Something is after my coral...

[Maylin2]

I will try to get some pictures, but by all appearances something is attacking my coral lumberjack style. There are gouges on the sides of my xenia like something is trying to ring it and saw it off. Something did the same thing to my yellow leather and I didn't notice it fast enough because the top was bigger than the bottom and hid it. The leather died, and I don't know what's after my corals. The two sps I have look great (thanks brandyb), and my corals with a hard base (torch, hammer, [candycane - thanks michael]) are flourishing. Whatever is doing the damage is targeting softer corals, but no zoas or mushrooms. Ideas?

 

[returnofsid]

Could be some kind of coral eating worm. There are several species of polychaete worms that eat corals and can inhabit our reef tanks. If possible, spy on the tank at night. Using a flashlight with a red lens will help, as the red doesn't seem to bother our tank critters so they don't hide. If you do find anything, and it appears to be a worm, don't grab it barehanded.

 

[returnofsid]

PM LeslieH. She's the worm GURU!!!

 

[Maylin2]

I think it might be a bug of some sort. I took a thin piece of metal and poked the xenia and two little bugs fled from the scene of the crime. They were somewhere between 1/8 and 1/4 of an inch long, but around 1/16 wide and brown. They moved pretty fast, so I guess they have quite a few little legs.

 

[returnofsid]

Hmmm not necessarily. Your description is pretty vague, but those sound like amphipods or mysis shrimp....probably amphipods. They might be eating on the bad tissue, but I highly doubt they're destroying your soft corals.

 

[Maylin2]

Well that's a relief... I'll check on the worms tonight.

 

[luke33]

What kind of fish do you have and what inverts do you have?

 

[seattle989]

do u have any star fish?

 

[returnofsid]

I PMd Leslie and gave her a link to this thread. Hopefully she'll stop by, next time she's online, and offer some of her Worm Wisdom.

 

[LeslieH]

Hi guys -- Unfortunately there's nothing I can add to what Sid has already said. Some species of syllids, eunicids, and other polychaetes are known to go after soft corals but so do other types of inverts. Without a pic of the predator in action there's no way to be sure what it is. sorry.... :-(

 

[returnofsid]

Leslie, what would be her best bet for finding and capturing this critter? BTW, you sure are quick!!! lol

 

[estanoche]

If its softie eating I bet some fresh cut xenia all mucousy and gross would look like a buffet... could try a coke bottle trap or something....

Dunno - just throwing out ideas!

 

[Maylin2]

Well... I took out the xenia that had got it the worse. There is one other rather large piece of xenia that I will now be monitoring. It has a small hole about the size of the @ symbol on your keyboard, and not very deep.

Fishwise:I have clownfish, a firefish, and a lawnmower blenny. As far as movable inverts go, I have some of the small snails michael gave me, a few small hermits from kevins, some bristle worms, and a wide assortment of little bugs (no proven problem species though). I have no large starfish, just the tiny guys.

If it matters, the xenia and leather that came under attack was in the same area of the tank. The xenia was on a rock slightly larger than a softball with encrusting coral and christmas tree worms.

Wish I would have read the post about catching it sooner. I had that small piece of xenia I could have used. Will post if I see anything tonight.

 

[returnofsid]

Just for an FYI, the small snails you got from me are Strombus. They'll multiply like crazy, soon enough, in your tank.

As for your assortment of lil' bugs, if you could ID those, you could possible eliminate them as a suspect. Do a google search for Amphipods, Copepods and Mysid shrimp. I'm thinking that you're seeing Amphipods or Mysid. Do they look kinda like a "flea?"

 

[LeslieH]

Estanoche's right - bait it out. I'd take out all the softies for now and sacrifice a few polyps in the hope of catching it.