Yellow worms on Duncan coral

[jdevault81]

Hi guys,
I'm new to reef central but have been reading for a while. Great info!
I have a Duncanopsammia axifuga that has been living and growing well in my tank for about three years now. From 4 heads to well over 20. Recently I have noticed these yellow coiled worm-like things growing around the tentacles, coming out of the mouths, and inside the coral heads. The coral hasn't shown and dramatic reaction to these worms, yet. I was wondering if anyone knew what they were and how to rid the coral of them. I can't get a good picture of them. Any help would be great!

 

[mroccoralman]

Pics?? It doesnt matter If it's bad.

 

[jdevault81]

 

[jdevault81]

Here is another picture. You can see yellow in the tentacles of the head facing the camera and the one just to the right.

 

[jdevault81]

Just an update... I still see these yellow "things" on the coral but the coral still doesn't seem affected.

 

[jdevault81]

I guess no one knows what these might be... But anyway, the yellow "worms" seem to be going away with no treatment and the coral continues to grow and seem unaffected.

 

[jeffro420]

hey i have had my duncan coral fall down on to the sand, and after i put it back i would see this for a day or two. always goes away and heals up. prob just a way of showing stress.

 

[oceanarium]

Hi guy's I have been a wild collector of these corals for many years in Australia, I know exactly what you mean about the worms.... if that is indeed what they are as they also can perhaps look like eggs ?? They have always been of curious interest to us as to what is going on with them. We often see them as a sign of stress etc more often than not coming out the mouth parts when the coral is not kept in optimum conditions. But these days my efforts lay more with coral culture than collections and we have even seen these deep within the coral itself when making fragments.

Also in addition of our observations over thousands of duncan colonies these worms are only present in a few of the ones collected for the aquarium trade.

 

[fshaqrmman]

I had something very similar on a colony I had for 2+ years. I ended up losing all the colony except 2 heads.

 

[greech]

Interesting, have you tried to dip the coral? Not suggesting you do that since I have never seen these worms but curious if you had already done so?

 

[DrZoidburg]

Yes this looks like something I have on a new duncan. I could not figure out what it was the first time I got it. It showed during the first dip before I put it in tank. About 2 months go by and I see it popping out from coral inside tank. So I do a ton of research...and litterally there is like nothing I can find yet on this. So I thought to do an experiment. I dont know if coral will die from it. Luckily it is only a small frag with a few heads. I wanted to really see what it is. Coral rx dip..brings these thing somewhat out but not fall off. So coral rx dip, to rinse, to fresh water for like 3-5 seconds, to a light brushing with my finger, to a rinse with tank water and iodine. Seems to work but not completely. They kind of just ooze out. Upon inspection of the container with coral rx in there. I was tracking their movements over about 12 hours on and off. They are infact some sort of worm. So all of that does seem to get a lot of them out. There is probably a lot more of them in there than you would think. I will do this probably 2-3 times a week untill I see a change but I think it may work hopefully not at the expense of a frag.

 

[farfromsea]

Yes this looks like something I have on a new duncan. I could not figure out what it was the first time I got it. It showed during the first dip before I put it in tank. About 2 months go by and I see it popping out from coral inside tank. So I do a ton of research...and litterally there is like nothing I can find yet on this. So I thought to do an experiment. I dont know if coral will die from it. Luckily it is only a small frag with a few heads. I wanted to really see what it is. Coral rx dip..brings these thing somewhat out but not fall off. So coral rx dip, to rinse, to fresh water for like 3-5 seconds, to a light brushing with my finger, to a rinse with tank water and iodine. Seems to work but not completely. They kind of just ooze out. Upon inspection of the container with coral rx in there. I was tracking their movements over about 12 hours on and off. They are infact some sort of worm. So all of that does seem to get a lot of them out. There is probably a lot more of them in there than you would think. I will do this probably 2-3 times a week untill I see a change but I think it may work hopefully not at the expense of a frag.

My first thought is that this is one of those hydrozoan/hydroids that live in stony corals. (see second question/pic http://www.wetwebmedia.com/HydrosIDF7.htm) although the picture here lacks that kind of characteristic feathery/tentacle aura of hydroids.

Apparently some have had experience with some types of hydroids just disappearing from the tank https://************.com/2012/03/22/zanclea-hydroid-acropora/ which I suppose maybe is what happened to the OP, if that is what it was.