ReefBay Reef Pest ID
How do I identify pests in my reef tank?
Photograph the hitchhiker up close and compare it with known reef pests. Reef ID in the ReefBay app recognizes common pests and nuisance algae, including aiptasia, majano anemones, vermetid snails, acoel flatworms, bubble algae, bryopsis and cyanobacteria, and the app's pests and algae library explains how to tell each one apart and remove it safely.
Not every hitchhiker is a pest. Bristleworms, spaghetti worms, small feather dusters and spirorbid worms are usually harmless or helpful. Getting the ID right before you treat saves you from dosing a tank for something that was never a problem.
Included with ReefBay DeepDive. The app is free to download.
How it works
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1
Photograph it under white light
Turn off blue lights and get as close as your phone can focus. Pests hide, so shoot at night with a flashlight if needed.
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2
Run Reef ID
Reef ID suggests the likely pest or algae with example photos to compare.
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3
Read the pest page
The pests and algae section in the app library covers how it spreads and what removes it.
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4
Ask before you treat
Ask DeepDive how to remove it without hurting your livestock, or post a photo to the community for a second opinion.
What you get
- Pests: aiptasia, majano and ball anemones, vermetid snails, acoel and ghost flatworms, fireworms, cirolanid isopods, clinging jellyfish
- Nuisance algae: bubble algae, bryopsis, green hair algae, cyanobacteria, diatoms, dragon's breath
- Harmless look-alikes: feather dusters, spaghetti worms, spirorbid worms
- Removal guidance that accounts for the livestock in your tank
Frequently asked questions
How do I get rid of aiptasia?
Small outbreaks can be killed by injecting each anemone with a kalkwasser paste or a commercial aiptasia treatment. For larger outbreaks, peppermint shrimp (Lysmata wurdemanni) or Berghia nudibranchs eat them. Do not scrape or crush aiptasia: fragments grow into new anemones.
Are bristleworms bad for a reef tank?
Most bristleworms are harmless scavengers that help clean the sand bed. Fireworms (Hermodice carunculata) are the exception: they grow much larger and can eat coral. A sudden bristleworm boom usually means overfeeding.
What are the white flat spots on my glass or corals?
Small white or clear flat spots on glass are often harmless spirorbid worms or copepods. Rust-brown flat dots on rock and coral are more likely acoel (red) flatworms, which are worth removing before they spread.
How do I stop pests from getting into my tank?
Dip every new coral in a coral dip, inspect frags under white light before adding them, and quarantine new livestock when you can. Most pests arrive on new frags or rock.
Is bubble algae harmful?
Bubble algae (Valonia) is not toxic, but it can take over rock. Remove bubbles whole without popping them, and consider an emerald crab or a foxface rabbitfish to graze it.
Related
Last updated September 30, 2026
