Disappearing Zoas - Is this the culprit?

[studacity]

One of my zoa colonies is disappearing pretty quickly. I've been checking water parameters and keeping an eye out for aptasias (the previous culprit) but found nothing wrong, until today.

Whilst watching the tank, I saw this weird critter. Could it be damaging the colony?

http://youtu.be/nxoM1NN75no

 

[studacity]

I've done some looking around, and it seems to be a peanut worm.

Various threads with people asking if these damage zoas, and plenty of people saying they don't. But if they really don't, why are so many people trying to blame them?

 

[Puffyluv]

My guess would be because people have a hard time accepting that sometimes it is actually them killing their corals? Lol, sorry...but come on, does that look like a coral munching mouth to anyone else? I mean, it is pretty much an ugly feather duster.

 

[studacity]

Haha, fair point!

I guess I just find it strange that all other Zoas in the tank are fine, and this one has been fine for about 2 years now, then suddenly disappeared over the space of a few days

 

[Puffyluv]

This is strange!!! Surely something could be munching on them...is this worm near to the colony? Despite my doubt that they eat coral (we have them at the farm) you never really know, since there are hundreds if not thousands of worm species out there, and we surely aren't talking about the same one all the time. I watched a worm come out and scrape a monti clean a couple months ago...though he looked like a peanut worm when closed, his mouth was totally different. Not sure what he was, but I saw him doing it!

I guess I am saying watch carefully...if it is something in your tank munching on coral, it won't stop with jus a few zoas!

Of course, you did a full water test to see if your parameters being off was the cause of the zoa causality?

 

[studacity]

I have tested pH, ammonia, nitrites and nitrates - all fine as usual. May go to LFS for a FULL test though, see if there's something I'm missing.

I assume works aren't the easiest things to catch/remove?

 

[Puffyluv]

Definitely something missing....kH and Ca!!!! These are the two most important tests for a reef, IMO!

Yes, they are tough to catch...dipping the rock is where I went with it, lol...dipped it in bayer, bye bye worm...I am only this cruel if I see them with my own eyes chomping my coral, though!