Tiny Tube worms

[Pickupman66]

Ok.. so since the move, the tank has really blossomed. corals are looking great and I plan on getting some new shots of it soon. I do have 1 thing that sorta concerns me. Tube worms. I have THOUSANDS OF THEM!!. they are very tiny with heads that are less than 1/4inch across when fanned out. they are very soft looking and more feathery than anything else (read goose down like). the tubes are white and can be very squiggly. they have really taken off since I removed a Singapore angelfish from the tank.

any idea on how to remove these? I dont think they are bad, but more just a bit unsightly. maybe a reef safe fish that would find them a delicacy?

 

[DMBillies]

I've heard coral banded butterflies destroy tube worms, but I've also heard that they can sometimes pick at corals and such. I know a few people in the club have them in their reefs with very few issues. Maybe they can chime in. Or maybe there is a better possibility that I don't know of. I personally let anything in my tank alone as long as it isn't doing anything else in the tank much harm, but that's just because I'm fascinated by the "weird" stuff...

 

[cee]

I find they always grow best where detritus deposition is high. A CBB will certainly make short order of them. There are alternatives to CBB; check out:
Marginalis Butterfly
Muelleri Butterfly
Not easy to come by, though.

Dave

 

[rcmike]

Well, I have had a couple of copperbands in my tank before and they never did much to the tube worms. I guess it depends on the fish.

 

[cee]

rcmike:

It truly is an unpredictable hobby, isn't it For both of my CBB, the tubeworms sustained them until they could acclimate to frozen food. I'm hoping my Muelleri will be hardier when it arrives, although there are a few worms for it to snack on.

Dave

 

[rcmike]

Unpredictable is an understatement! It can be downright aggrivating at times when a fish is supposed to do this but does the opposite. Or your doing everything the way you are supposed to and everything goes to crap anyway.

 

[loyalty]

i hate those tubeworms. i didn't know a shrimp would take eat them, i'll definitely pick one up over the weekend

 

[Pickupman66]

well,, I guess the boom in them could be caused by the stirup of stuff from the move. hopefully it will balance itself sometime soon. all the corals look incredible.