White Crusting/ please help.

[TAXMAN]

I have these small white crusty looking creatures on my LR. They have several LONG tentical like devises that I guess are for feeding. They just stream out of the crust and feel around.

I wasnt concerned until I noticed in the last couple of days that I have much more white crust areas on my LR. Like it is spreading. Is this good or not? If not I want to stop it before it gets too bad.

I can try to get a picture but the camera kinda sucks. And someone here probably knows what this is without the picture.

Thanks for the help.

[TAXMAN]

heres a picture.

[TAXMAN]

Ok. I saw one of these little guys send out 2 tenticles from a "crust pod" whatever they are, and release what looked llike a type of egg. I have lots of small dust looking stuff floating around in the tank, which some of which may be these eggs or larvae " Is that how it's spelled?" .

The white spots are getting worse by the day.

If you look at the LR picture, the center that is labled new crust that basically forms a circle. That circle of white crust that basically takes up the center area of the picture was not there 2 days ago.

So I really need an answer of some kind about this stuff. I will try to get a picture of the animal in action to post here.

[TAXMAN]

heres a picture of one out.

[Yano]

Thats really weird, I have noticed some white crusty stuff growing of my rocks too, but no pods or tenticals. :?

[TAXMAN]

This is just really worrying me. I hope that it's not bad.

[::pete::]

I like this link ... it always helps me identify critters and things. Try 10 down (http://www.reefs.org/hhfaq/pages/main_pages/faq_rock3.htm) and the white crust could possibly be sand?

[TAXMAN]

It isnt sand. I have new critters where the white crust is appearing. They are multiplying.

[Instar]

That gastropod in the pic (RE: link; ten down) will not reproduce that fast. The only thing I know of that reproduces that fast are little feather dusters. They are tiny little circles and when they grow you can see they are a tiny coiled tube on the rocks and glass. If they really only had 2 tentacles, they would be clear and about 1/4 tentacles. Those creatures live in small colonies, close together and normally don't reproduce all over the place like the little coil feather. I've heard them referred to as something they are not. Someone probably has a name and link for them on here. Don't worry, stuff like that is supposed to grow out of LR. Feed the rocks!

[Tim Marvin]

I have tons of them, mostly at night. No problem, don't worry.

[TAXMAN]

Tim. Thanks again. I have been freaking out thinking they are kill'n the growth on my LR. This is my 1st reef and I know there are all kinds of creatures in it. I expect it. But when the LR looks like it's under attack, it worries me.

Thanks Instar. I Do have some small feather dusters and find a new 1 everyday. Maybe new or I just noticed it.

BTW. should I feed the tank anything until I get my 1st fish? That will come from Joshua this weekend. Black Percula Clown. Or even after I get the clown? I hope to pick up some frags of something this weekend at the meeting if it's possible. I can get some feeding instructions then as well. I just want to do this right the 1st time.

Thanks for the help guys.

[matt]

They're probably some sort of tube worm; that's what feather dusters are. It's very doubtful that they're predatory or any sort of problem. Don't worry, be happy!

[Instar]

Feed your live rock. A good thing to start with is DT's phytoplankton. All those little spores and eggs in that rock are hatching and they are hungry. All sorts of life will spring forth after a while if you feed it. Some can take many months to show up, but the rock will become more and more interesting if you feed it. A lot of little shrimp will grow in there too and items too numerous to figure it all out. They do need to be fed fine planktonic foods to grow.

[TAXMAN]

Thanks Instar. I'll get some tomorrow.

And I'm getting happier by the minute. :lol2:

[TAXMAN]

I dont have any food left since the tank has been down. It was old and I threw it all out. I'll get some tomorrow. And I already have polyps I think the sand Polyps all over the place. small but growing in numbers.