Feather Duster ID

[GBR]

I would like confirmation that this is a bunch of feather dusters -- it's in a 5 sq inch area of my live rock and appears to be spreading/growing bigger. Does anyone know what kind?

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

 

[NickF]

I can't really get the scale, are they very small? They could be colonial hydroids. I had some in my tank when when I first set it up but they didn't take, though I believe they can become a problem.
Here's a pic of mine:

 

[GBR]

Thanks for the response. Based on your picture you provided...they appear to be a hydroid. Mine appear blue. I'm now wondering what to do to address - wait it out, remove live rock, etc) I have had high nutrients in tank lately and on the path of recovery. They came out of no where...I'm amazed that something can sit in the live rock for so long and suddenly appear 5 months after a tank move (and tank has been running with minimal stuff in it for 1.5 years, low nutrients, and they were never seen).

 

[GBR]

After additional research and I believe these are white colonial hydroids. Anyone have experience about using a emerald crab to help manage the hydroids from any large outbreaks? (I only noticed these appearing after my previous emerald crab died during a power outage).
I'm adding a few more pictures in case anyone else comes across this post to help identify if they have the same.

 

[Marty.h]

They are a complete headache to remove and get rid off.

I would at first try this

Remove half a litre of water from your DT and boil it so it's boiling and inject it strait onto them and keep doing the area every day that will knock them back and if you keep ontop of it you will hopefully get rid of them.

Just be careful not to get the boiling hot water onto any other livestock and corals.

 

[olgalit]

these are hidroids indeed. I had them in the past - they did not really hurt anything and disapeared once i managed to control phosphats and nitrats