How to deal with this aquarium pest - soft feather duster

aquaticlog

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Apr 3, 2012
Messages
234
Reaction score
208
Location
Toronto
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I am seeing these "soft feather dusters" and/or other long creatures on the base of my coral plugs, they also like to dig in underneath the monti caps. Can someone suggest what could be done about them? I have a wrasse in each system but it does not appear to go after them.


IMG_1668.jpeg



IMG_1671.jpeg
 

homer1475

Figuring out the hobby one coral at a time.
View Badges
Joined
Apr 24, 2018
Messages
11,799
Reaction score
18,826
Location
Way upstate NY
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Vermetid snails. Dips do not kill them, powdered coral foods feed them.

Bumblebee snails are said to eat them, but leave the unsightly spirals. Only true way to get rid of them is to crush them, or glue the spiral shut so they cannot come out to feed and breed.
 
OP
OP
aquaticlog

aquaticlog

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Apr 3, 2012
Messages
234
Reaction score
208
Location
Toronto
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
If you dont want them you can brush/pick them off or see if they will come off in a dip (assuming you havent already dipped them)
I have been brushing them off which works remarkably well, but they come back a few weeks later with a vengeance.
 
OP
OP
aquaticlog

aquaticlog

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Apr 3, 2012
Messages
234
Reaction score
208
Location
Toronto
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Vermetid snails. Dips do not kill them, powdered coral foods feed them.

Bumblebee snails are said to eat them, but leave the unsightly spirals. Only true way to get rid of them is to crush them, or glue the spiral shut so they cannot come out to feed and breed.
I don't think that's what they are - they are soft and don't have a hard shell
 

KStatefan

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 24, 2015
Messages
4,147
Reaction score
4,019
Location
MHK
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I hope you find out how to get rid of them. I had some on a zoa frag and now they are everywhere. I dipped all income frags in Bayer and that did not eliminate it next time I am going to try Potassium Chloride.
 

Nburg's Reef

High-Rise Reefer
View Badges
Joined
Aug 16, 2017
Messages
1,622
Reaction score
1,864
Location
Washington, DC
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I had them for about a year in my sump frag tank. I think my wrasse ate any in my DT. They annoyed my zoas, so I had to clean them off frags every now and then... one day I just stopped noticing them. I think they might be one of those 'pests' that just dies out? or maybe some of my hermits took a liking to them.
 
OP
OP
aquaticlog

aquaticlog

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Apr 3, 2012
Messages
234
Reaction score
208
Location
Toronto
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I had them for about a year in my sump frag tank. I think my wrasse ate any in my DT. They annoyed my zoas, so I had to clean them off frags every now and then... one day I just stopped noticing them. I think they might be one of those 'pests' that just dies out? or maybe some of my hermits took a liking to them.
Do you recall which wrasse was it for you that took care of them?
 

Creating a strong bulwark: Did you consider floor support for your reef tank?

  • I put a major focus on floor support.

    Votes: 56 40.3%
  • I put minimal focus on floor support.

    Votes: 29 20.9%
  • I put no focus on floor support.

    Votes: 49 35.3%
  • Other.

    Votes: 5 3.6%
Back
Top