webs that come out at night???

[michaeltwana]

I have thes worms, I think, of some kind that send out these long up--to 15 inches or so--web like strands only at night or when the moonlights are on. What are these things? and what should I do? should I be concerned??

it only happens on my leathers too...

thanks as usual

michael

[lvreefer]

Sounds like a common form of Platyctene ctenophores (comb jelly). They are a common hitchhiker on leathers and star fish. They shouldn't cause any problems. You could always manually remove them if you feel like fragging your coral.

[Nagel]

Sounds more like a Vermetid snail..

The webs are to catch food, they are generally harmless and add to the diversity of your tank. If you think the nets are unsightly you could remove it. but it really isn't bad for the tank.

When you say it only happens on your leathers, do you mean the rocks around them, or thje leathers polyps? I cant imagine polyps being that long though. I'm guessing you have vermetids though..

[drummereef]

I'd agree with vermetid snails. http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-01/rs/index.php

[Grit]

I think I know what you are talking about. I have seen them on my leathers. My guess was ctenophores. They had feathery webs like in this link.
http://www.seaslugforum.net/display.cfm?id=16910

[fraggin]

i agree with grit, i had these on a leather too, manually removed them after lights out with a flashlight and tweezers, they stick to the leather pretty tight and seem to almost desintagrate when pulling them out

[jbittner]

How big are these things?? If this is what they are i must have a million of these. I get webs coming off most of my softies at night, sometimes during the day. On my umbrella leathers, they appear to come out of the polyp pores. But they do have the same feathery shape as the ones in the pics linked above (but I have never seen the "animal" they come from). do tyey have any negitive effect on the corals?? I have seen these for at least 5 yrs in my tank.

[Grit]

Jbittner, Mine were exactly as you described, stretching about 8-12”. But I only saw them coming from my leathers. Never say the animal. My tank became contaminated when a heater exploded and they were some of the things that didn’t make it. Leathers I have purchased since do not have them. I don’t think they are harmful.

[lvreefer]

Originally posted by drummereef
I'd agree with vermetid snails. http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-01/rs/index.php

These guys do not host in soft tissue/corals. They will appear and live on any hard surface though, rocks, glass, SPS, ect.

[Nagel]

Originally posted by lvreefer
These guys do not host in soft tissue/corals. They will appear and live on any hard surface though, rocks, glass, SPS, ect.

I've gotten soft corals that have grown around them, making the vermetid snail appear as though it bored into the leather.

A picture from the thread starter would really help..