Waving Hands?

[Jinx]

Ok I rescued this tank. A 29 gal modified BioCube. The corals that are in there came with the tank and it was plagued with purple slime and algae everywhere. Very dirty so i started right away to get in shape. After a small water change shortly afterwards a good treatment for the slime I did a real good water change and I was going thru the sand and finding small live rocks buried. Then I noticed something waving thru the sand and I carefully uncovered this guy. I've nursed him and he seems to be popping back rather well. Is it a waving hands?

 

[Noturaveragereefer]

I have quite a few on my live rock...they're filter feeders...not sure of what they are

 

[Jinx]

They aren't coming out of the rock. The purple at the base of the little guy is very soft. Nothing like the hard purple on my live rock. I do have different species of worms in my rocks that I think are real cool but this guy acts more like a coral. It curls up at night a bit for "sleepy time" just like my button polyps and Kenya tree.

 

[Sniperhank]

You are correct when you say waving hand, that is a glove polyp.
Glove Polyp

 

[Noturaveragereefer]

Those are exactly what I have on my live rock...and they do the same thing when the lights go out...cool!

 

[Jinx]

YaY! Awesome! Thank you thank you! I have a name now. Woohoo! He was a sad sight for some time there. I wasn't sure he'd pull through.

 

[Leonardo7689]

Possibly star polyps? I know glove polyps when retracted, you can still see their stems poking out. Star polyps on the other hand, when all retracted, you won't be able to see the stems poking out. You'll just see the purple mat which is their base. They come in green, metallic green and brown/beige color. Also glove polyps tentacles are more fan like as opposed to star polyps which are more grass like when fully extended. In short, glove polyps looks more like little flowers with 5 or six petals depending on the species VS the soft grass like appearance of star polyps.

 

[Jinx]

These retract completely into the purple soft base if I were to brush by them or move them. They lil fingers or petals aren't bristly at all.

 

[ccCapt]

The purple mat is a dead give away. It's a type of star polyp - Briareum spp.

 

[Jinx]

The purple mat is a dead give away. It's a type of star polyp - Briareum spp.

Awesome! Now I have a way of determining what I'm looking at.
I haven't been in this forum for very long but it's already gained my respect for the kindness and help I see in all the threads I've read. There's so much knowledge from so many focused in this forum it's like having a living encyclopedia.

 

[Gregcoyote]

It's an octocoral (8 arms) and is probably waving hand. Easiest coral to grow there is. I have to mow mine like wheat.