ID annoying spines on LR

[blennyboy]

Checked the frontier and cant find anything on the subject. Can somebody tell me what all these anoying little spines are that are spreading throughout my tank on the liverock. They are little 1/3" calcium spines that sometimes excrete a threadlike substance from the tip. Not featherdusters. They are anoying some of my corals. Is there a way to get rid of them. Is there presence a sign of something good or bad with my tank? Would appreciate some help. Thanx

 

[LakeEd]

Blennyboy,

Those look like a type of tube worm (perhaps NOT a featherduster per say... but tube type worm none the less) to me, and are usually a sign of a stable well cycled tank.

Exactly how are they anoying your corals, perhaps that would give us more information to go on here?

 

[Curtswearing]

Vermetid snails. They are harmless and won't harm your corals. However, their mucous nets might annoy them temporarily. Here's a video of them feeding. http://www.mbayaq.org/video/video_snailnet_feeding_qt.asp

 

[blennyboy]

Blennyboy,
Exactly how are they anoying your corals, perhaps that would give us more information to go on here?

They grow on the stems of my frogspawn and I am afraid they irritate the soft tissue as they get close and try to overcome and grow"into" the soft tissue. They also grow between two heads when newly split.
They are really everywhere now and I just wonder if it normal.

 

[blennyboy]

Curtswearing
Thanx for your response.They dont look like the vermetid snail on the video link as these spines stick straight up not lying down like on the vid.

 

[Curtswearing]

If they are throwing out threads from the tips, they are vermetid snails. I've never had more than a couple that were lieing down in a spirorbid pattern either. Most of mine have always looked just like yours.

These are quite normal in newer tanks or tanks with a lot of particulate detritus. If you have some in a dangeous position for your LPS, put on some gloves and snap the tubes off. (You don't want the calcareous tubes to poke into your fingers....trust me).

 

[blennyboy]

Thanks again, you are right. I seldom siphon ditritus so that is probably the cauze. Speaking of , would it be just a good to take a powerhead and blow the ditritus away or should I siphon? If so any tips on the siphoning?
Appreciate your help
Best regards Blennyboy

P.S: "My signature banner is mantis shrimp eyes....not alien boobies." I can see why you posted this, waz wondering the same thing. LOL

 

[Curtswearing]

It all depends on your setup.

Assuming that you have a good skimmer or power filter, LR should be blasted weekly IMO.

If you have a DSB, you have to siphon afterwards vs blast with a powerhead. If you have a BB, blast the rock and then wait several hours for the detritus to settle. Then siphon it out. If you have a sump, maybe you should put on a good filter sock.

Basically, please explain the details on your system and we'll give some good recommendations on how to remove the detritus. Heck, DonW and BigT could probably figure a way to use a paperclip, a rubberband, and some chewed bubble-gum to automate your detritus-removal.

 

[blennyboy]

I have a good skimmer and multiple power heads, a DSB with oolitic aragonite & sump w/ HOB overflow. I will place a sock in my sump, and I think I will blast my live rock & corals. I can't siphon the DSB though, it will suck up the fine sand unless I use a small hose and target the larger ditritus that is left over.
What is a BB & IMO?

 

[Curtswearing]

Sorry.

BB=Bare Bottom Tank
IMO=In My Opinion

Go here and buy a FB1 model. It filters down to 1 micron. Run it for an hour or two after blowing off the rocks. Then turn it inside out and clean it with your hose to clean it. It will have a whole week to dry out.

http://www.aquaticeco.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/product.detail/iid/4399/cid/1243

They only cost $6 so buy a couple if you are lazy.

 

[blennyboy]

Thanx a bunch, will do.

 

[Boomer]

Thwy look like Vermetid snails to me they are must often up and not down. Here is a good pic onLR

http://www.reefs.org/library/aquarium_net/0897/0897_8.html

other pics

 

[LakeEd]

Heck, DonW and BigT could probably figure a way to use a paperclip, a rubberband, and some chewed bubble-gum to automate your detritus-removal.

Hummmm... I wonder what type brew it would take to get them to design something for my system too, while they are at it! *Grinz*