I just got a candy cane frag for really cheap because its not in the best shape and what I thought was just a wound in one of the polyps has turned out to be the home of some kind of critter, I can see its claws and nothing else. What do I do to get rid of it? should I get rid of it? Should I get the coral stabilized in its new home and then get rid of this animal or kill it immediately?
something in my candy cane
- Thread starter sm51498
- Start date
Jefe12234
New member
Barnacles are quite common on a lot of corals. I have a candy cane with two barnacles. They appear as a sort of fan that scoops at the water from a small hole in the coral. They won't hurt anything. If you can see actual claws, then maybe you have some kind of crab. These usually don't do much damage either. They just use the coral as a home and feed on plankton.
Bottom line is, if the animal is using the coral as a home then it's not going to destroy it. A coral predator would simply eat the coral and move on, not move in.
Bottom line is, if the animal is using the coral as a home then it's not going to destroy it. A coral predator would simply eat the coral and move on, not move in.
chrisstie
Premium Member
Try doing a lugols or TMPCC dip (tropic marin pro coral cure)
These contain iodine while in a short dip form shouldn't harm your candy cane and will acutally help stave off infection, may be something to hurt the parasite.
If you look up Gall crab, does that look like whats in your coral?
These contain iodine while in a short dip form shouldn't harm your candy cane and will acutally help stave off infection, may be something to hurt the parasite.
If you look up Gall crab, does that look like whats in your coral?
GoingPostal
Active member
I have some weird crabs inside my candy canes also, was really concerned about it but I can't get them out without cutting the coral, dips, freshwater, nothing seems to faze them. My candys seem to have adjusted so maybe just give yours some time, I've got at least half a dozen of these and they haven't spread to any other lps so far. I've been told maybe they are gall crabs, I'll probably get ambitious someday and cut them out for curiousity.
Justin74
New member
Just adding my 2 cents. Commensal crabs wont kill your coral, BUT they are not harmless. ALL crabs are opportunistic feeders, and commensal crabs due pose as a minor stress upon the coral and depending on the kind can eventually wear down the tissue of the coral, but a healthy coral and environment will allow the coral to heal and grow to accomodate for such a harborer and the foot traffic they bring. Take my pink birdsnest for example, near the center has been stripped of flesh because of the crab's foot traffic and "hanging out", and on that particular kind of coral they typically grow outward from the tips with very minimal to no encrusting so once the base is gone, it's gone period.
A freshwater dip with a pH matching the tank for just under a minute should make the crab bail out in a quickie if you dont want to house the crab though with temporary and minimal stress to the coral. Great way to rid a lot of pests(parasites including flatworms, or pistol shrimp and mantis shrimp as well) when bringing new fish and/or coral to the display.
Be sure if you ever do dip and get a pistol or mantis shrimp(which are not at all uncommon), try and quickly remove it from the FW or it will die. Some may not care if they do, but they can make great specie specific tanks, or nano critters for someone else or at the very least see if your LFS will take it if it's not too tiny.
If the tissue itself is ok just recessed, even significantly, I'd steer clear of Lugols. That is stressfull within itself and it's only use is as a disinfectant. If tissue has been scuffed, or is sloughing off or sliming up, then it would be a good option to consider as a last resort alternative. Ive had my handfull of bacterial infections including "brown jelly" and severely burned corals due to allopathy and not one success out of the 2 or 3 Ive had, Ive ever been able to contribute it to Lugols, but rather either by fragmentation, or siphoning out the infection and surrounding area.
Or, if you did nothing and just kept an eye on your water perameters and make sure their consistantly optimal I think you would be fine too.
Ok, before I hit 4 cents I'll stop
But good luck!
-Justin
A freshwater dip with a pH matching the tank for just under a minute should make the crab bail out in a quickie if you dont want to house the crab though with temporary and minimal stress to the coral. Great way to rid a lot of pests(parasites including flatworms, or pistol shrimp and mantis shrimp as well) when bringing new fish and/or coral to the display.
Be sure if you ever do dip and get a pistol or mantis shrimp(which are not at all uncommon), try and quickly remove it from the FW or it will die. Some may not care if they do, but they can make great specie specific tanks, or nano critters for someone else or at the very least see if your LFS will take it if it's not too tiny.
If the tissue itself is ok just recessed, even significantly, I'd steer clear of Lugols. That is stressfull within itself and it's only use is as a disinfectant. If tissue has been scuffed, or is sloughing off or sliming up, then it would be a good option to consider as a last resort alternative. Ive had my handfull of bacterial infections including "brown jelly" and severely burned corals due to allopathy and not one success out of the 2 or 3 Ive had, Ive ever been able to contribute it to Lugols, but rather either by fragmentation, or siphoning out the infection and surrounding area.
Or, if you did nothing and just kept an eye on your water perameters and make sure their consistantly optimal I think you would be fine too.
Ok, before I hit 4 cents I'll stop
But good luck! -Justin
phurst
Richmond Reefer
I have somthing living in my favites. Not sure if it's a barnicle or somthing else. I can see movement in there at night, but not well enough to tell what it is. Doesn't seem to bother the coral, been in there since I got it a year ago. Pretty cool if you ask me, but I'd love to know what it is.
