capsfan September 28, 2009 Share September 28, 2009 Does anybody know how to get rid of those pesky snot-string tubeworms? They have pretty much overrun my pico and they irritate my corals and make them look like crap. Somebody? Anybody? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami September 28, 2009 Share September 28, 2009 (edited) Sounds like vermetid snails. If so, see here: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-01/rs/index.php (scroll down about 3/4 of the way or so.) Manual removal is most common but it sounds like you may have a lot. Some hermits, according to the article, eat them, too. Edited September 28, 2009 by Origami2547 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen September 28, 2009 Share September 28, 2009 (edited) Zebra hermit crabs will eat them. I picked up some from Atlantis (in Richmond) a month or two ago that seem to seek them out. After the crabs I have to look around to find the ones not encrusted by corals now. They seem to leave them alone if the coral has grown around the tube. The others have been pretty much wiped out. Edited September 28, 2009 by Stephen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quazi September 28, 2009 Share September 28, 2009 Too bad you are not closer to me. I would like some for my 'fuge. They disappeared from my system a long time ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdytat September 28, 2009 Share September 28, 2009 I've squirted super glue gel in their tube before, and didn't have a problem after. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanman September 28, 2009 Share September 28, 2009 I've squirted super glue gel in their tube before, and didn't have a problem after. with the lid open? or closed? I have some of these that are extremely annoying. bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coral Hind September 28, 2009 Share September 28, 2009 I have used the super glue also as well as the epoxy, both work great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capsfan October 21, 2009 Author Share October 21, 2009 I'm so busy it might be easier just throwing some crabs in there rather than taking the time to super glue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan October 21, 2009 Share October 21, 2009 +1 super glue worked on a few for me. Be very careful with manual removal. The shell is very hard and sharp like a shard of glass. I cut up my fingers trying to take them off. Gave up. tok the rock and dried it then used a wire brush to take the shells off. I've squirted super glue gel in their tube before, and didn't have a problem after. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate October 21, 2009 Share October 21, 2009 My god...I have an infestation of these things in my frag tanks. I was counting them as I manually removed them with a scalpel the other day. Lost count at around 600...I didn't even make a dent. They are everywhere and reproduce so fast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanman October 21, 2009 Share October 21, 2009 My god...I have an infestation of these things in my frag tanks. I was counting them as I manually removed them with a scalpel the other day. Lost count at around 600...I didn't even make a dent. They are everywhere and reproduce so fast. That's where I'm having the biggest infestation - all over the plastic frag racks. Yes - they can be removed with a scalpel, but what a pain! bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sikryd October 21, 2009 Share October 21, 2009 I've never seen these before - any pictures? They sound like a royal pain - it'd be nice to know what to look out for! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen October 21, 2009 Share October 21, 2009 (edited) http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-01/rs/index.php They are pretty easy to spot. They live in hard little tubes (like feather dusters or hydriods) and put out a cob web like mucus which they catch food with. Edited October 21, 2009 by Stephen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate October 21, 2009 Share October 21, 2009 (edited) I've never seen these before - any pictures? They sound like a royal pain - it'd be nice to know what to look out for! Here's a pic of some in my frag tanks...like Bob said they really like to grow on the eggcrate. There is at least 20 in this one pic. Edited October 21, 2009 by Nate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amuze October 21, 2009 Share October 21, 2009 (edited) Hmm. Just replace the eggcrate and then remove the ones left on other things? Edited October 21, 2009 by audible Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan October 21, 2009 Share October 21, 2009 If it isn't too much trouble you can just remove the racks and let them soak in regular water then brush the snail shell off with a wire brush. It's the rocks and corals you need to be concerned about. These snails grow on, in and under corals and rocks. Once there they are very difficult to remove. They embed themselves pretty good. They irritate the polyps of zoanthid and palythoa colonies so that they wont open. Then the polyps start to die off. Something everyone should look for when they purchase LR especially from an established tank. I got all mine from rocks I purchased from somone on here. I was told they were tube worms. By the time I figured out what they were they had spread to other rocks and even some corals. Sometimes I use epoxy to cover them if the area is large and sometimes I use scissors to scrape them off. Like I said earlier one rock was so infested that i had to take it out. also found out the hard way that they easily p#*!k the flesh. They're very hard. Here's a pic of some in my frag tanks...like Bob said they really like to grow on the eggcrate. There is at least 20 in this one pic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happyfeet October 21, 2009 Share October 21, 2009 I had these guys all over some of my live rock. There were so many I was kind of dubious to add them. I finally decided to boil the whole rock.. BOY did I luck out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chucelli October 21, 2009 Share October 21, 2009 you can also use a pair of tweezers and crush them one by one. Then the normal hermits will clean them up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveoutlaw October 21, 2009 Share October 21, 2009 The best solution by far is the copperband butterfly. My 120 was infested with these and the copperband make quick work of them. All gone within a week. Just make sure the copperband you buy will eat other stuff as well or it will starve once the vermatids and aiptaisia is gone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zygote2k October 21, 2009 Share October 21, 2009 I find that if you leave them alone, their population will ebb and flow much like any other so called 'nuisance' species in our tanks. Besides, it's best to let the natural populations of things flourish in the reef since they add and digest food and add to the overall good health that we all are seeking. If anyone would like to donate any of their so-called 'nuisance' species, I'd be happy to take them all. Maybe since I don't selectively kill things in my tank, that's why it does so well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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