Tiny Tubeworms trying to take over the tank

[sooz]

Our 150 gallon reef tank is super healthy, but several months ago we noticed the appearance of some teeny tiny tube worms. At least that is what they look like. Long tubes running along the rock and itsy bitsy feather duster tops. "How cute!" we exclaimed, and they are! Trouble is, that rock is now completely covered in them, and they are starting to spread to the rest of the tank. I think they are trying to take over!
Any suggestions on how to curb the growth of these guys, or does this call for manual removal?
Pic attached - not the best pic but you can see that the rock is completely covered with them.

 

[ryan80]

Wow. I had a problem with vermetids about taking over my tank. I bought a little six-line wrasse and he cleaned them all out--haven't seen one in months. Unfortunately I had to get rid of the wrasse because he turned out to be a holy terror and chased and nipped my clownfish and firefish to death. These worms look like they are pretty big, however, so I am not sure a little wrasse could take them out.

 

[spanko]

They are filter feeders and will wax and wane with available nutrient in the water column. Would like to see a close up though to verify feather dusters.

 

[sooz]

I'll try to take a closer pic. They do have feathery tops, but I have never seen them retract them like our big tubeworms do.
We have a 6-line wrasse, and an 8-line wrasse, but neither have shown an interest on snacking on these!

 

[t316]

I have 2 sixlines and they have never touched mine either. I finally just hit the whole colony with a coating of kalkwasser (pickling lime). It knocked out a lot of them, but not all. They are back under control, but I'm still left with hundreds of tiny white empty tubes that they abandoned.

 

[natclanwy]

If they are rapidly spreading it could be a sign that you are feeding too much especially if you are using foods like cyclopeeze or reef plankton to feed corals. They will generally regulate themselves based on the amount of available food.

 

[flower]

Originally Posted by sooz
http:///forum/post/2978542
Our 150 gallon reef tank is super healthy, but several months ago we noticed the appearance of some teeny tiny tube worms. At least that is what they look like. Long tubes running along the rock and itsy bitsy feather duster tops. "How cute!" we exclaimed, and they are! Trouble is, that rock is now completely covered in them, and they are starting to spread to the rest of the tank. I think they are trying to take over!
Any suggestions on how to curb the growth of these guys, or does this call for manual removal?
Pic attached - not the best pic but you can see that the rock is completely covered with them.

I am no expert... However all my little feather dusters look sort of like little snow flakes. They retract just like the big ones. Those just don't look like feather dusters to me.
Try hard to get a close up picture ASAP, just in case it is a bad thing. So Henry can get a look. he is the expert, lots of experiance.

 

[bs21]

look like dusters to me. I have some with exceptioanally long tubes for the size. Also remember seeing a similar pic a couple years back that was a huge mass of little dusters.

 

[natclanwy]

I agree they are definetly minature feather dusters, I have a rock in my tank that looks identical.
Here's an old pic that shows them in the background

 

[t316]

Originally Posted by natclanwy
http:///forum/post/2997312
I agree they are definetly minature feather dusters, I have a rock in my tank that looks identical.
Here's an old pic that shows them in the background

I disagree with this diagnosis. The OP's pic is a little tough to see, but I can see enough to relate to what I had. It's not the same thing as this pic with the mini-feather dusters. Yes, they look similar individually, but they are much more concentrated and just take over. I remember looking them up before in the archives (can't find it now) and it was definately not desirable. They had a specific name for them, but it was not feather dusters.

 

[natclanwy]

You could be right, this pic is old and didn't realize it but I don't have many of these dusters left, the ones I have now have a calcified tube and look much closer to OP's pic rather than the sandy tube like the dusters in the pic I posted. Didn't notice they were different until I posted this pic and was looking at my tank. I'll see if I can get a pic tommorrow when my lights are on of the ones I have now.
We won't know for sure until the OP gives us a larger pic or confirms it with my pic.

 

[bs21]

well again I will say they are definately little feather dusters. The tubes look to be exactly the same to me in the pics posted and the ones in my tank.
I searched Archives and found a pic of hydroids that was somewhat similar which in large numbers are bad because of sting and have a feathery sort of top but i think they are to short to be this.

 

[sooz]

Originally Posted by natclanwy
http:///forum/post/2997312
I agree they are definetly minature feather dusters, I have a rock in my tank that looks identical.
Here's an old pic that shows them in the background

BINGO!! - that is EXACTLY what they look like!!!!! And some of them have tubes 6 inches long or even longer.
(sorry so slow to reply, I can't get online every day)