Hammer Coral Health

[dank.reefer]

Hey there fellow reefers. I just got these 2 Hammer corals yesterday and when I dipped them I did find a couple of flat worms and also a couple of zoa spiders oddly enough. Looking at the flesh bands on these I am noticing these black spots thatlook kind of like punctures. I am fairly certain that they are not eggs. Does anyone know what these are?

The corals will be in the feag QT/grow out tank for the next 90 days so if anyone knows what they are and what if anything should be done that would be helpful.

Thanks, Dan

 

[Gumbies R Us]

@ISpeakForTheSeas might know!

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

@ISpeakForTheSeas might know!

I'm not sure in this case.

My first thought would be either some sort of infection, or puncture wounds from the sea spiders - either for feeding (not all sea spiders feed on zoas; Reefkeepers Archive had a bad infestation that went after a variety of different corals in their tank) or laying their eggs - but I'm really not sure.

OP, any pics of the sea spiders? Regardless, I'd keep an eye out for any more sea spiders or flatworms while in the QT.

You may potentially need to be wary of eggs from the spider - some pycnogonids (sea spiders) can reproduce successfully in our tanks; some carry their eggs while others literally lay their eggs in their host coral.

 

[VintageReefer]

What did you dip with ?

I would recommend iodine / lugols a few days in a row to help prevent infection

 

[dank.reefer]

I do not have any pics of the spiders i just saw them in the dip water. I dip with iodine and CoralRX. I will dip again tonight when I get home. I was wondering about the possibility of spider eggs.

 

[dank.reefer]

I dipped again this evening the spots seem to be going away. I am hopeful these were just bite marks and not egg holes or eggs hatched. I will take more pics after lights out.

 

[dank.reefer]

Pictures after a couple of dip's. No more pests in the second dip. As long as these were just bite marks or infection I think I am in the clear. If there are eggs inside the corals only time will tell.