Bad news in Reeftown this morning!

[triggerjay]

In a matter of two days, One of my acros seemed to bleach out. It is not completly bleached, but this morning, I got out the trusty flashlight before lights out, and I saw large pods, EATING, yes, I mean EATING the polyps of my acro! I didnt get them munching it on vid, as they are apparently camera shy,... but heres a vid of the acro eating pods!:


Then I started looking other places in my tank... And guess what! Something is also damaging my monti! The monti also has little "flea" looking critters running all over it. They may not be the cause, but definatley a concern!:


And to add insult to injury, I found me a HUGE gorilla crab! Staring at me through his beady black eyes! DEATH to him tonight after lights out!

Anyone else have any experiences like the acro eating pods, or the "fleas" on the monti? Great morning huh? I am starting to think a mixed reef is a bad idea! Something is apparently harming my SPS....

Jason

 

[aquaconnect]

Are they red bugs?

 

[Medicine Man]

I'm definitely no expert and you will know your own system better than me but it looks like most of the bleaching/tissue recession is coming from the base of the coral. If that is the case it would be more likely that it is STN or RTN and the pods are cleaning up dead tissue and detritus. Just a theory. Good luck with it whatever it is. Might take a look at ALK levels for ALK and temp fluctuation are the leading causes of STN and RTN. HTH

 

[triggerjay]

That was my first thought Dave, but the pods are too big. I will go do some water testing, and see how all that checks out. Thanks guys!

Jason

 

[HumbleLobster]

How long have you had that setup? Did you do any kind of dip on your incoming corals? Just throwing stuff out there to see if we can figure this out.

 

[triggerjay]

I have a fairly new acro, but that one looks fine. Other than that, I think everything else in it was moved from my old 55g, and that was months ago... Like a dork though, I have never treated or dipped my incoming corals. I have some sea-chem, and I think I am going to dip the effected corals tonight, and put them in another tank and see if they recover.

Jason

 

[triggerjay]

You guys are going to think I am crazy... So, I checked all params last night. Temp 80, Alk good, calcium, a little low-- 380. On the seas site there is a link that was posted about evil pods... Sounds EXACTLY like what I am experiencing. I REALLY think its the pods. My theory is the population has gotten so large, that there is competition for food, so they are resorting to "survival" mode, and eating the polyps. I witnessed the same thing again this morning. I am going to go pick up a mandarin, or a wrasse today to thin them out a little. I have some small Kenya trees in my fuge, which is waaaaay full on the pod-o-meter, and also witnessed them eating on them. Attack of the pods! Sounds like a cheap movie...

Jason

 

[HumbleLobster]

I know many people who would love that problem. Enjoy the mandarin, beautiful and interesting fish to watch.

 

[triggerjay]

lol, yeah, I never thought Pods would become a problem!

Jason