Green Nepthea worm problem

[Robert Hoeck]

I've had a green nepthea for about 4 weeks and have been trying to deal with a problem. Shortly after getting it acclimated to my tank and looked good. A few days passed and it shrunk up and I wasn't too concerned as I've seen them do that before. The next thing happened was more concerning. There appeared to be small pin holes along the base of the stalk. Then there appeared to be black heads appearing in a few different spots. My LFS encouraged me to dip coral in freshwater and treat with Reef Dip, which I did for 5-10 minutes.

I've done 3 weekly treatments and after treating removed the black heads which have a wishbone shaped hard "spear" looking part attached to the black head. They have appeared again, but I'm trying to give the coral a break from the iodine treatments and hoping it will recover. The coral is mounted on a reef plug and was initially placed on the sand bottom, but I've moved it up off the bottom.

I'm wondering if anyone else has seen and dealt with a similar parasitic worm and can offer any advice. I've got a 6 line wrasse in the tank and it's a Fluval Edge 6. There's 2 panorama pro led modules and mp10. I've had the tank running since November and long polyp leather,duncan,acan,kenya corals are all not showing any signs of being infected.

Any advice appreciated, Rob.

 

[Robert Hoeck]

The coral has got a larger central stalk and I've probably got a Sinularia, rather than a Nepthea? In any case the pin holes are still visible and the polyps on coral have remained closed for about a month. With the look of the worms and their sharp ends, it's doubtful my 6 line will have a taste for them. If anyone knows of any natural predators, please let me know.

 

[Robert Hoeck]

Here's a few pics of the culprit. The black head is all that's visible on the coral and the pointed spear is inside.

 

[RyanSweatt2004]

Could you see any movement from the worms? I may be wrong but Those look like coral sclerites. Ive had different sinularias and neptheas go necrotic from the inside out and leave blackened sclerites poking out before.

 

[Alavaster]

RyanSweatt might be right. If you dont see movement from the worms, and they are hard/rigid, they could be Sclerites or spicules. which are essentially the back bone of many soft corals and inverts. It's strange that it has stayed closed for so long. spicules don't normally stick out of a coral unless it is sick/shriveling. (many people who try to keep carnation corals see them slowly shrivel and melt away, only to leave a stalk with hundreds of little spicules protruding)