What is this???

[KLehman72]

I have a friend who is getting out of the hobby... He's giving away his live rock but it has these white things ALL over! Don't know if I want them now...HELP

[Esoteric Backbone]

They look to be some kind of worm, maybe a parasite? Idk?

[KLehman72]

Yeah, I really need to ID them before I do anything...I've searched online looking at various hitchhikers and have come up empty.

[melosu58]

Are they hard or soft? Are they worms or tubes? I have small feather duster tubes that look likw that. If that`s what they are then they are good to go.

[mr_X]

i'm betting they are hard tubes and if so they are just fan worms. no problem. all "old" rock from well established tanks will have these towards the sand bed.

[KLehman72]

They are hard and do appear to be tubes. They are rather unsightly in their current form...will they evolve to something else? Should I leave them or clean them off? They are even in his intake tube in the tank.

[mr_X]

well, they are living creatures that live their lives in that one spot they construct that tube at. cleaning them off will kill them. they will always look like that, but lighting that rock will cause other things to grow over them. coralline algae and such will take away from the ugly look. it's up to you.

[David S]

Keep em, they are another good filter feeder to have in your tank.If you clean them off more will grow any how