Fan Worms In Acropora?

[Nick James]

I picked up a nice mini "colony" at The Coral Reef shop in Burlington. I was sent to Ikea by myself so that's what happens...

I didn't notice them in the store but today I noticed these fans that looks like eyelashes blinking. There are a number of them through out the acro. It has PE and looks perfectly healthy. I tried getting a video but the Blues were on so its not that clear. I'll see what I can get tomorrow. If I can get YouTube to cooperate I'll post that video...

Has anyone else seen this? It's a first for me...

 

[Nick James]

 

[Nick James]

Sorry the video sucks...

 

[yveterinarian]

I definitely saw the "eyelashes blinking" action you spoke about but I have never seen a fan worm move like that (not that I'm an expert on fan worms). Did you dip the coral before you put it in your tank? If so, did anything else come out of it? Hopefully someone else might have an idea for you as to what they are.

 

[Hong]

Looks like a mini feather duster to me. I think I had a frag of zoas with a couple of them on it, did the exacting when I first put it in the tank.
I thought it was pulsing xenia. But upon further inspection I believe it is a fan worm.

 

[Painter Steve]

I've had a few Acro's that had the same thing, never had any issues with them.

 

[Nick James]

Looks like a mini feather duster to me. I think I had a frag of zoas with a couple of them on it, did the exacting when I first put it in the tank.
I thought it was pulsing xenia. But upon further inspection I believe it is a fan worm.

These don't have tubes like typical fan worms. If they are not extended, the flesh looks normal. The most obvious one looked like a closed eye. When the eyelid opens, these small eyelash like fans come out then shoot back in. I am assuming filter feeding.

I cant find anything else about them online so far. And nothing other than worms that have this sort of "feather".

 

[Nick James]

I definitely saw the "eyelashes blinking" action you spoke about but I have never seen a fan worm move like that (not that I'm an expert on fan worms). Did you dip the coral before you put it in your tank? If so, did anything else come out of it? Hopefully someone else might have an idea for you as to what they are.

I did dip it in coral Rx and scrubbed the bases with a toothbrush until they were shiny white like new, underside, sides and top. Only stuff I saw in the water was one amphipod. No other creatures visible to my eye.

 

[Aquatic Dreams]

Man ... I'd love to get some little feather dusters / fan worms as hitchhikers. The only ones that I seem to harbor are the little Spionid worms that make the sharp pointy skeletons and shoot webs out at night.

 

[Nick James]

Got a bit better video today..

 

[Joshbrookkate]

Cool!

 

[heath]

Man ... I'd love to get some little feather dusters / fan worms as hitchhikers. The only ones that I seem to harbor are the little Spionid worms that make the sharp pointy skeletons and shoot webs out at night.

If you want some feather duster come on down.. I have tons and would gladly share///

 

[heath]

I cant open the video, getting an error,,,,

 

[Nick James]

They are barnacles!

 

[yveterinarian]

Fascinating! So, are barnacles considered to be good or bad? They are certainly very active.

 

[Nick James]

Fascinating! So, are barnacles considered to be good or bad? They are certainly very active.

They are neither really. A lot of what I have read states that they don't live long in reef tanks, possibly not enough plankton/ food. If when they die, the acro will simply grow over them. We will see.

Perhaps if I spot feed this acro reef roids/ baby brine shrimp it will feed the barnacles..