Triple Pest ID (Aptasia?, ... something ... something)

[mythesis]

This Leather coral has been in the tank for almost 2 months. Noticed it's got some extra hitchhikers on it.

On the bottom of the rock, looks like a blue-tipped Aptasia poking out?

Then just above and to the right, some kind of light brown sphere, no idea what that is.

Then inside the stalk of the coral, it looks like some kind of tube-y worm is hanging out?

(There's a hermit on top of it right now, which is why the polyps aren't out --- it's typically pretty happy looking)

Anything I need to address?

 

[mythesis]

@ISpeakForTheSeas do you know what this thing is inside the coral body?

Tried to take a video of it pulsing

 

[mythesis]

Sorry, bump. I can't imagine a critter inside the stalk of the coral is good, but my Google is failing me to diagnose

 

[C. Eymann]

I have seen these a few times before, never was able to get a specific ID, but many reefers have witnessed these in their sarcophytons.
I was able to get one come out with a H2O2 dip ~100ml + 1 liter of aquarium water. Don't dip longer than 4-5min

 

[mythesis]

I have seen these a few times before, never was able to get a specific ID, but many reefers have witnessed these in their sarcophytons.
I was able to get one come out with a H2O2 dip ~100ml + 1 liter of aquarium water. Don't dip longer than 4-5min

Dip the entire coral or just the rock + base?

 

[C. Eymann]

Dip the entire coral or just the rock + base?

You can dip the entire coral, but considering you are just trying to remove the worm from the base you can just submerge that part too.

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

On the bottom of the rock, looks like a blue-tipped Aptasia poking out?

Yeah, you don't want this one in the display tank.

Then just above and to the right, some kind of light brown sphere, no idea what that is.

Could you get pics of this one under slightly brighter, whiter light?

@ISpeakForTheSeas do you know what this thing is inside the coral body?

Tried to take a video of it pulsing

I'm not sure, but that's pretty neat - the way it moves there has me thinking it may be a snail of some kind, but I don't know for certain. Does it have a little "door" it shuts itself into its tube with?

If you ever see it sticking out or sending out something to feed, try and snap a pic of it.

 

[mythesis]

I didn't see a trap door things, just a filter hairs or something?



Looks like green/purple (zoa's?) growing at base as well


This rock is just full of surprises ...


Super glue on that purple aptasia?

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Yeah, I can't see the brown sphere well enough to offer a proper ID still - sorry. I would guess a sponge, but that is just a guess.

just a filter hairs or something?

I can't see these clearly in the pics/videos - any chance you could describe them more? How many are there, what do they look like, do they move at all, do they come from inside the mouth or outside of it, etc.?

Looks like green/purple (zoa's?) growing at base as well

Not zoas, but the green things are definitely some kind of coral; the thing next to the bottom of the two green things is a solitary tunicate - a harmless filter-feeder.

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Super glue on that purple aptasia?

That'd probably do the trick.

 

[mythesis]

I

Yeah, I can't see the brown sphere well enough to offer a proper ID still - sorry. I would guess a sponge, but that is just a guess.

I can't see these clearly in the pics/videos - any chance you could describe them more? How many are there, what do they look like, do they move at all, do they come from inside the mouth or outside of it, etc.?

Not zoas, but the green things are definitely some kind of coral; the thing next to the bottom of the two green things is a solitary tunicate - a harmless filter-feeder.

Took a video of a zoomed in camera screen. It's a crazy looking thing in there. Looks like a hard shell with feathery feeder from inside?



Here's the regular videos. Depth of field is pretty tough and I didn't have enough light really, so hopefully these show up.






Also, here's mystery critter #2:

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

I

Took a video of a zoomed in camera screen. It's a crazy looking thing in there. Looks like a hard shell with feathery feeder from inside?



Here's the regular videos. Depth of field is pretty tough and I didn't have enough light really, so hopefully these show up.






Also, here's mystery critter #2:

Great video and picture!

That first one is a barnacle - a harmless-filter feeder. I wasn't aware these would grow in leather sometimes, but I wouldn't expect major issues (big barnacle + small coral = potential problems, but I wouldn't expect worse than a little deformation around the barnacle in this case).

The second critter is another tunicate - I'm not sure if it's a cluster of solitary tunicates or a single colony of colonial tunicates, but I wouldn't expect issues in this case. Neat!

 

[mythesis]

Great video and picture!

That first one is a barnacle - a harmless-filter feeder. I wasn't aware these would grow in leather sometimes, but I wouldn't expect major issues (big barnacle + small coral = potential problems, but I wouldn't expect worse than a little deformation around the barnacle in this case).

The second critter is another tunicate - I'm not sure if it's a cluster of solitary tunicates or a single colony of colonial tunicates, but I wouldn't expect issues in this case. Neat!

Thanks so much.

So super-glue the Aptasia (the bright purple part in the lower left), but otherwise let things ride?

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Thanks so much.

So super-glue the Aptasia (the bright purple part in the lower left), but otherwise let things ride?

Yeah, that's what I'd suggest.

 

[mythesis]

Last question:

What should I expect the two "acceptable" ones to grow / change into?

or, rephrased --- what should I watch for that would mean they aren't acceptable or that they're causing a problem?

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Last question:

What should I expect the two "acceptable" ones to grow / change into?

or, rephrased --- what should I watch for that would mean they aren't acceptable or that they're causing a problem?

For the barnacle, if it looks like the coral stem is going to snap where the barnacle is growing, that's not great (though with a leather you may just be able to frag above the barnacle and be fine).

For the tunicate - some colonial tunicates can be highly invasive; colonial tunicates will have a ton of holes in them while solitary tunicates will only have two holes per individual critter. If the tunicate has a bunch of holes and is not a bunch of individual tunicates, then just keep an eye on it for spreading. If it's colonial but not spreading, it shouldn't be an issue; if it's solitary tunicates, then they're completely harmless.