Strange creatures crawling all over my glass - please ID

[wetjet43]

They look like itty bitty star fish, but they are all different. I used a 150mm macro lens to capture them. Their bodies are are about as big as a very small grain of sand.

It's very hard to get a good focus on them.

<a href="http://s271.photobucket.com/albums/jj151/wetjet43/?action=view&current=IMG_3510.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj151/wetjet43/IMG_3510.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s271.photobucket.com/albums/jj151/wetjet43/?action=view&current=monster1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj151/wetjet43/monster1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s271.photobucket.com/albums/jj151/wetjet43/?action=view&current=monster2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj151/wetjet43/monster2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s271.photobucket.com/albums/jj151/wetjet43/?action=view&current=monster3.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj151/wetjet43/monster3.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s271.photobucket.com/albums/jj151/wetjet43/?action=view&current=monster4.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj151/wetjet43/monster4.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

[wetjet43]

Also, they aren't moving around. Only the current in the tank is moving their limbs.

 

[CaptainCoral]

I believe they are hydroid jellyfish.

I believe they are harmless and their populations will wax and wane. I have them as well.

 

[Tayler]

yep those are hydroids

 

[wetjet43]

Will they get any bigger?.... and should I keep my hand out of the tank?

 

[CaptainCoral]

Nope for both, but there are some nasty things that can happen to our flesh in our tanks. There is a real nasty (though rare) bacteria in sea water that has infected folks before, but I couldn't keep my hands out of my tanks if I wanted to.