Invert on Live rock

[csquare77]

I have a question, on my live rock there are very small thin tubes that release a considerably long 'string' to gather food, any idea what they are?

 

[ccCapt]

Possibly vermetid snails.

 

[melosu58]

See if you see it here.

Xtalreef

 

[csquare77]

They are the VERMITID SNAILS what should I do about them? My tank is not 'infested' with them, but I don't want it to become a problem.

 

[roka64]

They are a good thing to have.

 

[csquare77]

Oh ok. Thanks for the info.

 

[melosu58]

Moving this to the ID forum.

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

Agree with roka... they only thing bad about them is when you rip your finger open on those hard little tubes. *&$^#% !

 

[lance]

They can bother coral and multiply fast. Some say with caution some say pest. IMO in a reef tank its all about the coral and they will catch food that could be used by the coral. Heres a great read. GL..

Snails That Worm Their Way Into Tanks by Ronald L. Shimek, Ph.D. - Reefkeeping.com

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

Good article lance. Hadn't seen one devoted just to vermitids before.

Quoting from the article...

It is unlikely that even a large number of vermetids is directly deleterious to any other aquarium life.

Just wanted to point that out in case the original poster thought they needed to rid their tank of the buggers. But obviously, to each their own.