Prism-looking Hairs on Live Rock

[pjmumie]

I just got a rock from the LFS with 6 Xenia attached to it, and after a day in the tank, I'm starting to see that this rock is FULL of life. Many hitchhikers!
I have several small Feather Dusters on the rock, BUT I have these three groups of opalescent looking, PRISM-LIKE bunches of hairs that are sticking out of the rock and depending on what angle you look at them, they are shimmering with red, yellow, blue or green colors like you would see if you looked though a prism. :notsure:
They almost look like they are feather dusters, but the individual strands are so thin and almost glass-like and they are reflective. I can't tell if they are attached to a tube like a feather duster because the "body" is contained within the rock.
Anyone have any clue what they could be? :thinking:
Paul

 

[shark bait]

wow pic would help a bunch

 

[pjmumie]

I will try to get a picture tonight, but I think with them looking prismatic, the prism-effect may not come across in the photo. I will try to get a picture and post it tonight. In the meantime though, if anyone has any guesses, please send them my way! :happy:

 

[ezee]

PJMumie,
Check the boards and webs for pictures of Aiptasia or glass anenomes. If you have them, I have heard that they are pests and you should try to address them as quickly as possible.
Later
E

 

[pjmumie]

No, I don't think they are Aiptasia. I do have ONE Aiptasia on that rock too and I've seen them before, but these look COMPLETELY different. I will totally have to try to get a picture. Very unique looking.
Yes, I am going to take care of that one Aiptasia too before they get out of control. I have heard all of the horror stories and I want to get rid of it before they become a problem.

 

[shark bait]

did you use a brush to remove these or did you just prune them?
Originally Posted by ezee
PJMumie,
Check the boards and webs for pictures of Aiptasia or glass anenomes. If you have them, I have heard that they are pests and you should try to address them as quickly as possible.
Later
E

 

[murph145]

i have some too on my xmas tree rock little strands that give off a prism look with different colors.... very strange always wondered what it was too....
heres a pic hard to see the colors but u can kinda make out the strands.... this one is next to a tube worm living in the coral...

 

[fishieness]

i also have 1 or 2 in a christmas tree rock. I always thought they were a type of feather duster just because they look like one. i dont realy know though so i am subscribing to this thread to see if anyoneknows for sure

 

[pjmumie]

I took some pictures last night, so I will upload them later today and see if anything shows in the photo. I moved the rock around yesterday so I could see them better and I have about 7 of them on this one rock. They look very "feather duster" like, but the strands look very glass like.
Looking at one angle and they are reddish, another angle and you can see oranges, purples, greens, etc. JUST like a prism. I also noticed that there are two small "tenticles" or worm like things that protrude from the center of the "mouth" area.
Does anyone else see these on theirs?
Who else could help us try to ID these beautiful animals - I love them, want to know what they are, and want to make sure they are safe for my reef. I'm glad to hear that other people have seen them - that's a great START! :happy:
Paul

 

[pjmumie]

Okay, this is as close as I could get to getting a photo of what it looks like. Look at the tips of the arrows and you will see two "feather duster" like creatures, but they are prismatic and at this angle in this photo they look shimmery green, but if you tilt at another angle they can shine red, orange, blue, etc. Let me know what you all think!

 

[ophiura]

I could visualize it exactly from the title of your thread, but I have never exactly figure out what they are. I reckon they are some sort of filter feeding worm or something. Beautiful...

 

[tthemadd1]

You should look at them under a microscope... might help identify them....I would be very interested in knowing the results... IE Plant/Animal..

 

[pjmumie]

Yes - they are certainly beautiful and they are very pretty to look at. If anyone happens to hear something or know of someone that may know what they are, please let me know. I'm just curious to be able to put a name with them since they are so pretty.
They are definitely animal - there are two tentical-like wormy-looking things that come out of the center of the "feather" of glassy stands.
So cool. Anyway, if anyone has other pics of them, please share!

 

[pjmumie]

Bump

 

[thegriffin]

Ive got 2 of them also on a peice of LR. No ideal what it is.