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stumpovrtyme
06/30/2009, 06:57 PM
What are the white specs on the glass of my reef? Mostly on the back glass.

Percula9
06/30/2009, 10:49 PM
Maybe calcium carbonate precipitant. If they are hard it probably is calcium carbonate. They also could be copepods.

demonboy369
06/30/2009, 11:58 PM
http://www.melevsreef.com/id/spirorbid_worms.html

brad burditt
07/01/2009, 05:14 AM
i would go with percula9 thought i have the same on the back of the glass and on some rock and thats what it looks to be

jtma508
07/01/2009, 05:51 AM
Most likely spirorbid worms like demaonboy said. Look closely and see if they look like a tiny spiral and whether or not they move. (pods will move). I had thousands of these on my back glass for awhile.

1DeR9_3Hy
07/01/2009, 06:21 AM
Hydroid jellyfish get my vote. I still have them in my 10 gallon. I also have larger white specs, which is the beginning of some coraline algae.

TP123
07/01/2009, 06:24 AM
Nerite snails also can lay eggs that look like white specs, usually in a line. You see it alot in the freshwater species of nerite, and I assume the SW ones are the same (I don't have any saltwater species).

KJAhp098
07/01/2009, 07:05 AM
I have the same on mine and just scrape it off. Hydroid jellyfish are soft and easily distinguishable so I don't think it's that.

stumpovrtyme
07/07/2009, 02:47 PM
Sorry it's beem so long, on vacation. Yea they are little spirals for sure there not pods though cause I actually raise those. I know those spirals don't hurt anything cause I'v had them since I started the tank. I just have never heard anyone telling what they are exactlly. What do they do? Do they have a specific job or anything cause I try not to hit them with the magnet when i clean. Am I waisting my time avoiding them? What eats them?

THANX FOR THE INFO!

jtma508
07/07/2009, 03:31 PM
spirorbid worms are basically harmless filter feeders. Their population usually booms when there is lots of stuff in the water columns and then the population dwindles after awhile. I wouldn't waste any effort to avoid them.

impur
07/07/2009, 03:34 PM
Some types will hatch and grow in the tank. Ceriths lay eggs and i have tons of tiny tiny baby cerith snails. But mostly the eggs just become coral food.

Check out this pic of my nassarius snails laying eggs

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v292/impur/inverts/100_1365.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v292/impur/inverts/100_1363.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v292/impur/inverts/100_1364.jpg

golby
07/07/2009, 03:53 PM
From what you've described I'd say they are the filter feeding worms. I have many in my tank and they've caused no problems at all.

thincat
07/08/2009, 09:46 AM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15285731#post15285731 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by demonboy369
http://www.melevsreef.com/id/spirorbid_worms.html
+1...

stumpovrtyme
07/10/2009, 10:37 AM
Thanx so much for the info!