[InfinitR]

Hello,

I just started my first planted tank. One of the plants I picked up looks like a Blyxa. It wasn't very green coming from the LFS but I thought I'd try to revive it.

Now, I've noticed something on the leaves. Can someone tell me what this is and if I should remove the plants from the tank?

I'm just learning everything so I don't know a lot about hitchhikers or what will harm the other plants in the tank.

Thanks.

 

[InfinitR]

I pulled them out in the meantime. They look like little parachuters so still not sure if there is any threat to the tank...

 

[Sierra255]

I believe those are hydra. I think most fish will eat them.

 

[Culprit]

Look like Bryozoans to me,hard to tell though - colonial creatures. They look a bit like corals with the hard skeleton structure of the colony. The individual creatures, zooids, are inside their own small part of the colony and they eat small particles (phytoplankton, zooplankton) floating in the water by guiding them (and water) towards their mouth opening with the fan like tentacles. If disturbed, the zooids will retract their tentacles inside the colony walls. They are harmless.