What are these on my corals?

[daer119]

Hey everyone, I’ve noticed this little black speck on my play. Didn’t pay much attention at first....but now there’s more and I’ve noticed in on other places and starting to get a little worried. I did try and do a very light scrape but it didn’t come off. I didn’t want to agitate the paly too much or make things worse. Can anyone identify and if it is a pest how might I take care of it? Thank you!

 

[Spare time]

Vermatids.


Crush them with plyers or bone cutters whenever you see one.

Avoid feeding things like reef roids or other particulate foods.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I see tube worms, spirobid worms and maybe a couple of vermetids.
DO NOT CRUSH THEM- THEY WILL SIMPLY COME BACK AND IF BROKEN IN TWO BECOME TWO OF THEM

Removal for vermetids are:
Place a dab of gel superglue from dollar store over the tube openings
OR
snap off with needlenose at the very base/bottom and discard

 

[Spare time]

I see tube worms, spirobid worms and maybe a couple of vermetids.
DO NOT CRUSH THEM- THEY WILL SIMPLY COME BACK AND IF BROKEN IN TWO BECOME TWO OF THEM

Removal for vermetids are:
Place a dab of gel superglue from dollar store over the tube openings
OR
snap off with needlenose at the very base/bottom and discard

Where did you see that they can come back and reform? I have never heard of any mollusk being able to do so

 

[daer119]

I see tube worms, spirobid worms and maybe a couple of vermetids.
DO NOT CRUSH THEM- THEY WILL SIMPLY COME BACK AND IF BROKEN IN TWO BECOME TWO OF THEM

Removal for vermetids are:
Place a dab of gel superglue from dollar store over the tube openings
OR
snap off with needlenose at the very base/bottom and discard

I have all those? Tube worms, spirobid worms, and vermetids?! How might I have got them, I dip all the corals that I place in the tank. Thank you for the suggestion. I’ll be doing that tomorrow. Was thinking it might be black sponge after some research, but thanks again for the info.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Experience. Been battling one here and there over the last 2+ decades. Additionally, there are many who have broken tube to realize it does not kill them. Mollusks they are but not a scallop, bi-valve that house in a shell and when crushed die within.
They build a calcareous tune with mucus and detritus and other sediment into a calcium like tube.
The most recommended tube for removal are bone cutters which allow you to pry the vermetid snail from coral or a frag plug. You need to go for the BASE of that tube shell which is where the snail lives so If you only crush or cut away the tube, your snail will rebuild. (Be careful when using bone cutters – they aren’t called that for fun!)

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have all those? Tube worms, spirobid worms, and vermetids?! How might I have got them, I dip all the corals that I place in the tank. Thank you for the suggestion. I’ll be doing that tomorrow. Was thinking it might be black sponge after some research, but thanks again for the info.

Typical hitchhikers and pest type woms. harmless for the most part. Tube worms send out a fan to capture food. Vermetids use a mucus web to capture food and steal food from corals

 

[mdb_talon]

Where did you see that they can come back and reform? I have never heard of any mollusk being able to do so

Agreed...never heard of vermetid snails being able to do this. Of course if you are just crushing the shell and not the snail they will rebuild the shell, but pair of needlenose pliers works great for crushing both.