Tiny "anemones" on the glass?

[angelap]

This is weird, but in the last couple of days, I have noticed more and more of these tiny little anemone looking things on the glass of my aquarium. They have a little round center and about 7 or 8 thread thin arms and they are clear. The round center is bright white. In fact, they almost seem to glow under my lights. Last night, one of them cought a tubiflex worm with one of it's arms, but the current blew it out of it's grip. I also have a tiny pink snail looking thing on my glass. It is shaped like a conch. Could that be what it is? What about the anemone looking things? What are they?
Thanks,
Angela

 

[ryebread]

Hi angela -
It sounds like the little"anemone" looking things are aptaisia, sometimes known as glass amemonies. They can pose somewhat of a problem if they start to multiply rapidly. Some tanks are over run with them. Many little critters in your tank will eat them however. I would not say this is definitley what they are but, that is what it sounds like to me.

 

[beefman]

yea it sounds like aptasia. U may want to buy a nudi branch but when they dont have anymore of those they die from what i have heard.

 

[frankl15207]

Do they look like anemones or tiny starfish?
You can find a picture of aiptasia here:
http://www.reefs.org/hhfaq/pages/mai.../faq_rock1.htm
If they look like tiny starfish instead, they are harmless.

 

[angelap]

Honestly, they don't really look like any anemone I've ever seen, and they don't look like a starfish. The closest thing I can thank of to describe them is they look like a really tiny curly cue anemone. I'll try to get some pictures if I can.
Thanks guys,
Angela

 

[j21kickster]

curly ques resembel aptasia- aspecially when they are small

 

[bang guy]

I'm guessing that you are referring to the sessile stage of the Hydriod Jellyfish. Do any of your littel critters have any small buds coming off of the central disk?
This type of Hydroid with spring up when a steady source of zooplankton is available. Have you started adding baby brine shrimp or something similar to the water?
Guy

 

[angelap]

I started feeding frozed brine a couple of weeks ago. But these things have been in my tank for probably about a month or more. I clean about once a week but by the next day, there will be several on the glass again. They don't seem go be growing really. I don't know what they are. They haven't caused any problems and the only place I ever see them in on the front of my glass. I'm going to try to get a few pictures in a couple of days and I'll post them here.

 

[angelofish]

Ive got the same in my tank. They kinda resemmble snowflakes. My get scraped off when I use my cleaner magnet but show up again. I thought the may be little feather dusters but theres no tubes just crowns. If thats what they are.

 

[nacl-h2o]

If these are what you have their->
Staurocladia oahuensis - Tiny Hydroid Jellyfish

 

[angelofish]

Yup! Thats them. Good or Bad?

 

[jferrier]

yeah it is likely aptasia. I've read they have nasty stings and can kill small fish. I've never had this happen when I've had one pop up, but a couple of peppermint shrimp have worked for me when i wanted to get rid of them. Note: pulling them out with tongs or by hand can actually cause more to spring up to replace them.

 

[j21kickster]

we already established that they are hydroids- and no not really a bad thing

 

[angelap]

Staurocladia oahuensis - Tiny Hydroid Jellyfish
Yep, that is them alright. Thanks guys, mystery solved!
Angela