ID please

[tmcjilton]

These things are everywhere on my rock and getting worse. What is it? And any advice on controlling it? Much appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Baileyshouse]

Do you have any fan worms or vermatid snails?

 

[tmcjilton]

Do you have any fan worms or vermatid snails?

I don’t know about vermatid snails, but I do have a problem with spirobid. Also just found a fan on a frag I just bought but these have been an issue since before the frag was put in.

 

[tmcjilton]

Also worth noting, I can’t see any base of these things as they are deep in the rock. They are out all day but seems that they double when the lights get lower.

 

[vetteguy53081]

+1 vermatid

 

[malacoda]

Can't say with 100% certainty without a photo that is zoomed in a bit more ... but looks like a vermetid snail string.

 

[Baileyshouse]

I don’t know about vermatid snails, but I do have a problem with spirobid. Also just found a fan on a frag I just bought but these have been an issue since before the frag was put in.

(Disclaimer: this is not my picture) if they are vermetid and you have corals or plan on having corals I’d get rid of them as they tend to irritate corals, you can do so by supergluing the openings at the end of the tubes

 

[tmcjilton]

(Disclaimer: this is not my picture) if they are vermetid and you have corals or plan on having corals I’d get rid of them as they tend to irritate corals, you can do so by supergluing the openings at the end of the tubes

This would be pretty difficult as the base of whatever these things are are deep inside the rock. Pretty much all of my rock has at least a few of these things on them.

 

[HOOPDEEZ]

They are digitate hydroids. They can sting corals, but are usually not an issue. If you notice them irritating corals you’ll want to remove them.

 

[tmcjilton]

They are digitate hydroids. They can sting corals, but are usually not an issue. If you notice them irritating corals you’ll want to remove them.

Just googled this and I think that’s it. Thank you. How do you recommend removing them?

 

[MERKEY]

Kinda looks like a spaghetti worm tentical but Imnot 100% with my bad eyes lol

 

[HOOPDEEZ]

I only removed a couple that caused problems in my tank with tweezers. You’ll want to grab them by the base while they are extended and pull them off. Not sure if this is the best method just what I did FYI.

 

[Greg P]

Ya, I'll have to agree with everyone above. You have Vermatid snails

Try your best to remove them. Crushing their shells while siphoning, gluing them shut, removing all rock.
Not the best to deal with and better to get rid of them while you can.
They can take over your tank and spoil all your plans of a nice tank.

I shut down my last 75g because of them. They were everywhere. They even caused health issues with my fish due to wounds from contact.
Had to put my Yellow tang in a QT for over 5 weeks to cure a bacterial infection due to being scraped on what I suspect was a Vermatid scrape.

 

[DSC reef]

That is a digitate hydroid like mentioned above, so many threads with "vermetid ID scares" lately. A vermetid won't send out a tentacle, they send out a mucus webbing. Here's a vermetid which you do not have.

 

[Lovemyreef2015]

Agree it's a digitate hydroid
Picture for reference

 

[ThemytB]

Digitate hydroids- 100% , I also have them, Ive killed them off a few times-then they come back, but they do not appear to be hurting anything, I have read about them stinging and bothering corals, but there appear to be different species with different strength stings- I have watched mine sway over and touch multiple corals with no reaction from corals.