Worms and PPE Problems

[chrishet]

I'm not sure of these two issues are related but I have a sick looking PPE and it is surrounded by a bunch of worm tubes.

My tank is only 6 months old and I started with mostly base rock. These worms are all over my tank. Will they hurt corals?

And for the PPE...all the polyps of this colony look limp and in poor health but this one is particularly sick. It stays like this all the time, even if I touch it with a tool.

Thanks in advance!

 

[650-IS350]

Are they spweewing webs out on your polyps ?

 

[chrishet]

nope. I had a snail, v..something, that was smack in the middle of this colony that did spew a web but I plucked it out a month ago.

 

[650-IS350]

I don't think these would be bothering them, these probably are filter feeders.

Blow water on the polyps to make them close.. see if any of these guys are around or on them

http://www.coralpedia.com/index.php?module=Gallery2&g2_itemId=384

 

[blammomike]

i had the same problem

 

[chrishet]

Note the white discoloration on the base of the troubled polyp...could that be the source of the stress? I took some pics with the polyps contracted and didn't see any of the pests noted...

 

[dalston]

You know I have the exact same genus of polyp (different coloration) doing the same thing right now, they are loosing their skirts and look exactly the same as the one pictured. How are your ALK level and Ph?

 

[chrishet]

I had a spike in alk last week, back to 8dkh now.

 

[650-IS350]

Check at night....with a red light. I bet you have large 1/4" sized ampipods chewing on your polyps.

 

[dalston]

Hey Charles, I have had the same issue and have been checking almost every night and don't see any predators...just a thought, but have you noticed how many threads are popping up with people having issues with their zoanthus gigantus (sp?) or known as 'people eater' polyps? is there some sort of infection or disease these genus are prone to getting? kinda like the 'seasonal' zoa pox we see every year?

 

[650-IS350]

If your saying like a protozoan attack? I dunno.. problem with that is most cures against bacterial/fungal treatments arent readily accepted by PPE's and palythoas such. IMO

 

[dalston]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15297410#post15297410 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 650-IS350
I bet you have large 1/4" sized ampipods chewing on your polyps.

This is it, I stayed up real late last night, 650 hit it on the head, there was a couple of pods hanging around. To the OP, I would also say give it a try and keep a look out for these...

 

[Peter Eichler]

In addition to keeping an eye out for amphipods keep in mind that T5's can be pretty hard on some zoanthids. In particular I've struggled with intense T5 lighting and PE type polyps. I know for sure it's the T5's because I have a MH lit tank on the same system with virtually identical flow and I can move them back and forth between the two tanks and watch them go downhill under the T5's and then recover under the MH, rinse, repeat.

 

[chrishet]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15300818#post15300818 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Peter Eichler
In addition to keeping an eye out for amphipods keep in mind that T5's can be pretty hard on some zoanthids. In particular I've struggled with intense T5 lighting and PE type polyps. I know for sure it's the T5's because I have a MH lit tank on the same system with virtually identical flow and I can move them back and forth between the two tanks and watch them go downhill under the T5's and then recover under the MH, rinse, repeat.

I think you may be on to something here....A few weeks ago I changed out an ATI Aquablue Special T5 (blue bulb) for a ATI Pro Color T5 (a much whiter bulb)...my PPE's have struggled since....I'm going to put back the ATI Aquablue Special and see if that helps

 

[650-IS350]

You can catch them ripping pieces off your PE's Sometimes litterally eating the skirts off the polyps.

 

[Emoezekielsr5]

I've had the same thing happened to my PEs, when it mushrooms like that. I made a gal FW/Furan2 mix and dipped for 15min. Next day, it was back to normal.

 

[mscarpena]

I have a ton of amphipods and every once in a while a zoo colony will decline. I have contributed it to the large number of pods that I have. I tried to put fish in my tank that eat pods, but it only seems to help a little bit. I had a dragonett for about 5 years and it died a while back and the problem got worse. I have not put another one in my tank, but added soem gobies and an anthais instead. Try adding a dragonett, but the issue is I do not feel that they can be placed into QT and obtain enough food. I am thinking of adding a seahorse tank attached to my reef because I know they eat a lot of pods. I would add one to my tank now, but too many stinging LPS that will kill the seahorse.

 

[650-IS350]

Dragon nets have tiny mouths used to feed on COPEPODS and small ampipods. IF you want a amipod assasin then you go with wrasses like yellow coris, green seagrass, leopards, line wrasses etc.

 

[kingnai]

I have a 6 line and a yellow coris, they have been there for at least 6 months. I looked last night and still have thousands of pods in my zoa only tank.

Whats up with that? 55 gallon tank