White Tube on Glass

[kurt]

I have these white tubes with brown fussy thing at the end of it on my back glass. They are about 1/4 -1/2" in length and are not straight but zig zag. What are they?

 

[NaH2O]

Sounds like featherdusters. If they are spiral shaped white tubes, then they are spirorbid polychaetes. Harmless filter feeders, either way. How old is the tank?

 

[lizardarm]

If they are spiral shaped white tubes, then they are spirorbid polychaetes

that was the first thing that popped into my head.
pretty common to see these start to pop up all over within the first few months after a tank is set up.

 

[kurt]

they are not spiral in shape, round like tube that tapers in one end and brown fuzzy thing on the other end.

The tank is 6 months old with live rock. The live rock had the same white tubes on them but no brown fuzzy thing in the and still no sign of life.

 

[Meche]

Kurt they sometimes retract into the tube. Mine usually spend most of their time in the tube rather than outside feeding.

Are you from OH?

 

[kurt]

so they are ok to have since there is 10-15 of them on the glass?

yes I'm in Ohio

 

[Meche]

I lived in strongsville and medina twnshp.

 

[kurt]

I live near Strongsville. cool, small world.

so are these safe to have and will they get out of control?

 

[Meche]

yeah, featherdusters are cool.

 

[Angelscrx]

You can scrape them off the glass if you don't like them but they help keep the water cleaner by filter feeding. Totally harmless.