How do I get rid of these

Aquamechanic · 07/14/2019, 07:08 PM

I have an invasion of small nautilus shaped clams(??) that have gradually taken over my substrate. I haven't noticed them effecting the corals however it seems they are filtering my water to near zero when I test for NO3 and PO4.

They showed up about a year ago and have now completely invaded the substrate. Looking to find a natural way to get rid of them. Could change substrate but that would only provide a temporary solution most likely.

Thoughts?

I have a picture but I can't seem to attach it

Crooked Reef · 07/14/2019, 07:56 PM

How big? Possible a melanuras wrasse.

2000se · 07/15/2019, 05:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aquamechanic

I have a picture but I can't seem to attach it

Try resizing it. It's probably too big for the site to accept.

OrionN · 07/15/2019, 05:24 AM

They are just free living fauna of your tank. I would leave them alone. They are grazer. Baby snails are great food for wrasses and angels and other fishes that hunt the surface. I have so many predators (of these fauna) in my tank, they keep them in check and is a great source of food for them.
With these you can keep a lot of the hard to keep wrasses, like Leopard wrasse, other people cannot keep.

Aquamechanic · 07/15/2019, 06:38 AM

I made a thread in the past with a few replies.
I was told perhaps they are Benthic foraminifera (which still means nothing to me)

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=2692115
What eats them? Wrasse?
I have so many in the substrate that it is brown like a layer of algae. After mixing it up they are all at the surface again in 24 hours

Thanks

OrionN · 07/15/2019, 06:50 AM

Larger wrasses eat various Fauna in the rock and sand bed. My Harlequin Tusk wipe out a thriving population of small snails and Stomatella snails in my tank after a few weeks. He also eat small Chiton population I have in my tank. These Chiton are pink and white only grow to about 1/4 inch.
HT are large wrasse and require a large tank. My Melanurus also active hunter of benthic fauna and should eat these. This is a much smaller wrasse then the Tusk

Aquamechanic · 07/15/2019, 08:44 PM

Thank-you for the replies

Would the Melanurus Wrasse be a problem for my Manderine ? He is well established in a 200 gallon largely occupied by live rock.

I will post a few more recent pictures of these invaders in a few days.

Can anyone offer more on what they are?

OrionN · 07/15/2019, 09:30 PM

Well run 200 gal tank that never been treated with medication should have plenty of fauna for a few wrasse and a pair of Mandarin.

07/14/2019, 07:08 PM	#1
Aquamechanic Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Posts: 70	How do I get rid of these I have an invasion of small nautilus shaped clams(??) that have gradually taken over my substrate. I haven't noticed them effecting the corals however it seems they are filtering my water to near zero when I test for NO3 and PO4. They showed up about a year ago and have now completely invaded the substrate. Looking to find a natural way to get rid of them. Could change substrate but that would only provide a temporary solution most likely. Thoughts? I have a picture but I can't seem to attach it

07/14/2019, 07:56 PM	#2
Crooked Reef Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Posts: 1,765	How big? Possible a melanuras wrasse. __________________ “In wine there is wisdom; in beer there is freedom, in water there is bacteria.” - Benjamin Franklin Current Tank Info: 90 gallon reef. Biocube 29 lionfish tank. Mantis tank.

07/15/2019, 05:24 AM	#4
OrionN Moved on Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Coastal Texas Posts: 16,000	They are just free living fauna of your tank. I would leave them alone. They are grazer. Baby snails are great food for wrasses and angels and other fishes that hunt the surface. I have so many predators (of these fauna) in my tank, they keep them in check and is a great source of food for them. With these you can keep a lot of the hard to keep wrasses, like Leopard wrasse, other people cannot keep. __________________ Minh My homepage is my album here at Reef Central Current Tank Info: Reboot 320 anemones reef. Angels: Yellow Chest Regal(2), Flame (2). Copperband But. Tangs: Yellow, Purple. Wrasse: about 20 wrasses various species. Anemones: Giantea X4 (Breen, Blue, Purple and Multicolors), Haddoni X1 Red, Magnifica X1 Purpletip

07/15/2019, 06:38 AM	#5
Aquamechanic Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Posts: 70	Benthic foraminifera? I made a thread in the past with a few replies. I was told perhaps they are Benthic foraminifera (which still means nothing to me) http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=2692115 What eats them? Wrasse? I have so many in the substrate that it is brown like a layer of algae. After mixing it up they are all at the surface again in 24 hours Thanks Last edited by Aquamechanic; 07/15/2019 at 06:43 AM.

07/15/2019, 06:50 AM	#6
OrionN Moved on Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Coastal Texas Posts: 16,000	Larger wrasses eat various Fauna in the rock and sand bed. My Harlequin Tusk wipe out a thriving population of small snails and Stomatella snails in my tank after a few weeks. He also eat small Chiton population I have in my tank. These Chiton are pink and white only grow to about 1/4 inch. HT are large wrasse and require a large tank. My Melanurus also active hunter of benthic fauna and should eat these. This is a much smaller wrasse then the Tusk __________________ Minh My homepage is my album here at Reef Central Current Tank Info: Reboot 320 anemones reef. Angels: Yellow Chest Regal(2), Flame (2). Copperband But. Tangs: Yellow, Purple. Wrasse: about 20 wrasses various species. Anemones: Giantea X4 (Breen, Blue, Purple and Multicolors), Haddoni X1 Red, Magnifica X1 Purpletip

07/15/2019, 08:44 PM	#7
Aquamechanic Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Posts: 70	Thank-you for the replies Would the Melanurus Wrasse be a problem for my Manderine ? He is well established in a 200 gallon largely occupied by live rock. I will post a few more recent pictures of these invaders in a few days. Can anyone offer more on what they are?

07/15/2019, 09:30 PM	#8
OrionN Moved on Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Coastal Texas Posts: 16,000	Well run 200 gal tank that never been treated with medication should have plenty of fauna for a few wrasse and a pair of Mandarin. __________________ Minh My homepage is my album here at Reef Central Current Tank Info: Reboot 320 anemones reef. Angels: Yellow Chest Regal(2), Flame (2). Copperband But. Tangs: Yellow, Purple. Wrasse: about 20 wrasses various species. Anemones: Giantea X4 (Breen, Blue, Purple and Multicolors), Haddoni X1 Red, Magnifica X1 Purpletip