Weird, Annoying, Quickly Reproducing Brown Palm Tree like creatures

[t00le]

Hi.
I recently bought some live rock and noticed a few little red creatures that were about 5 inches long and shaped like a palm tree. A friend told me to get them out ASAP since they as he put it, "weeds". Well obviously I did not listen to him. So today I got fed up and tried to pull them all out. The second you touch them they collapse into a cystlike "home'.
Needless to say there are probably 200 of them in a 60 gallon tank. They do truly reproduce quickly. I do not want to take my live rock out and scrub them off since I have lots of other life on the rocks.
Another description:
They are a light brownish/redish color.
They have a long trunk/stem that funnels out.
As the stem approaches the top of the creature it gets larger towards the top.
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The very top is actually kind of cool looking. It has an opening in the center of its top. It has tons of fingerlike tentacles.
They range in size from 3"s to 8"s. Some are 6"s in diameter.
Any input would be GREATLY appreciated. I would loveto find a creature that likes to eat them or a easy way if getting them out.
Thanks!

 

[t00le]

Yes,
I looked the name up on a search engine and found a picture of my pest.
I have found three or four choices, what does everyone recommend? I have probably 150 to 200 all over my tank. One is the size of a 16oz beer can.
TIA

 

[coralbeauty]

I am happy to say that I have never had these! Although I do have a peppermint shrimp, so maybe he has taken care of them before I noticed. I have read that you can inject them with milky freshly made Kalkwasser water and that will kill them. You might need to inject the really large ones, however the shrimp should do a number on the small ones.
Connie

 

[wolffam]

Sounds like aptasia anenomes. Will reproduce rapidly if left alone. Peppermint shrimp will take care of the small ones. You might have to cut the larger ones for the shrimp to finish them off. Butterfly fish will also help, but will look for another sourchof food when these become depleted.

 

[kappadoku]

Seeing how you posted this in reef tanks, im going to assume you have a reef setup. In a 60 gallon, you could take care of them naturally in about 4-6 weeks by adding 6 or so peppermint shrimp. Their not much to look at (Kinda gross, being able to see intestinal tract and brains...) and they hide all day, but they will eat these nusiance anemones at night.
But, you allready took Treys advice and bought some today right?

 

[t00le]

Hi.
I bought 6 peppermint shrimp and a banded Butterfly. I will give it a week to see if they are having any affect. If the affect is negligble I will cut the tops of a few of them for the crabs, shrimp and butterfly to gnaw on.
Thanks for all the input into a really nasty problem.

 

[t00le]

Hi.
I did discover the source of these little boogers. It seems the last two pieces of LR I bought were from Florida. I found two other people at the LFS who had the same problem on LR bought around the same time.
Oh well, live and learn. I think I am goingto examine the LR I buy in the future a little bit more thouroughly.