Newbie ID help - are these a problem????

fatoldsun · 03/14/2011, 10:51 AM

Ok, so one of the draw backs to being new to this world is the challenge to ID stuff and determine what’s nuisance and what’s beneficial….

Try (hard as it may be) to look past the overwhelming amount of green algae – these shots are not great – they’re taken with my phone b/c that cuts about 3 steps out of getting them on photobucket and ultimately viewable on here …

As far as what’s going on here – this is a 55g that I’m calling my red cross shelter while I continue getting my 90g build up and running. Getting all the stuff used was good and bad – good in that I got a ton of stuff, but bad in that I’m a bit too anal to settle on anyone else’s choices – anyway, enough about that, I digress…. This is a 55g with a simple HOB and the only thing keeping parameters in check is the LR – maybe 50-60 lbs. Livestock is a yellow tang, a maroon clown, a brittle star and 2 hermits and one snail (not much of a CUC, huh?)

So on to my questions, I have a ton of these tube worm looking guys popping up everywhere. I’d love to say they are mini-feather dusters but only one of them (you can vaguely see it in the shot below) actually looks like a duster. I wanted to make sure that there’s no nuisance hitchhikers on the rock before I eventually settle it into the 90 display. Once that’s up and running, I will get a better CUC, a peppermint shrimp, etc. Anyway, hopefully I’ll be able to get the green algae under control.

Next 2 pics are of a snail-looking worm guy who lives on one rock. I have no idea what he is and if I should be excited that he’s there or plan to eliminate him. I know the pics are a bit blurry (sorry) but anyone have any guesses?

The tank is now exposed to a lot of natural daylight and these (more the stuff in the first to pics) seems to have bloomed after that happened. Unfortunately I can't move where the tank will now live - I thought if I could control algae I'd be ok - is this yet another drawback to over exposure to real sunlight? is there such a thing?

Thanks, as always

Aquaman101 · 03/14/2011, 01:26 PM

Those look to be vermitid snails. They spread quickly and are mostly just an eyesore. Some people say their webs can irritate other corals, but I haven't noticed a problem in my tank.

I've found nothing that can get rid of them naturally. I try to take a knife and scrape them off. Others put superglue on the tips.

Once they are in your tank, I don't know if you can ever get compeltely rid of them as they can get in your pipes, etc.

I just learn to live with them.

Sugar Magnolia · 03/14/2011, 01:32 PM

Yep, vermatids. They cast out a "net" to feed. They can multiply rapidly, especially in nutrient rich tanks. You can take a hypodermic needle and inject them with boiling water. Snapping off the tube doesn't work becasue the worm retreats down into the very base of the shell.

Can't tell about your snail like critter. Look up stomatella to see if it's a match.

olemiss reb · 03/14/2011, 01:33 PM

I would not mind them is they weren't so sharp. Everytime I have to scape I wind up with tons of little cuts. If they are easy to get to I will pop them off with a knife, but as stated above- its pretty much impossible to get them all.

fatoldsun · 03/14/2011, 01:51 PM

so would you guys think the 4 pics are all the same things? The stuff in the first 2 pics are all over and look like they have little feather dusters in them so I assumed they were a worm of some sort. They do put out a streamer or web of some sort so that's consistent with what you're saying but the other thing that sugar magnolia said may be a stomatella but to me that looks more like a snail and seems to match some of the vermatid snail images google is showing me, so I can't figure out if I have a couple versions of the same creature or I'm misunderstanding what you guys are suggesting. I know the pics are sub-par, sorry. maybe I'll try again with the real camera to see if that helps

Aquaman101 · 03/14/2011, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fatoldsun

so would you guys think the 4 pics are all the same things? The stuff in the first 2 pics are all over and look like they have little feather dusters in them so I assumed they were a worm of some sort. They do put out a streamer or web of some sort so that's consistent with what you're saying but the other thing that sugar magnolia said may be a stomatella but to me that looks more like a snail and seems to match some of the vermatid snail images google is showing me, so I can't figure out if I have a couple versions of the same creature or I'm misunderstanding what you guys are suggesting. I know the pics are sub-par, sorry. maybe I'll try again with the real camera to see if that helps

I'm basing my judgement off the first two pictures. I can't say I've seen a feather duster put out a web, but I also don't have many feather dusters in my tank. I do have a ton of vermitid snails. They are easily identifiable in my tank as they are a brown color and the base of the tube is generally in a "swirl" with the log tube sticking out.

fatoldsun · 03/14/2011, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aquaman101

easily identifiable in my tank as they are a brown color and the base of the tube is generally in a "swirl" with the log tube sticking out.

well, the one thing is as you described (the bottom pics) and there is only one of those. The others are popping up all over and only a couple look like dusters - the others just have one little thing that pops out from time to time and they seem to have the trail or web (single strand) that extends out. Here I thought I had all these great little feather dusters growing and the rock was teaming with life - someone (elsewhere) suggested colonial hydroids - maybe that's the missing piece - seem to occur together quite a bit and I guess both can have the string or web. I don't knwo I'm very confused

scadsobees · 03/15/2011, 07:12 AM

The first couple of pictures look to me like colonial hydroids. They are supposed to be bad. I have some in my tank, I haven't seen any bad side effects, and am still deciding what to do with them.

