Friend, pest, something else?

[manzoherz]

Good morning! These hairy tubey things have started appearing on some of our corals and there's one just sitting in the sump tank glass bottom. Just wondering if it's something harmful or if we should leave it be? Any ideas as to what this might be - sorry this is the clearest picture I could take. Many thanks

 

[DED65]

Pineapple sponge, filter feeder.

 

[manzoherz]

Thanks very much!

 

[Reefkeepers Archive]

Pineapple sponge, harmless filter feeder

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

As mentioned, you have harmless, filter-feeding Pineapple Sponges (genus Sycon) - they're common in newer tanks, and their population tends to boom then bust before finally going away on their own.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Good morning! These hairy tubey things have started appearing on some of our corals and there's one just sitting in the sump tank glass bottom. Just wondering if it's something harmful or if we should leave it be? Any ideas as to what this might be - sorry this is the clearest picture I could take. Many thanks

What is that!! A R2R guide to common new tank hitchhikers.

One of the greatest things about starting a reef tank is getting your live rock in and admiring all the diversity within it. The rock comes to life different creatures. This is a guide that I, along with a very well known critter identifier @KJ , have put together for the new reefer on what...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[manzoherz]

I have yet another potential pest problem. Our zoas are all developing hardened looking sections that bulge up and slowly seem to take over the frag and cause the zoa to die. We definitely have some filter worms/snails with encased body but I'm not sure they are the problem. I've tried to take pictures that show the damage but not sure it's clear enough. Any guidance much appreciated as this is clearly killing the zoas.

 

[JoJosReef]

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

I have yet another potential pest problem. Our zoas are all developing hardened looking sections that bulge up and slowly seem to take over the frag and cause the zoa to die. We definitely have some filter worms/snails with encased body but I'm not sure they are the problem. I've tried to take pictures that show the damage but not sure it's clear enough. Any guidance much appreciated as this is clearly killing the zoas.

Can you get some pics of it under white light?

 

[manzoherz]

Can you get some pics of it under white light?

Thank you - managed to get some white light images this evening. Hope this is a little better to see the diseased/dying sections

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Thank you - managed to get some white light images this evening. Hope this is a little better to see the diseased/dying sections

I'm seeing a lot feather duster worms (they're harmless), but I'm not seeing any pest or anything that would raise any red flags for me.

Personally, unless someone else sees something unusual, I'd look at the typical culprits of unhappy corals - water parameters, flow, and lighting (spectrum/PAR). If you can list info on these for us, we may be able to help you out.

 

[jabberwock]

Thank you - managed to get some white light images this evening. Hope this is a little better to see the diseased/dying sections

Zoas can be hit or miss. How old is the tank?

 

[manzoherz]

I'm seeing a lot feather duster worms (they're harmless), but I'm not seeing any pest or anything that would raise any red flags for me.

Personally, unless someone else sees something unusual, I'd look at the typical culprits of unhappy corals - water parameters, flow, and lighting (spectrum/PAR). If you can list info on these for us, we may be able to help you out.

Thank you very much for taking a look. Re our parameters:
Salinity 35 ppt
Temp 26C
Alkalinity 8.5
Mg 1400
Ca 400
Nitrates 2
Phosphates 0

Parameters are stable, dosing every two days, flow unchanged and likewise lighting unchanged in the last 6 months.

Tank is 7 months.

Thanks again!

 

[Rjukan]

Thank you very much for taking a look. Re our parameters:
Salinity 35 ppt
Temp 26C
Alkalinity 8.5
Mg 1400
Ca 400
Nitrates 2
Phosphates 0

Parameters are stable, dosing every two days, flow unchanged and likewise lighting unchanged in the last 6 months.

Tank is 7 months.

Thanks again!

Zoas won't be happy with 2 nitrates and 0 phos. Need to bump them up a bit.

 

[manzoherz]

Zoas won't be happy with 2 nitrates and 0 phos. Need to bump them up a bit.

Thank you - is it 'normal' for zoas to be ok for 6 months with the same parameters and then start to fail? it's also weird that some of the smaller 'almost died early on' frags are now having a resurgence and the larger ones are developing these stony sections and dying off.

 

[Sophie"s mom]

Good morning! These hairy tubey things have started appearing on some of our corals and there's one just sitting in the sump tank glass bottom. Just wondering if it's something harmful or if we should leave it be? Any ideas as to what this might be - sorry this is the clearest picture I could take. Many thanks

Pineapple sponge for sure! Filter feeder , they will dissipate in time

 

[Rjukan]

Thank you - is it 'normal' for zoas to be ok for 6 months with the same parameters and then start to fail? it's also weird that some of the smaller 'almost died early on' frags are now having a resurgence and the larger ones are developing these stony sections and dying off.

Idk zoas make me crazy sometimes. And yes, people have had issues where zoas just start melting away with no discernable changes to parameters. Last time mine were unhappy it seemed like it was a response to the salinity dropping to 1.023 but who knows, it could have just been coincidental.

 

[manzoherz]

Idk zoas make me crazy sometimes. And yes, people have had issues where zoas just start melting away with no discernable changes to parameters. Last time mine were unhappy it seemed like it was a response to the salinity dropping to 1.023 but who knows, it could have just been coincidental.

 

[manzoherz]

Hello there again! We are just doing a bit of maintenance on our tank and have found a whole colony of Aiptasias in the overflow chamber. We have some in the main tank from time to time and use AiptasiaX when it's infiltrating other corals but it's mostly under control. The ones in the overflow are obviously not damaging any coral, but I assume spores come off and get into the main tank. Does anyone have any advice on whether we should try to clear out the Aiptasia from the overflow or just leave them be? Thanks in advance

 

[DED65]

I know most people don’t want any Aiptasia. I have an AIO and they grow in the rear chamber. I feel that they can be a part or of diverse ecosystem and I let them grow back there. I don’t believe a sterile system is healthy. I have a couple of filefish that control them in the display. Besides, once you have them…!