Nanocube with tubeworm outbreak!

[JasonRP]

My tank has been going since November '03, and seems to be running ok. The tank is stocked with a 3 spot damsel, 4 blue legged hermit crabs, and some mushroom coral. What started out as 1 visible tube worm now has spread to 10's (if not a 100 or more) of these things.. Is "tube worm" the right name for this? They are not feather dusters, but a white tube, sticking up from the liverock with something living in it, occasionally whips a long string that looks like a strand of green algae. It sticks straight up, but where it is attached to the rock it coils a bit) I can't seem to see an actual "worm", but since it pulls the strand of algae in and out (it only seems to let out the algae when I am doing my water changes) it must be living.

Anyone know 1)what the heck these things are, and 2)how to get rid of them?

Thanks,
Jason

 

[Anonymous]

It could be one of a million things, but it's probably not "bad." An excess of detritus floating in your water column might be responsible for feeding those things. I know, I know, your water looks fine. But that stuff isn't always visible to the eye, or at least not easily visible. Check your filter media etc and give the aquarium a thorough "de-gunkification" this weekend.

Any chance you can get a pic and post it on the hitchhiker's ID forum?

 

[Juck]

Sounds like Vermatid snails. The are sessile and use a mucus line to catch food suspended in the water column.

Harmless and a sign of a healthy system.

 

[JasonRP]

Thanks for the info, guys!

Hwarang- what a great avatar!! Uhm, my digital camera sucks, but I'll try later and post the pic here. Very well could be gunk in my water- I have been getting progressively lazy, and instead of my weekly water change, I've been changing every two weeks and maybe even 3 as the longest stretch.. Gotta test my water to see where the levels are.. Salinity and temp are always spot on, and the tank is established by now, and lightly stocked, plus the fish and corals look really good as do the hermits.. But, that would explain why so many of these little tube guys..

Juck- upon close inspection of these tubes, I see two very small "antennae" sticking out of the tops.. I do indeed think these are snails, using a little mucus whip to feen themselves..

Now here is the million dollar question: I'm already commiting myself to MUCH more frequent water changes.. Do you think this and my weekend "degunkifying" project will cut back on the existing snails since there won't be as much food? I'm not doubting that they are in fact harmless, but they are giving me the creeps! Too many of them!

Jason

 

[Juck]

I dunno if degunking will affect the population or not,,, I bought some LR last year and there were thousands of them,,, made it really painful to pick up the heavier rocks,, they're kinda sharp. The fact that they stay alive is just another natural indicator of the system's stability.

If your tank looks and tests ok then I wouldn't disturb anything,, stirring up crap from the DSB can be more trouble than it's worth. I do maybe 10% monthly water changes,, and then only when I remember,, and I have a few tricky corals that all do fine. I don't think large water changes are necessary on an established tank with a good skimmer and RO/DI topoffs.

 

[rkplucker]

Sounds like fanworms. Go to www.wetwebmedia.com and search for feather dusters or fan worms. There are always lots of helpful photos there. If that is what they are, they are beneficial filter feeders. Signs you have a mature, healthy tank.

 

[Anonymous]

Yeah I wouldn't do anything to remove them. But then again, I like all the weird little bugs and crawlies and pods and worms and whatnot.