Live Rocks, looks like been invaded by spiders

[tahir69]

Can somebody explain to me, what has happen to my LR?its cover with what looks like a web?izzit harmuful?

[andysho]

spider? sounds like the spider in the lord of rings````

i have experience that before... dun think really harmfull

i just remove the live rocks and use a tooth brush to scrap it off... but be careful dun scrap away those live stuffs or your coraline algae as well

[dr evil]

it maybe spounge die off........normal during cycling.........

[Deep_Blue]

someone in this forum posted something like that in the past....

i managed to find the post... its here...

http://www.sgreefclub.com/forum/index.php?...hl=sea+cucumber

maybe same case, maybe not... but i hope this helps...

[tahir69]

eh..tanks DB, but the thing is tt mine tanks got nothing in it, still doing the cycling, but the web look a like isoredy covering my LR, maybe shud put in sea cucumber to clean it up..hehehe

[Cedric]

You get the spider web thingy from die-offs. If/when you take it out of the water to clean it off, get it a quick sniff, you'll know what I mean . . .

[tahir69]

izzit harmuful to the corals or fish, if stay inside?

[metals99]

is it crabs?? if it is crabs must remove..

[Cedric]

Yes, do remove it.

[Achilles Tang]

Have you actually seen these spiders.

Because even if sea spiders happen to enter your tank as hitchhikers (a rare event).... they do not spin webs at all.

Some worms or snails do spew mucus webs to trap plankton & detritus, which they reel in and digest with the web.

[tahir69]

i have seen the spider, but its so small, cannot be its becoz of their web, cover all the liverock, i saw this one small black crab also oredy been cover with the web.

[Achilles Tang]

I'm sorry but I really cannot understand what you are saying.

Can you write in proper english please?

Are you saying that its the spider? I'm telling you... sea spiders do not spin webs.

[CalciumReef]

just increase water circulation in the tank...try to blow a powerhead at the LRs and there should not be spiderweb anymore

[AquaRa]

lol, AT's getting fustrated.

[blacknails]

K I believe that the 'spider' you saw did not cause the 'web-like-thingy'...

The spider was probably some kinda crab you saw and should be removed!! (doubt its a sea spider... Even if it is I think it should be removed too) You can search for crab traps in this forum or use chopsticks or something...

The web-like-thingy should be due to die-offs or mucus spewed by your LS... They aren't really harmful but if they stay on the LR too long perhaps you should increase your water circulation...

That's my 2 cents worth.... Hope I helped...

[ben]

eerrr, sorry AT. but i remembered a documentary show that spiders do make webs in freshwater but it didnt say in saltwater. I believe they cant survive in saltwater, am I right?

[tahir69]

OK, sorry, AT, what i saw is a small spider, move forward not side ways, but its very small in size and they dont have shell like crab do, and i dont think the web is cause by the spider.its like transparent.

ok maybe i try to increase the water circulation to see..anyway thanks guys.

[Cedric]

There is at least one genus of ubiquitous bacteria that has been isolated from corals (Euphyllia species, Catalaphyllia jardinei, and zoanthids) that also causes, or is part of the consortium that causes diseases in wild corals. It is a species of Beggiatoa, and it is often visible as white filaments or webs, occasionally becoming like mats or paste as the colony increases in density. Beggiatoa are gliding filamentous bacteria that tend to form cottony colonies or mats at interfaces between aerobic and anaerobic zones in terrestrial, freshwater, and marine environments. They oxidize hydrogen sulfide produced in the anoxic zones, but can also grow heterotrophically using acetate as a carbon source and some can autotrophically use carbon dioxide. These microbes are found on sediment and substrate surfaces, including corals. They provide a valuable function in nutrient processing, and cannot be "eliminated." Being opportunistic coral pathogens to some species is unfortunate, but I am afraid it must be viewed in terms of the root factors that may have been involved in a coral becoming colonized and infected by Beggiatoa in the first place.

By Eric Borneman

[Cedric]

Based on the above information from Eric Borneman, it is likely you have dieoffs in an area with little flow and hence hydrogen sulfide is being produced and the pathogic bacteria was given a chance to grow and multiply there.

Have you tried taking it out of the water to take a sniff as I suggested?

[tahir69]

ok guys, yesterday when i came back home, found out that most of the web has gone but there's still some more which is quite thick, so i try to do water circulation around that area, so later when back home will only know what is the result. tks anyway.

[rickykoh8888]

Hmm,

I actually i am in the same shoes as you are . After cycling for 3 days there were also some spider like stuff on the LR . But i also found 2 pcs hairy green/grey crabs around 1cm across their body . I just left them alone . Are they harmless ? Or is it possible that certain types of crab do spin white stuff for keeping their food for future use ?