Vermetid sp. On my Hammer Coral???

Picked up a nice multi head frag at my LFS the other day and say this hard tube shape on one of the shafts. Looked closer once the coral was set in place and noticed it looks like a worm with two tenticals and a mouth spewing slime about 5-6" and then retracting into it's mouth consuming whatever is on the slime. Pretty neat but creepy and it's sliming up my Hammer coral. Was wondering if the slime is toxic or dangerous in any way and if it is going to "steal" nutrients from my Hammer, although I guess its filter feeding and Hammer corals photosynthesis. At any rate I already cut the shaft and moved the new smaller hammer frag to a different part of my tank where the water flow brings the "Vermetid's" slime trail out and away from my coral



Found additional info @ LionfishLair.com - Library

 

Also noticed upon reading further into this creature that I probably have maybe another 5 or 6 more what appear to be baby vermetids. Not sure whether to crush them into a million pieces or let them be!

 

Currently I have 2 vermiteds in my DT, I only have soft corals so it's not bothering me ATM, but I was told that they can be pests if you consider "robbing" nutrients from your SPS a crime. That slime trail you see is just that, a way of filter feeding. I've kept mine just for sake of diversity, but it's all up to you. They haven't posed any threat to my tank so far, and if they do.....ill just scrape them away....

 

I agree with you on keeping it for added biodiversity. Always amazes me the vastness of life that lives in the ocean. You don't really learn about these types of things in your average Biology 101 class lol! I went ahead and fragged the hammer head and moved it to a more suitible position in the tank. Should be fun to see it reel things in!!

 

From what i understand only the very large ones bother corals with the webs they shoot out and the small ones are usualy not a bother. i have a billion small ones in my tank and some of them do touch corals but i have seen no adverse effects from them, i just snap them off the rock when i can get to them. i did have one very large one attached to a small toadstool i got and it was touching the toadstool for a few weeks before a snapped it off, again it didnt seem to be hurting the coral in anyway, so if they are not hurting anything and you like them let them be. i have so many that they get on my nerves and i go on vermetid killing sprees every once in a while lol.