Watpaint scolymia hitchhiker?

[jmadden]

I'm looking for some solutions. My scolymia has some kind of tube worm growing from the center of the mouth. It is obviously in discomfort the scolymia doesn't extend its feeding tentacles the way it should at night and can't completely close it's mouth around food, but it tries.

Posted a video. Watch in HD 720p in full screen if you can. If you look closely at the scolymia's mouth you can see a tube to the left and to the right a small worm with two "sweepers?" I'm not sure what you'd call them.

<iframe width="425" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/VTSowl_h_oQ?hl=en&fs=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[Reef Bass]

I don't see much on the video but your description sounds like a vermatid snail.

 

[jmadden]

I don't see much on the video but your description sounds like a vermatid snail.

It's hard to see. Any suggestions on how to remove it? Could I gently use some tweezers and break the tube off or would it just grow back?

 

[LeLutinBanni]

It's hard to see. Any suggestions on how to remove it? Could I gently use some tweezers and break the tube off or would it just grow back?

Only if you kill the worm by trying to break the tube

 

[Justin74]

Think the least invasive way to nip it in the bud is to take it out and poke the cap that they close up with through, and let some superglue gel pack it closed. They coil as they grow so what you usually see "sticking" out is basically the top neck of the tube with still plenty coiled below for them to withdrawn into should it break, which in the wild, I'd imagine would happen quite frequently. Does in my tank anyway


-Justin

 

[jmadden]

Good point Justin, just breaking the tip, wont do much. I'd rather not add any more mass to the tube that is bothering the scoly. I got some Coral Rx. I'm going to give it a dip. That should kill whatever is living on/around the scoly. I'll keep you all posted.

 

[Reef Bass]

I doubt CoralRx will kill a vermatid snail. It will probably just close its tube until water quality improves. I could be wrong. And it may not be a vermatid.