ID help please

[Ethreal]

Hi, as my post count gives away I'm new to the forum and pretty new to marines. I would be very grateful for any help on identification...

I noticed today a suspicious something growing close to my mushrooms. It is around 3-4mm tall and I hope the picture is clear enough for you to see.

Its the polyp/anenome type thingie in the centre of the picture - many thanks

 

[Maya]

Looks like a feather duster in the pic. Google those and see if they are familiar. They are good for your tank

 

[Ethreal]

Thanks for the quick response Maya - I followed your advice and it looks more like a feather duster than it does anything else I looked for (my initial fear was Aiptasia).

I will do some more digging around and keep my eye on the new 'pet'.

 

[Gregcoyote]

It is a very nice feather duster.

 

[Ethreal]

How lucky am I? Seems there are two of these lovely little things which must have been hiding out on something I brought home from the lfs - also something else has sprung up....... I'm hoping it is some kind of button polyp - what do you guys thing? (The little green/brown things in the middle of the shot)

 

[Maya]

Look like Button polyps (zoanthids) to me.

 

[Jaybird]

Yeah, it's a feather duster and a couple of zoas. The zoas are a pretty good score on the live rock.

 

[Gregcoyote]

Be careful with the Zoas, they can be hard on you if you have a cut on your hand. Otherwise their sting will not penetrate skin. But they are toxic as heck to humans.

 

[Ethreal]

Huge thanks for the informative responses - really great to have all you experienced people sharing your knowledge x x x

 

[Ethreal]

RIP my lovely (if extremely tiny) feather duster who lost his feathers in the mouth of my greedy flame angel - a fly by nibble and he is gone

 

[Chisel]

RIP my lovely (if extremely tiny) feather duster who lost his feathers in the mouth of my greedy flame angel - a fly by nibble and he is gone

No worries. Feather dusters are common in SW tanks and more will pop up. I have hundreds of them. Flame Angels, well just about all angels have a 50/50 shot at nipping at polyps of corals. I never heard of one taking a feather duster though. Like I said though, don't take it too hard. They are a dime a dozen. Just don't go purchasing any due to your flame.