Feeder duster worm infestation

[Alberto1234]

as everybody when we start adding coral frags, and within some critters that we consider as low risk.... one mistake from my side is to leave a little feeder duster worm that now are hundreds of them. They are making some mess on the rock and affecting some corals; my best guess would be to take all the rock out and clean it with a tooth brush, because i don't know if there are some fish or crab that may eat them.
also, don't know if the presence of hundreds of these worms would affect water quality.
what are your experience on these?

 

[Spare time]

Wrasses may eat them (such as a melanarus). The worms aren't bad for the water column they are just filter feeders You can physically destroy them with a brush or something if they are soft bodied. I have heard that copperband butterflies (or butterflies in general), arrow crabs, and others will eat them. Out of curiosity, what food do you feed (corals and fish)?

 

[Biglew11]

These small feather dusters are filter feeders. If you have enough of them they may leave your water cleaner. I wouldn't think they were would bother corals.

 

[C. Eymann]

vayssierea sp. nudibranchs will feed on a fairly wide range of tubeworms.

 

[I’ma tempermental coral]

Most small feather dusters are very susceptible to the syphon lol. Get a strong maybe even pump assisted syphon going on your next water change and place the inlet directly over the dusters. Try not to disturb them and sneak up on them while their “duster” is still out. I’ve accidentally sucked a few up that way. But personally I’ve never had a problem with them harming coral.

 

[Alberto1234]

Wrasses may eat them (such as a melanarus). The worms aren't bad for the water column they are just filter feeders You can physically destroy them with a brush or something if they are soft bodied. I have heard that copperband butterflies (or butterflies in general), arrow crabs, and others will eat them. Out of curiosity, what food do you feed (corals and fish)?

Thanks, I haven´t add a melanurus because I have a couple of small tridacna clams, I´ve read that this fish may eat them. but good to know there is an natural option of control.

 

[Alberto1234]

These small feather dusters are filter feeders. If you have enough of them they may leave your water cleaner. I wouldn't think they were would bother corals.

these worms are growing like crazy, at some point they attach to the coral structure and do not allow to open completely, just in that cases I remove it manually

 

[Spare time]

Thanks, I haven´t add a melanurus because I have a couple of small tridacna clams, I´ve read that this fish may eat them. but good to know there is an natural option of control.

You could also try a yellow coris wrasse. They may be a little safer.

 

[Lovefish77]

Nothing wrong with having an infestation of small feather duster, perfectly fine and good sign of reef maturity. Never heard about them hurting any coral. .. they just extend out and retract back into their calcium carbonate tube skeleton. They don't roam out of their tubes at all.

 

[Spare time]

Have you tried dipping the corals?