What is this?! It's taken over!

[daman6052]

Hello Fellow Reefers,

I don't know what these things are, but they have slowly started taking over my tank....from the sand and now they are all over my rocks. It seems like they are preventing the coral from growing too. They produce this red slime looking stuff, but it doesn't appear to be the dreaded slime algae. It's like red strings of crap that make the tank look terrible. First, if anybody knows what this is I would be most grateful to know. Second, is there a way to get rid of them? Or buy something that eats them, lol? They seem to be growing over everything and anything. Thanks in advance. Also, these other parts of them have a white stringy looking part to them too. Weird.

[mcgyvr]

Those are spionid worms and are harmless detritus filter feeders..
You can manually just remove them if you want..
Scoop them right up or just grab the tube down low and remove..
But you can also leave them as they aren't doing any harm and are providing a benefit by consuming detritus,etc....

Their "2 tentacles" can sometimes touch a coral and cause its polyps to retract but thats just natural and not a problem or harm that the worm is causing..

Looks like that might be a bit of cyano in the tank which is pretty common for a new tank.
Seems its on the glass of pic 2 and they are just pulling it off or whatever and not "puking" it..

Also an asterina star fish in pic 2 on the glass.. mostly regarded as harmless but some have said they can bother zoas,etc...

Oh and bookmark this for your future reference..
It has most of the common "critters" in our tanks that show up.
http://www.lionfishlair.com/hitchhikers-guide/

[daman6052]

There was another picture I wanted to show you. After Googling the type of worm you just told me, I came across vermetids. I think I might have some of this going on too because it's like they secrete some kind of mucus or something. When I clean the walls of my fish tank all of these things come out of the woodwork. But they produce like a 'film' over the rocks and whatnot and if I clean it during a water change it's back in a day

[daman6052]

I know this is really hard to see, But this red string that is somehow anchored on the glass by something is part of what is taking over too. I've never seen cyanobacteria do that before. But if that's what you telling me it is I'll take your word for it. This is part of the junk everywhere. Ideas?

[mcgyvr]

Post #3 picture is cyano for sure..
vermetid snails do secrete a mucus string/net to catch particulates but don't have the 2 long protruding tentacles like spionid worms.. For the most part they are harmless too..

welcome to a new tank and ugly stage #3 (cyano).. Its normal and should pass on its own..
I usually just siphon it up as best I can during water changes..

[daman6052]

Much appreciated sir, thank you for your help with this.