Advice Micromussa Lord (with Vermetid snail infestation?)

[SelectedByNature]

Just looking for some advice and/or an ID on the hitchhikers on an Acan (Micromussa) colony that I recently acquired.

 

I got it about two weeks ago and it looks otherwise healthy but there are numerous tube worm type things on it and some dead polyps. There are also these tubes coming right through some of the polyps...

 

My LFS guy (based on my description) said that it could be Vermetid snails. I just want to confirm because I haven't seen any of the mucus that is supposed to accompany them.

 

The fan part of the tube has maybe 4-6 spindles that come out to catch detritus, they are pretty widely spaced and almost metallic looking, prismatic colors eninate when you focus on it and move a bit.

 

I'm not sure if I should just remove this piece entirely, not worry about it, or attempt to eradicate them somehow.

 

Thanks.

[RayWhisperer]

Well, if you see a crown, it's not a vermatid. It's either some other type of tube worm, or hydroids. I can't tell from the pics what they are. My guess is tube worms, as hydroids growing sparsely between polyps doesnt match typical hydroid growth patterns. If they are indeed tube worms, there isn't anything to worry about. The coral will continue to grow just fine.

[SelectedByNature]

25 minutes ago, RayWhisperer said:

Well, if you see a crown, it's not a vermatid. It's either some other type of tube worm, or hydroids. I can't tell from the pics what they are. My guess is tube worms, as hydroids growing sparsely between polyps doesnt match typical hydroid growth patterns. If they are indeed tube worms, there isn't anything to worry about. The coral will continue to grow just fine.

Oh really? Well that's exciting news. I mean one of the tubes in the pic is going right through the polyp so it's concerning haha.

 

Vermetid snails definitely don't have any crown of any kind? These things definitely do. Not feathery at all in appearance but like 5-6 hard tentacles coming out of the tube that retract super slowly if touched...

 

Thanks for the reply!!!

[RayWhisperer]

Slow retraction when touched doesnt sound like any worm. 

 

From your description I would guess some type of Serpulidae worm. They will have a hard tube. Or, if it has a soft tube, it might be some type of Sabelledae, like a spinoid worm. However, as far as I know, all of these worms react fast to external stimulus.  The slow moving really has me wondering. 

 

vermatid snails have no crown. They cast out a mucous net and consume it along with any debris captured in it.

[RayWhisperer]

Ok. Why is my font changing size? I copypasta Serpulidae because my attempt at spelling it on my own was horrendous. I didnt think it would change the font for ther whole post.

[DreC80]

I would leave them be, unless it seems to be bothering the coral.  If so, you could always try putting a dab of super glue on the end of the tubes.

[SelectedByNature]

33 minutes ago, RayWhisperer said:

Slow retraction when touched doesnt sound like any worm. 

 

From your description I would guess some type of Serpulidae worm. They will have a hard tube. Or, if it has a soft tube, it might be some type of Sabelledae, like a spinoid worm. However, as far as I know, all of these worms react fast to external stimulus.  The slow moving really has me wondering. 

 

vermatid snails have no crown. They cast out a mucous net and consume it along with any debris captured in it.

Hmm yeah I definitely haven't seen any mucus or anything but the shells/tubes are super hard and some do look like some pics of Vermetids I've seen but not the crown/mucus etc.

 

Yeah I mean they definitely do retract but not quickly. They don't dart into the tune or anything. At first if I touch the tentacles they don't move much and if you press against them they will go in as you press kinda.

27 minutes ago, DreC80 said:

I would leave them be, unless it seems to be bothering the coral.  If so, you could always try putting a dab of super glue on the end of the tubes.

I haven't had it very long so I haven't seen particular harm yet. But I'm concerned as to what they are and want to attempt to address the issue (if it is an issue) before it becomes plague.

 

I tried the super glue thing and one the tubes I could get at it didn't seem to take. On the smaller ones they are near pinhole size and basically on the coral so...

[SelectedByNature]

I took some pics just now after the lights were off with the flashlight.

[RayWhisperer]

Yup definitely some type of Serpulidae worm. Completely harmless, they will live where they are, and the coral will grow around them.

[SelectedByNature]

2 minutes ago, RayWhisperer said:

Yup definitely some type of Serpulidae worm. Completely harmless, they will live where they are, and the coral will grow around them.

Thank you very much Ray.

 

Merry Christmas 🙂