Bugs? Worms / weird alien? Need help ASAP!!!

[nightmarepl]

hey so i decided to lift up some rocks and look around my tank today noticed some weird stuff going on first i all my rocks even my filter has been getting these weird red spikes all over i ripped one off was hallow on the inside like a tube? Second My monti cap had a weird hard rock like tube on its side and black holes all over decided to look closer found a black worm so i ripped it off the plug it smelled like dead fish or something 1 each black worm inside like a tube under the cap also had a small green egg of some short

Third some star fish looking creature on one of my rocks i ripped it off took it out i took a bunch of pictures for y’all please help me figure out what this **** is my hammer coral is even growing these spikes on it what the heck is it

 

[ndrwater]

Asternia sp. starfish. Some say good, some say bad. Neither IMO. They can reproduce quickly, but are usually harmless

 

[nightmarepl]

Asternia sp. starfish. Some say good, some say bad. Neither IMO. They can reproduce quickly, but are usually harmless

any idea what those red tubes / spikes on my rocks are?

 

[Isleofzoa]

The starfish is asterina there are mixed reviews about this starfish online. they are a common hitchhiker and multiply like crazy. basically they can be invasive. Some people like them because the consider them as one of the clean up crew. If your tank gets over run with them you can get a harlequin shrimp. Only downfall to getting that shrimp is that is all that it eats and as the population of the asterina becomes zero, the harlequin will starve. As for the spikey things, I am curious myself as to what they could be. I have them on my rocks.

 

[ndrwater]

The spikes look like either feather duster, or possibly a type of Vermatid snail.

 

[nightmarepl]

The starfish is asterina there are mixed reviews about this starfish online. they are a common hitchhiker and multiply like crazy. basically they can be invasive. Some people like them because the consider them as one of the clean up crew. If your tank gets over run with them you can get a harlequin shrimp. Only downfall to getting that shrimp is that is all that it eats and as the population of the asterina becomes zero, the harlequin will starve. As for the spikey things, I am curious myself as to what they could be. I have them on my rocks.

yah the star fish i only found one im worried about the black worm that eating my monti cap and the spikes mostly

 

[nightmarepl]

The spikes look like either feather duster, or possibly a type of Vermatid snail.

isnt a feather dusters tube thing on the softer side this thing is like rock solid

 

[Isleofzoa]

any idea what those red tubes / spikes on my rocks are?

google vermetid snail

 

[nightmarepl]

google vermetid snail

yup just googled it tried ripping one off looks like the snail i have it growing everywhere whats the best way to kill them

 

[seitzjh]

I have some of those on the rocks too. My local marine biologist told me it was a tube worm. I don't remember the exact name he used.

 

[Scotty Buttons]

They are Vermetid snails for sure, I have a million of them and they don't bother anything. But you can physically break them off of the rock or cover the end of the tube with a drop of super glue, but most likely you will never get them all.

 

[saltyhog]

Agree they are vermitid snails. Don't bother anything in my tank. Their numbers increase with available food. Are your nutrients high?

 

[ZoWhat]

Why do you need help ASAP? Are they eating your face off or smthg?

 

[nightmarepl]

Agree they are vermitid snails. Don't bother anything in my tank. Their numbers increase with available food. Are your nutrients high?

well i feed daily so im guessing pretty high i heard bumble bee snails eat them ?

 

[saltyhog]

I don't know of any predator that effectively eats them. Bumble bee snails are very short lived in reef aquaria. I would avoid them.

 

[nightmarepl]

I don't know of any predator that effectively eats them. Bumble bee snails are very short lived in reef aquaria. I would avoid them.

what you know short lived? people say if they dont get food eventually theyll attack the Vermetid snails i mean its worth a try they die they die no?

 

[Scotty Buttons]

The only time the snails come out is when there is detritus in the water column, that's the only time the snail would be vulnerable, and even then the actually snail is still inside the tube it has just cast out its "web" to catch food. So even during this time I think it's nearly impossible for something to get to the actually snail to remove it, you can remove the "web" but the snail will still live.

 

[nightmarepl]

The only time the snails come out is when there is detritus in the water column, that's the only time the snail would be vulnerable, and even then the actually snail is still inside the tube it has just cast out its "web" to catch food. So even during this time I think it's nearly impossible for something to get to the actually snail to remove it, you can remove the "web" but the snail will still live.

so really no way of getting rid of them huh this sucks

 

[Oldreefer44]

In my experience, the Vermatid snails can harm corals if their "feeding web" comes in contact with the coral polyps. I consider them a pest and regularly 'prune" them back with pliers.

 

[DSC reef]

Why do you need help ASAP? Are they eating your face off or smthg?

That's helpful