is growing on my LR after being in my tanks for 2+ years.

 

[wrassecal]

pics 1, and 4 look like feather dusters. I have all those on my rock. I also have pic 3 which seems to be a feather duster but no tube showing, but the "feather" portion is different like the one in your picture.I'd like to know about the one in pic 3 myself. (I like the red ones a lot.) don't know about pic 2

 

[jacksonpt]

Any other opinions? I'm especially interested in pics 2 and 3... #2 because I have a few of these, and they are on the LR at my LFS too (but my LFS doesn't know what they are either). #3 because it's just plain cool looking.

 

[lrswls]

I 2 would like to know what picture 2 is I have about 10-15 of them growing in my tank

 

[nacl-h2o]

1,3,4 all look like different types of feather dusters and 2 are Foraminiferans they are all hermless sessile filter feeders.

 

[yammer]

Pic 2 is a Foraminiferen. There are several varieties of these: 1) red bumpy growths (the one in your tank) which will often extend fine white filiaments which is uses to feed with. 2) small white stalky form, 3) flat round disk shape. All are small (1/8 to 1/4 inch) and harmless. Enjoy!

 

[jonthefb]

yeah number 2 is definately a foramniferan. As a reef tank ages, these little guys will colonize just about everything, fro the overflow, to your sump, to all your live rock. They are single celled organisms, that build colonies, and like yammer said come in severa shapes and sizes. The most common are the little white dots on rock and glass, that look like tiny snail shells when viewed up close. not harmful at all and a good sign of water quality and age!
jon

 

[bang guy]

Small note on the Foraminiferans:
From experience I know that when picking up a rock the shell of these critters will easily penetrate human skin, are impossible to dig out, and the resulting explicatives would make a Clinton blush.