Is this bad?

ccombs · Mar 27, 2019

I have a new GSP and it has these white tubes coming out. It is currently sitting in a coral dip. What do you guys think this is/do you see anything else that is bad?

KJ · Mar 27, 2019

Sponge harmless.

ccombs · Mar 27, 2019

KJ said:
Sponge harmless.

Thanks! I couldn't find any picture of a sponge that looked tube like. I appreciate the input!

Jholli90 · Mar 27, 2019

ccombs said:
I have a new GSP and it has these white tubes coming out. It is currently sitting in a coral dip. What do you guys think this is/do you see anything else

They look a little like vermetid snails....

ccombs · Mar 27, 2019

Well that is not what I want to hear lol.

Here is another angle now that they are in the tank.

Tiger Brown · Mar 27, 2019

Those actually do look like Vermetid snails. Sponges are going to be, well, spongelike, and the snails tubes are hard so you could tell that way. Also if you see mucus coming out of them they are definitely vermetid snails and are not good. Here are some quick links for ya https://www.advancedaquarist.com/blog/vermetid-snails-harm-coral-reefs-with-multiprong-attack and https://aquariumstoredepot.com/blogs/news/vermetid-snail-removal

DSC reef · Mar 28, 2019

Are they hard to the touch? If so then just break them off.

Jholli90 · Mar 28, 2019

DSC reef said:
Are they hard to the touch? If so then just break them off.

From what I understand, if they are vermetid snails, breaking the tube off won't kill it. It will grow a new tube in its place. It lives deep in the base. You can put a drop of superglue on the tip, and then the snail can't get out and it dies. Or scraping it off at the base, but glue sounds easier.

DSC reef · Mar 28, 2019

Jholli90 said:
From what I understand, if they are vermetid snails, breaking the tube off won't kill it. It will grow a new tube in its place. It lives deep in the base. You can put a drop of superglue on the tip, and then the snail can't get out and it dies. Or scraping it off at the base, but glue sounds easier.

If you break it low enough you can kill it. I recommend super glue usually but on GSP it is very easy to break it off completely. If it even is a vermetid.

Jholli90 · Mar 28, 2019

DSC reef said:
If you break it low enough you can kill it. I recommend super glue usually but on GSP it is very easy to break it off completely. If it even is a vermetid.

I've only had to kill one, luckily I found it before it got bad. I read they can spread like wildfires. How close to the base do you have to break It off??

MaiReef · Mar 28, 2019

I have them all over my tank and especially in the overflow. I have found they are harmless except to your fingers when grabbing a rock. They grow into some of my corals and the coral just covers them.