Calling all Acro keepers

[reeferRob]

I got my first acro a couple weeks ago, I ordered it on-line. My concern is that near the base of the colony there are 3 critter that appear to be some sort of snail or tube worm that the acro has grown over the top of. They don't seem to bother anything but the web they produce to catch their food ends up getting all over the coral.

Do they benefit the coral in anyway?

What would be the best way to rid them? I was going to try kalk paste?

OR should I leave them alone?

It is the white tube looking thing at the base of the coral, there are 2 more on the back side
Hopefully you can see it in this pic:
http://www.photohost.org/gallery/data/500/1454P1010031s-med.JPG

[hobogato]

or, pull the coral out, and poke a small screw driver into the hole, the shake the dead worm out in the tank - the fish like em.

[caferacermike]

Bisma worms (Christmas tree). peanut worm? Hard to say without being extended.

My first reaction would be that if it came with them and or has had them for a few weeks and has not degraded the piece then I'd sa it's doing no harm and adds character to the piece. Maybe somebody else will recognize them better and offer more detailed advice.

[hobogato]

these arent christmas tree worms, no "feathery" head. they just put out that slime to feed. i have had acros not polyp out when they were there, and after getting rid of em - fuzzy. the slime doesnt really hurt anything, but its presence irritates them.

[MattK]

Vermetid gastropod

http://www.reefs.org/hhfaq/pages/picture_pages/faq_vermetid.html

[BIGBIRD123]

That's them. Nice find Matt.

Steve

[reeferRob]

these arent christmas tree worms, no "feathery" head. they just put out that slime to feed. i have had acros not polyp out when they were there, and after getting rid of em - fuzzy. the slime doesnt really hurt anything, but its presence irritates them.

I agree that the acro seems irritated by the webs and to mention they are uglier than than the coral, i think their days are numbered.


Thanks for the info and links



Rob

[Richard]

I have one near the base of an acro that has been there for years. The current takes it's slimy web away from the acro though. They have never spread in my tank but I have heard of people having them spread and become a real nuisance.

[safeuerwehr]

Well since they are not really harming anything...I would leave them til the end of October and have a haunted reef for holloween...LOL

[cpreefguy]

^^lol

[R.Allard]

FWIW i had several on some pieces of acro as well as some caps and i just injected them with fresh water. remember the kalk paste is going to be really high in pH
and can harm other things it may land on....
all you need is a fine needle and syringe...
Robert

[TexasTodd]

A straightened coathanger works great too. :)

TT

[caferacermike]

Ah but the metal ones are getting really hard to find. Need to save them for repairing the auto exhaust......

[reeferRob]

A straightened coathanger works great too. :)

TT

I tried a piece of wire but the tunnels make 90 degree turns and the wire stops