Orange thingy growing on hammer head

[novajoe]

What is this thing.
I saw it the other day and thought maybe the coral was sprouting a new branch (still new to reefs) I realize that's probably not it. But it's like a orange swirl last night I saw two antenna things sticking out. Any one have any idea? It has a hard shell and it's like an orange swirl.

 

[JGT]

Vermetid. Remove it.

 

[afrokobe]

Vermetid. Remove it.

I have never seen a vermetid that big, I only have the small tube ones. i would think its a sponge from the size

 

[JGT]

They can get pretty big. Pretty certain it's a vermetid. I see the corkscrew shell and even the opening.

Do you see anything come out of it? It would cast a mucus net from time to time as well.

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Yeah, that’s a vermetid snail tube.

 

[14 foot reef]

remove asap....Vermetid

 

[novajoe]

Definitely has been removed. What's the chances I find another now. Not sure how they reproduce and move considering it's stuck on there. Never seen the net come out even last night when I saw the actual snail.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

I have never seen a vermetid that big, I only have the small tube ones. i would think its a sponge from the size

They can get as big as 4 inches. Definitely looks like a vermetid to me.

 

[Kasrift]

Agree with everyone above, vermetid. I think they have different subspecies as I’ve had the large ones and small ones. Small ones don’t grow into those huge ones though.

 

[WheatToast]

I have never seen a vermetid that big, I only have the small tube ones. i would think its a sponge from the size

Check out this behemoth I found at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. It was probably approaching a foot long if it wasn’t curled up:

 

[Reefkeepers Archive]

What is this thing.
I saw it the other day and thought maybe the coral was sprouting a new branch (still new to reefs) I realize that's probably not it. But it's like a orange swirl last night I saw two antenna things sticking out. Any one have any idea? It has a hard shell and it's like an orange swirl.

Vermited snail, best to get rid of it, they're mucus webs irritate LPS. I'd scrape it off with a chisel

 

[kjkszpj9]

Vermited snail, best to get rid of it, they're mucus webs irritate LPS. I'd scrape it off with a chisel

My lobo is invaded by them, but my lobo never gets annoyed by the mucus, but i bet the tubes are slowing my lobos growth. I try and pry them off but they always retract before it breaks off so it just breaks off the tubes without the snail.

 

[novajoe]

My lobo is invaded by them, but my lobo never gets annoyed by the mucus, but i bet the tubes are slowing my lobos growth. I try and pry them off but they always retract before it breaks off so it just breaks off the tubes without the snail.

Thank you for this I definitely have some more cleaning up to do!! That shape looks awfully familiar.

 

[twentyleagues]

My lobo is invaded by them, but my lobo never gets annoyed by the mucus, but i bet the tubes are slowing my lobos growth. I try and pry them off but they always retract before it breaks off so it just breaks off the tubes without the snail.

Just breaking off the tube wont help you got to get the base off. Scalpel, needle nose pliers, small flat screw driver or small chisel will work.