Spionid/Chaetopterid worms - MUST KILL

[jared2]

As written about in this edition of ReefKeeping Journal:

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-05/rs/index.php

My tank has been infested for the last 3 years with the "Worms With Two Tentacles" found 2/3rds of the way down the article. I have tried everything I could think of to get rid of them.

I have emptied the entire tank, flushed the entire system with fresh water, soaked the rocks with fresh water, let them sit in fresh for 3 days, thrown away all my sand, and physically gone in and tried to squish as many as possible.

I know that they are not supposed to be of harm to the tank when in small numbers, but they periodically burst in population density blanketing rock and animals with their cement-like tubules. They are also quite disgusting and ugly to look at.

I would greatly appreciate any help or guidance anyone may have in eliminating them. I have not been able to find any remedies online.

PLEASE HELP. Thank you.

 

[LeslieH]

Cement-like tubes? That sounds a whole lot more like vermetid snails. Take a look at Chuck Raabe's hitchhiker page on molluscs:
http://home2.pacific.net.ph/~sweetyummy42/Hitchsnails.html or this image:
http://forum.marinedepot.com/Attachment599.aspx

Sounds like you've pretty much tried everything that won't poison the other inhabitants of the tank. I'm afraid that vermetids are just too common on live rock to avoid and are likely to come in on any fresh additions to your tank. Sorry......

 

[jared2]

Leslie,

Thank you so much for the speedy reply, but I am 99% sure that they are the worms that I mentioned. I have done fairly extensive research and looked at many identifying pictures. They also do not have shells as the article you posted from Dr. Shimek described.

I have pulled many of them off of rocks and they are definitely short worms. I have rubbed away the sand and the worm is left exposed. They always have at least two tentacles protruding from their shafts, but there is no other body structure aside from the worm.

It sounds like you're very knowledgeable about worms so I'd greatly appreciate any other input you have.

Thank you very much.

 

[LeslieH]

The word cement threw me. Sandy tubes make much more sense for chaetopterids and spionids.

Unfortunately, I can't think of anything you haven't already tried. In fact, I'm completely amazed at the persistence of these worms after everything you've done to get rid of them. 3 days in fresh water should be enough to kill any polychaete! If you want to send me some I can id them but that still won't help you get rid of them.

Sorry again.....

 

[jared2]

Can anyone help with killing these things?

 

[dc]

Just keep knocking them off. I use tongs, or forceps to remove stuff I don't like. Generally we have critters that eat them and they die out. I think butterfly's eat these. Then you have to worry about what else they will eat. Sometimes the cure is almost as bad as the plague.

 

[jared2]

I also notice that when the worms get agitated, they secrete disgusting long threads of mucous.

Aside from cutting their tongues, does anyone have any other suggestions? Any medication?

 

[venwu225]

they are beneficial animals...leave them be.

 

[jared2]

they are not beneficial when there are thousands of them and they take over the rocks.

 

[LeslieH]

Long threads of mucus? Spionids & small chaetopterids don't do that so you've got me thinking vermetids again!

 

[Ryanqk]

How about filling the tank with molten lava? I hear that kills them!
lol

 

[ophiuroid]

Well, it is an obvious question but....

How much and how often do you feed?

These animals obviously need to eat. And if you have an abundant population, then you are feeding them. I have loads of spionids, and thank goodness for them. I feed my tank very heavily, and so, I have a very "healthy" population of various scavenging type critters.

You can try all you will to kill them, but if you keep up the nutrient load, you can just repopulate the tank quickly. So it is one thing that I would suggest you investigate as a possible issue.

 

[jared2]

Thank you guys. I guess I will have to live and let live! As much as I hate the little f*ckers, it sounds like they are doing a good thing for the tank, even if they are taking over everything. Maybe some stinging anemones will help. ;-)

 

[ophiuroid]

Seriously, I would really address how you are feeding the tank. If they don't have food, they can't survive in those numbers. Might be the solution!

 

[Sk8r]

A butterfly fish might get them, but then it might become its own problem.

 

[jared2]

I feed the tank once per day, one cube of frozen brine, and a tiny bit of flake food. I have two striped cleaner fish, one medium sized clown, and a large clown sweet lips. I also have about 25 crabs, 4 snails left, and two brittle stars. I didn't think that was too much food. thoughts.

 

[jared2]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8044884#post8044884 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by LeslieH
Long threads of mucus? Spionids & small chaetopterids don't do that so you've got me thinking vermetids again!

 

[jared2]

Unfortunately, the picture's quality had to be reduced greatly to upload them. I will try to take a higher quality picture of just the worms.

 

[drummereef]

Dudes - you don't have worms, i do. Just thought this pic would make all of you feel MUCH better. I'm in the process of manually removing them. Sucks!

 

[jared2]

Wow...what on earth are those...that has to suck. I assume they're all over everything?