Tube worms with sticky strands

[bigevill1]

How do I get rid of them? What eats them? They are growing on everything including my corals. I was taking colonies out and super glueing the worm tubes shut, but that isnt stopping the invasion. What can I do. HELP!!!!!!!

 

[Superstretch18]

They're likely vermitid snails, not tube worms. This article should be helpful:

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-01/rs/index.php

 

[bigevill1]

Yeah I knew that they were snails. Not sure why I called them worms :lol: I will read.....

 

[bigevill1]

Ok, so it says that copper banded butterflies and some hermits eat them. Anybody have any experience with what kind of hermit will chow on them. They need to go......

 

[Superstretch18]

Just a summary; vermitid's are not typically harmful to other animals, even when they are around in large quantities. They usually only attach to bare rock or coral skeletons and don't have any stinging cells that will bother other animals. They can clog pumps and powerheads, drains, etc. though...

The article mentions some hermits helping to eat them, but I've personally never seen this. If I need to get rid of them, I usually just crush 'em...

 

[bigevill1]

well I have one growing right in the middle of my purple monti cap. Then I have ones at the base of some of my frags where the strands completely cover the frag and make it look like it is in a cocoon. Now the coral is still alive underneath, and I will blow the strands off with a baster, but I guess my only real option is to pull out all the rocks with them near the corals and cut them off and seal them up. Just seems like alot of work compared to getting something to eat them. I hate hermits.......