Vermetid Worm Outbreak (Tube Worms) - How do I get rid of them? Why do they only seem to Like Monipo

[fletch999]

I stab them with a little screw driver, you can see them go into there tube and then stab them. I have had no effects, except sometimes I would knock a rock over.

 

[slapshot]

Couldn't they just Burrow out the Back and form a New Tube and then it stars all over again?

Nope I guess not. They have not yet

 

[cginter]

I have a problem with these guys as well. They are depleting my zoas with their webs. I have to manually remove them with a knife when I can. Might have to get a yellow coris to try that out

 

[that Reef Guy]

I have a problem with these guys as well. They are depleting my zoas with their webs. I have to manually remove them with a knife when I can. Might have to get a yellow coris to try that out

Will a Six Line Wrasse kill them?

 

[that Reef Guy]

Just like you, I used to fret about them. I posted on at least 3 forums, got a ton of well meaning advice, and drove myself crazy trying them all. Once they get into the tank, you cannot get rid of them. There is no predator reliable enough to get rid of them completely. I've left them alone since then, and have had no problems with them the last 3 years.

Here's a few things I've found out. One, they do not harm coral nor impede their growth. Two, encrusting coral will encrust right over them, even monti cap. Three, as the tank matures, they will recede into the darker recesses of the rock where you either cannot see them or the coral will catch your eye first. In fact, I think they stabilize my rockwork by anchoring them together!!

So, my advise: leave them alone, don't drive yourself crazy, just concentrate on your coral management and they will recede into places you don't care about.

I have always had a few with no problems but now they are popping up in all my Montipora and to Plague Levels.

After having them for years with no real problem why am I getting so many all of a sudden.

I probably have 75 of them on my Filter Tube Alone now.

 

[ritter6788]

I haven't found a real answer for them either. I can't manually remove them all, tried Aiptasia X, can't remove rocks to superglue the holes shut, epoxied a bunch shut but I can't reach them all and they grow right back, Copperband butterfly seemed to keep them in the tube but didn't eat them. I've just been living with them but I'd like to get rid of them for good.

 

[H2O]

I crush them with bone cutters then the coris wrasse eats them ones she shell is broken ,I kill em when I see them they get big and then ones they cover the coral with that slime it will kill it over time because the polyps won't catch any food. I doubt there's a fish that can pull them out from the tube butterflys pick on them but won't kill it . Epoxy works good u just need enough to shut the opening and they won't get out because there is no other exit in their shell . I think when they release that slime thats how they spread or multipy

 

[cginter]

Will a Six Line Wrasse kill them?

Nope, I have a six line in my tank and he doesn't even bother to look at them.

 

[Heathd]

If I can remove the piece theyre on, ill use superglue to enclose the opening. Otherwise, I turn of my pumps and oowerheads and cover them in kalk paste. The paste will harden up if left undistrubed after 30 to 45 minutes. Since they feed on particles, using a filtersock (if you dont already) will help cut down on available food.

 

[that Reef Guy]

Has anybody tried Aiptasia-X on them?

 

[ritter6788]

Has anybody tried Aiptasia-X on them?

I have. I tested it out on one in a nano tank I used to have. It actually worked, I thought. The tube was empty so I figured it worked.

I tried it on a bunch in my 75 and it didn't kill a one. Not sure why the first one worked but not the rest. I though length of time had something to do with it so I tried again and left the pumps off for a long time. Didn't work.

 

[creefer]

I agree with TJ on the radiant wrasse. Can't comment on the yellow coris because I've never had one but understanding that they are very similar to the radiant, it makes sense. I was on the brink of an outbreak about a year ago. To combat it, I removed the rocks that were most infected during a WC. I used the removed water to keep the rocks wet and scraped the vermatids off the rock. I replaced the rock and removed what I could from other LR that could not be removed. Within a few weeks, I never saw another one. Right now, I'm happy to say that the only issue I have is the little feather dusters.

 

[JMSKI333]

Just pop them with some hemostats. They are harmless for the most part. I have a bunch in my system.

 

[jcollinsks]

I know a ton of people have already said it, but I had the same problem... I got a juvenile corris wrasse and they were gone in 2 weeks!

 

[Swine]

^hmmmm very tempting.. But then my corris wrasse might starve. I also like my cleaner and peppermint shrimp. The peppermint keeps the aptaisia nonexistant and the cleaner gets the dead skin off my hand

Also not sure how it would like my sand bed.. more like 1.5-2"

How deep is your SB?

 

[EW_Fish]

I use tweezers to crush them. Once I "thought" I got them all they always pop back up. I stopped worrying about them the ones that bother my zoas I will crush them but other then that I heard heavy feeding will keep them around but if they have nothing to feed on then they can't live. I'm not 100% on that though just heard/read it

 

[Swine]

Yeah but then I can't feed my coral. Or my fish... Haha. I just think the look really ugly. If they start messing with stuff I end getting rid of them one way or another.

 

[EW_Fish]

Yeah but then I can't feed my coral. Or my fish... Haha. I just think the look really ugly. If they start messing with stuff I end getting rid of them one way or another.

I know I'm in the same boat lol

 

[Swine]

Humans, way too shallow to have a reef tank. Lol

 

[jcollinsks]

^hmmmm very tempting.. But then my corris wrasse might starve. I also like my cleaner and peppermint shrimp. The peppermint keeps the aptaisia nonexistant and the cleaner gets the dead skin off my hand

Also not sure how it would like my sand bed.. more like 1.5-2"

How deep is your SB?

My SB is about 2.5-3" but the wrasse eats really anything that I put in the tank food wise, and is constantly picking at stuff in the sand.