03/14/2011, 10:51 AM	#1
fatoldsun Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 449	Newbie ID help - are these a problem???? Ok, so one of the draw backs to being new to this world is the challenge to ID stuff and determine what’s nuisance and what’s beneficial…. Try (hard as it may be) to look past the overwhelming amount of green algae – these shots are not great – they’re taken with my phone b/c that cuts about 3 steps out of getting them on photobucket and ultimately viewable on here … As far as what’s going on here – this is a 55g that I’m calling my red cross shelter while I continue getting my 90g build up and running. Getting all the stuff used was good and bad – good in that I got a ton of stuff, but bad in that I’m a bit too anal to settle on anyone else’s choices – anyway, enough about that, I digress…. This is a 55g with a simple HOB and the only thing keeping parameters in check is the LR – maybe 50-60 lbs. Livestock is a yellow tang, a maroon clown, a brittle star and 2 hermits and one snail (not much of a CUC, huh?) So on to my questions, I have a ton of these tube worm looking guys popping up everywhere. I’d love to say they are mini-feather dusters but only one of them (you can vaguely see it in the shot below) actually looks like a duster. I wanted to make sure that there’s no nuisance hitchhikers on the rock before I eventually settle it into the 90 display. Once that’s up and running, I will get a better CUC, a peppermint shrimp, etc. Anyway, hopefully I’ll be able to get the green algae under control. Next 2 pics are of a snail-looking worm guy who lives on one rock. I have no idea what he is and if I should be excited that he’s there or plan to eliminate him. I know the pics are a bit blurry (sorry) but anyone have any guesses? The tank is now exposed to a lot of natural daylight and these (more the stuff in the first to pics) seems to have bloomed after that happened. Unfortunately I can't move where the tank will now live - I thought if I could control algae I'd be ok - is this yet another drawback to over exposure to real sunlight? is there such a thing? Thanks, as always

03/14/2011, 01:32 PM	#3
Sugar Magnolia Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Northern VA Posts: 17,691	Yep, vermatids. They cast out a "net" to feed. They can multiply rapidly, especially in nutrient rich tanks. You can take a hypodermic needle and inject them with boiling water. Snapping off the tube doesn't work becasue the worm retreats down into the very base of the shell. Can't tell about your snail like critter. Look up stomatella to see if it's a match. __________________ Adrienne The only thing to fear is fear itself....and spiders.

03/14/2011, 01:33 PM	#4
olemiss reb Molon Labe Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Louisiana Posts: 1,550	I would not mind them is they weren't so sharp. Everytime I have to scape I wind up with tons of little cuts. If they are easy to get to I will pop them off with a knife, but as stated above- its pretty much impossible to get them all. __________________ secesh

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03/14/2011, 01:26 PM	#2
Aquaman101 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 420	Those look to be vermitid snails. They spread quickly and are mostly just an eyesore. Some people say their webs can irritate other corals, but I haven't noticed a problem in my tank. I've found nothing that can get rid of them naturally. I try to take a knife and scrape them off. Others put superglue on the tips. Once they are in your tank, I don't know if you can ever get compeltely rid of them as they can get in your pipes, etc. I just learn to live with them.

03/14/2011, 01:51 PM	#5
fatoldsun Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 449	so would you guys think the 4 pics are all the same things? The stuff in the first 2 pics are all over and look like they have little feather dusters in them so I assumed they were a worm of some sort. They do put out a streamer or web of some sort so that's consistent with what you're saying but the other thing that sugar magnolia said may be a stomatella but to me that looks more like a snail and seems to match some of the vermatid snail images google is showing me, so I can't figure out if I have a couple versions of the same creature or I'm misunderstanding what you guys are suggesting. I know the pics are sub-par, sorry. maybe I'll try again with the real camera to see if that helps

03/15/2011, 07:12 AM	#8
scadsobees Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 81	The first couple of pictures look to me like colonial hydroids. They are supposed to be bad. I have some in my tank, I haven't seen any bad side effects, and am still deciding what to do with them.