NEED ID HELP

[Icedog]

I just noticed these growths poking out of the rock in various places in my tank. A pic of three of them is attached:



Any ideas as to what these are?

My latest testing: pH 8.6
SG 1.026
NO3 0
PO3 0.03
dKH 9.6

I'm dosing iodine and NoPox. And I've been slowly lowering the NoPox dose and feeding more to get the nitrates up a bit.

Don't know if it makes a difference, but I'm also having issues with some zoas closing up and brown/red alga(?) growing on the substrate.

 

[MoshJosh]

Vermetid snails.

Pretty mild as far as pests go. . . but a pest none the less (at least in my opinion).

They send out a mucous "net" to catch food in the water column.

I crush them when I can, If you do the same, make sure you get the base/body of the snail. Breaking just the tube will note kill them and they will make a new tube.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

I just noticed these growths poking out of the rock in various places in my tank. A pic of three of them is attached:



Any ideas as to what these are?

My latest testing: pH 8.6
SG 1.026
NO3 0
PO3 0.03
dKH 9.6

I'm dosing iodine and NoPox. And I've been slowly lowering the NoPox dose and feeding more to get the nitrates up a bit.

Don't know if it makes a difference, but I'm also having issues with some zoas closing up and brown/red alga(?) growing on the substrate.

Those are vermetids.

But... How old is your tank? With your nutrients bottomed out, STOP carbon dosing!!

 

[Icedog]

Vermetid snails.

Pretty mild as far as pests go. . . but a pest none the less (at least in my opinion).

They send out a mucous "net" to catch food in the water column.

I crush them when I can, If you do the same, make sure you get the base/body of the snail. Breaking just the tube will note kill them and they will make a new tube.

Tks for the id.

They seem to be growing out of holes in the rock. So I'm thinking maybe use a qtip swab to get at the base??? Or will aiptasia x work on them if I squirt some into the hole?

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Tks for the id.

They seem to be growing out of holes in the rock. So I'm thinking maybe use a qtip swab to get at the base??? Or will aiptasia x work on them if I squirt some into the hole?

Are they producing any webs? I have small ones like yours and they don't bother the coral at all. You will NEVER get rid of them all, so don't make extra work for yourself if they aren't causing a problem...

 

[Icedog]

Those are vermetids.

But... How old is your tank? With your nutrients bottomed out, STOP carbon dosing!!

Thanks for the help.

The tank is 5 years old. I didn't think it was safe to suddenly stop the NoPox? Thought a slow decrease would be safer?

 

[ScottJ]

Tks for the id.

They seem to be growing out of holes in the rock. So I'm thinking maybe use a qtip swab to get at the base??? Or will aiptasia x work on them if I squirt some into the hole?

The easiest thing to do is to crush them with something hard, like a screwdriver or bone cutters. I use pointy long tongs that have angled tips that reach hard to get to places. But, yup, they are hard to get rid of, and not the end of the world at all.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Thanks for the help.

The tank is 5 years old. I didn't think it was safe to suddenly stop the NoPox? Thought a slow decrease would be safer?

A medium decrease maybe... Also, since you're dosing iodine, I assume you're testing this as well?

 

[Icedog]

A medium decrease maybe... Also, since you're dosing iodine, I assume you're testing this as well?

Of course - the iodine test is in a good range.

 

[Icedog]

The easiest thing to do is to crush them with something hard, like a screwdriver or bone cutters. I use pointy long tongs that have angled tips that reach hard to get to places. But, yup, they are hard to get rid of, and not the end of the world at all.

Appreciate the suggestions!

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Of course - the iodine test is in a good range.

Just checking. Some people indiscriminately add things they don't need and too much iodine can be very bad

 

[MoshJosh]

The easiest thing to do is to crush them with something hard, like a screwdriver or bone cutters. I use pointy long tongs that have angled tips that reach hard to get to places. But, yup, they are hard to get rid of, and not the end of the world at all.

One handed fly fishing pliers work well too!