Tubeworms

[engelquist]

I got these all over my tank- does anyone knows how to get reed off them...?

[elegance coral]

There are several things you can try. Run 100 micron filter socks and change them out regularly, clean/remove as much detritus from the system as possible, and/or look into predators. There are some shrimp and species of wrasse that may help control their numbers. You may never completely eradicate them. Some will probably remain in the high flow and low light areas.

[engelquist]

witch kind off shrimps and wrasses may control them...? and are they reefsave?

[Opcn]

Since tubeworms are a critter that many people want in their reef anything that eats them will be considered not reef safe or "with caution".

[Opcn]

Looking around it looks like Camel Shrimp will eat them, chocolate chip stars, and tiger cowries (none of these are remotely reef safe). Boxfish/cowfish are also reported to eat them, and semireef safe (though it is extremely important not to stress them as they do release ostratoxin into the water when stressed). Wrasses in the Halichoeres genus will also eat them, but they will eat any shrimp you might have as well.

Hope this helps.

Can I ask why you want to get rid of them? They have to be eating something, do you keep SPS or gorgonians? are you concerned about them competing for food? If you manage to get rid of them with out reducing their food supply you are going to have to find some other way of taking what ever it is that they are eating out of your tank. I think the filter sock is probably the best way to deal with them, just starve them out.

[JuliusJames]

Adorned wrasse.. it ate everything in my system within a week.

[engelquist]

Thanks for your answers...
Opcn: I want to control them, becaurse they are almost everywhere in my tank- I got a lot off sps and lps, and fedd them with cyclops and Reef Peals,daily. And thats properly why I got tubeworms in numbers like that...
After reading your answers I might try a few peppermint shrimp and a wrasse...

[Opcn]

I don't think peppermint shrimp will pick on them, but peppermint shrimp will be food for the type of wrasse that will eat them. Life aquaria suggests that serpent stars and urchins will do them harm as well.

[Opcn]

I forgot to mention butterfly fish!

[engelquist]

I have consired a butterfly fish, but my only concern is how it will do with my tangs...

[stiltman]

I can't see the picture well on my phone. But I believe I have the same things in my tank. If so, they are actually a snail. Name begins with a v. I can get u the name later, but I bet someone posts it before I get a chance. Some have suggested super glue on the end of the tube.

[stiltman]

Disregard. Saw the pic. Not what I have. My bad.

[AGYDAL]

I had neomerisis (spelled it wrong I think, it's a calcium sucking pest of marine plant) and I bought a tuxedo urchin to try and combat it...it didn't really work, but the urchin is a very good little house keeper...I have tube worms like yours (though not as dense of a population) everywhere that my urchin doesn't fit, I don't think it eats them, I think it's more that the worms don't like the urchin passing over them so the worms set up shop elsewhere...like on the glass & I just scrape 'em off.

Just a warning about the tuxedo urchin...they eat coraline alage...personally, I like the look its little eating trails leave...I call it "camo" coraline :) since it's in varying levels of growth and color from the urchins munchies...it also picks up anything not superglued down and decorates itself with it so plan ahead if you try the urchin route... it amuses me to see what the urchin will pick up next, little thing has ant like strength when it comes to picking stuff up!

[reefnrod]

I love the little feather duster/tube worms. If you want to get rid of them get a sixline wrasse. the under side of my rocks in my DT was covered in them, and when i put a small sixline in my tank...well...he got much bigger. he did not stop eating them until thay were gone. Unless they are unsightly to you there is no need to get rid of them.

Jared