Andy73 Posted April 28, 2016 Share Posted April 28, 2016 Hi, I got this starting to grow over some of my rocks, and I was wondering what it is and do I need to worry? Thanks Link to comment
LadyBryozoa Posted April 29, 2016 Share Posted April 29, 2016 A bit hard to tell from the photo, but my gut feeling is colonial hydroids...Are there tentacles on the tips of them? If so, definitely hydroids. I've heard that they are harmful, but I haven't had any experience with them in a reef tank yet (knock on wood!) so I'll let someone else chime in... Link to comment
holy carp Posted April 30, 2016 Share Posted April 30, 2016 I don't know what they are, but I have some similar strings growing under my elegance coral. They only seem to grow in shaded areas. I don't think they're hydroids. Hydroids usually move or contract in response to contact, while these don't. Mine don't irritate anything, so I haven't been concerned. Link to comment
LadyBryozoa Posted April 30, 2016 Share Posted April 30, 2016 Interesting... Can you tell if they're hard or soft? Do they break? There is a group of bryozoans (moss animals) that look like this (genus Aetea). No idea if they would occur in a reef aquarium but I don't see why not. They are stolonal like most colonial hydroids but they don't retract when touched due to calcification and are white like this. If by chance they're bryozoans, they're harmless filter feeders and I don't expect they would be a problem. Link to comment
Andy73 Posted May 1, 2016 Author Share Posted May 1, 2016 Hi, Thanks for responding. I don't know what they are, but I have some similar strings growing under my elegance coral. They only seem to grow in shaded areas. I don't think they're hydroids. Hydroids usually move or contract in response to contact, while these don't. Mine don't irritate anything, so I haven't been concerned. Yes, looks very similar. They are growing in a "low flow" "low light" area of the tank. They don't seem to expanding out of the confined area and don't seem to be troubling anything. Interesting... Can you tell if they're hard or soft? Do they break? There is a group of bryozoans (moss animals) that look like this (genus Aetea). No idea if they would occur in a reef aquarium but I don't see why not. They are stolonal like most colonial hydroids but they don't retract when touched due to calcification and are white like this. If by chance they're bryozoans, they're harmless filter feeders and I don't expect they would be a problem. I didn't really take not when I rubbed my finger over them, but next time I will have a closer feel!!! I can use a tooth brush to remove them from the rock surface. Not really worried about them now thanks to reading the responses. And I did get some more corals today and have move some things around, so I am hoping I have increased the water flow and light to the area in-question. Thanks for your help Link to comment
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