Lepto Disease

[SkeletonShark]

Hello,

My jack-o-lantern lepto is dying off at the edges. With the naked eye it looks like a black mold creeping in. Under closer examination with these photos you can see it is actually a cluster of hundreds of black "things" with a forked sprout coming out.

What are these things?

Gross worms? Weird algae?

Thanks!

 

[Cell]

Looks like bubble algae and maybe hair algae growing where the flesh is dying. Algae commonly grows in areas where coral flesh has receded.

 

[living_tribunal]

It's algae. Leptos are very hardy but the one thing they do not tolerate is detritus left on their tissue. They have no means of cleaning themselves off and given their encrusting nature, algae will consume the detritus very quick. I'd place it in higher flow or turkey baste it daily and be sure to not get any leftover food on it.

I've dealt with your scenario before and you'll be just fine if you can ensure no algae/cyano grows off the tissue/skeleton underneath. They come back fast and will quickly fill in that void.

 

[Cell]

I'll add though that simply removing the algae isn't necessarily a cure all for the lepto depending on why it is receding in the first place.

 

[TDEcoral]

I wonder if they're some kind of ciliate like Halofolliculina corallasia. If so, the black part would be the ciliate's lorica and the two projections are what draw food into the mouth.

 

[living_tribunal]

I'll add though that simply removing the algae isn't necessarily a cure all for the lepto depending on why it is receding in the first place.

I have a lot of leptos and I've found that the detritus on the lepto will cause it to recede. It's very easy for algae to literally grow on the tissue. In this case, it looks like it's growing off the sides which is an easy target. This is also easier to solve however. I've had them where the algae grows in the dead center of the colony and will spread outwards.

If I was a gambling man, I'd wager getting rid of that algae would allow it to grow freely and cover the exposed skeleton.

 

[Cell]

Stuff looks pretty rooted. I'd probably hit it with H2O2 and see if it burns if it doesn't just pluck out easily.

 

[living_tribunal]

Stuff looks pretty rooted. I'd probably hit it with H2O2 and see if it burns if it doesn't just pluck out easily.

That's what I've had to do in the past (when I was able). If the frag has already encrusted, get yourself a mithrax crab and be done with it. If you have bubble algae you should get one anyways. They are a great cuc member to have.

 

[terraincognita]

That's what I've had to do in the past (when I was able). If the frag has already encrusted, get yourself a mithrax crab and be done with it. If you have bubble algae you should get one anyways. They are a great cuc member to have.

Have you never had them turn on you?

I always hear about them turning on corals. But I've yet to experience it.

But I don't recommend them to anyone based on other's stories.

I think people are assuming they have true Mith's but actually have another species? who knows.

 

[SkeletonShark]

I wonder if they're some kind of ciliate like Halofolliculina corallasia.

Interesting... I can definitely see similarity with the two pronged "thing" and base.
From wiki : H. corallasia is sessile and lives in a "house" called a lorica, into which the cell can retreat when disturbed. The mouth is flanked by a pair of wing-like projections that are fringed with polykinetids, groups of cilia that work in groups to produce a current that draws food into the "mouth".

 

[TDEcoral]

Interesting... I can definitely see similarity with the two pronged "thing" and base.
From wiki : H. corallasia is sessile and lives in a "house" called a lorica, into which the cell can retreat when disturbed. The mouth is flanked by a pair of wing-like projections that are fringed with polykinetids, groups of cilia that work in groups to produce a current that draws food into the "mouth".
View attachment 1921250

There is also algae, but it's only growing there because of these things. I would cut this part of the skeleton off of the coral and cover any suspicious areas with glue.

 

[SkeletonShark]

There is also algae, but it's only growing there because of these things. I would cut this part of the skeleton off of the coral and cover any suspicious areas with glue.

Good idea thanks

 

[sculpin01]

A bit of a long shot but metronidazole (Seachem metroplex) is used to treat protozoan diseases in humans. You might want to isolate the coral in it's own tank and treat it.