tiny tentacles coming out of LR, what the?

[Fernster]

Hello.
Recently I bought some shrooms for my 25G. Soon after putting it in my tank I noticed groups of about 3 or 4 tiny gray tentacles poking out of several crevices in the shroom rock. To me they resemble tiny octopus tentacles, less than 1/3 of an inch in length, they don't look like bristle worms or any other type of worm I've seen. Now I've discovered these mysterious tentacles on my LR. I have never seen these before. Any ideas as to what these might be and should I be concerned?

[cur10u5g30rg3]

Are you familiar with aptasia. If not I would do some research and if it is aptasai, you should deal with it quickly and possibly quaranteen the rock till you get rid of it.

[Fernster]

Thanks for the reply. It's not aptasia. Aptasia is see through and gelatenous, these tentacles are not see through, the look like tiny, thin octopus or starfish arms.

[Joe]

Possibly a brittle starfish......

Joe

[warrenm107]

I believe I have the same thing in my tank, never seen it before either. I have had it in my tank for a little over a year now. It Grows on the underside of rocks and pokes string like arms towards the light. The "tentacles" started off short and have since grown to several inches in length. Whatever it is it seems harmless. I increased the frequency of my water changes, this seems to have slowed the growth. I also pulled some of it out by hand.

[Sk8r]

Could be spiorbid worms. Vermetid snails. No great problem, mild nuisance.
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-01/rs/index.php

[camlov2]

Take a look at the page that sk8r linked, the third picture is of a vermetid, in that same picture I think you can also see a leg of a brittle star (lower left). See if either of those two are the things you are talking about.

Brian

[CowDoc09]

could it be a spaghetti worm? http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-06/rs/index.php

[DawnOctopus]

I bet they are either baby brittles or micro brittles! I have the same thing in my tank, however I once saw one scoot out from the rock and it was def a brittle star

[Fernster]

camlov, I looked at the picture from sk8r, yes it is exactly what appears in the vermetid pic, a brittle star. seems like I have dozens of them.

[camlov2]

unless you watch your tank at night you might not see anything other then a few legs sticking out. I purchased a piece of rock with a few in it about 2 months ago, I have seen many legs but never a full star. Just another cool creature that appears for free.
Brian

[corals b 4 bills]

Yes those are in fact baby brittle stars, don't expect them to grow because they wont, they stay that size there whole life. whenever I remove my LR some fall out and I just put them back in the tank, there just good scavengers.