Need help before I introduce a bad ‘un

[mdpitts]

I bought some algae today at my LFS and it had this hard almost sandy feeling white stuff on a clump. I cleaned off a clump pretty good and got it in my tank but I’m thinking about getting it out now. Are those little worms. I didnt look this up because I’m a little worried I made a newb error.

 

[JonsNano]

They sure do look like spirorbid worms

 

[Kasrift]

They sure do look like spirorbid worms

Yup, and to clarify, they are harmless filter feeders.

 

[JonsNano]

Yes as far as I know but some people consider them a pest as they can spread and not look nice I guess

 

[mdpitts]

Hmmm, I‘ve heard of that name but I’m learning so much my brain is turning mushy. OK I’ll look them up. I don’t know if I want something that could be a hassle in the long run. I learned my lesson when I got Ramshorn snails in my freshwater tanks and they just multiply like crazy. I’m still dealing with trying to get rid of them after a year.

 

[Tired]

Spirobid worms. Harmless filter-feeders, essentially impossible to keep out of your tank by any reasonable means. They generally grow on the undersides of things, and on surfaces (like frag racks) that lack any algae or other competition, and can be scraped off relatively easily if you want them gone from a particular patch.
Generally the people who object to them are the people who are trying for their personal image of absolute perfection, and/or those who don't like the inherent messiness common to nature.

 

[mdpitts]

Spirobid worms. Harmless filter-feeders, essentially impossible to keep out of your tank by any reasonable means. They generally grow on the undersides of things, and on surfaces (like frag racks) that lack any algae or other competition, and can be scraped off relatively easily if you want them gone from a particular patch.
Generally the people who object to them are the people who are trying for their personal image of absolute perfection, and/or those who don't like the inherent messiness common to nature.

I get it. I actually thought about just letting everything roll but for right now. I’m kind of enjoying a mainly ”pest” free tank. Shiny and new. My baby. Plus it’s an only 13 gallons (Fluval) and I feel like if things started going bad it wouldn’t take long to get out of hand. Anyway, I am absorbing all this information and filing it away.

 

[Reefkeepers Archive]

Spiriboid worms, harmless but spread like wildfire. Won't do anything bad to the tank at all, they're harmless/beneficial filter feeders (unlike vermiteds)

Though I personally like the look of them

 

[mdpitts]

Thanks everyone for helping out so quickly. I removed it from the tank and im going to go give it back to them. Good riddance. Sayonara Suckas.

 

[Tired]

You could always pick off some relatively clean blades of macroalgae and peel the worms off. They shouldn't be fastened on /that/ tightly.

(I would also fully expect them to get into your tank at some point anyway.)

 

[mdpitts]

You could always pick off some relatively clean blades of macroalgae and peel the worms off. They shouldn't be fastened on /that/ tightly.

(I would also fully expect them to get into your tank at some point anyway.)

I started out trying to clean it right after I posted but it was kind of hopeless. A couple little leaves broke off that were clean and I dropped them in my tank. I figure I’ll get stuff I don’t want. I’ve got green bubble algae and some monster bristle worms. I knew I had one but now he’s at least 4 of himself - one is thin but long and one is thick and has to be at least 10 inches. I took a video and made a post but it’s hard to see because I had to keep it dark. Anyway, checked this morning and noticed a few little spirobids on my rock. Nature wins. Sigh…

 

[Tired]

Ah, yeah, they'll do that. Nothing to worry about- just about all tanks have some of the considered-less-desirable stuff, and most of it rarely if ever causes problems unless something is awry.

I personally kinda like the spirobids on my frag racks. If you look closely when they're feeding, they're fuzzy.

 

[twentyleagues]

Agree nothing to worry about.
On the ramshorn topic. I breed them on purpose. I have a Fahaka puffer that I feed them to. I feed those snail the good stuff and lots of it lol. I really think ramshorns are great, if there is extra food or algae they do tend to multiply quickly. No where near as bad as the mts those are terrible. My Fahaka wont touch them. Even loaches known to eat snails wont eat them at least not fast enough.

 

[exnisstech]

These grow all over the outside of equipment in my sump but I never see them in the DT. Maybe they like less light

 

[mdpitts]

Agree nothing to worry about.
On the ramshorn topic. I breed them on purpose. I have a Fahaka puffer that I feed them to. I feed those snail the good stuff and lots of it lol. I really think ramshorns are great, if there is extra food or algae they do tend to multiply quickly. No where near as bad as the mts those are terrible. My Fahaka wont touch them. Even loaches known to eat snails wont eat them at least not fast enough.

You know I have to admit that those dang ramshorns really do a great job of keeping the tank clean but man they multiply SO fast. I should offer them to someone local who has a puffer.

 

[twentyleagues]

You know I have to admit that those dang ramshorns really do a great job of keeping the tank clean but man they multiply SO fast. I should offer them to someone local who has a puffer.

Before I started breeding them id pay for them. It was nice when I could get them for free from people but people local stopped having them and lfs started charging for them. I went to a fish swap purchased 200 for like $10 and started breeding from there. They are super easy to breed. I tried mystery snails and giant ramshorns too. They breed to slow.

 

[mdpitts]

Wow, maybe I should get into the business. I might ask my lfs if they would take about 50 every few weeks in trade/credit. ALSO, I'm from Bay City/Saginaw, MI.