limpet or so eradicating Acropora ?

SHNICI · Oct 8, 2021

malacoda said:
SOME types of limpets will and do eat coral. (I literally watched a key hole limpet from the Gulf of Mexico eat a portion of healthy, colorful acan across the span of afternoon in my home office while I worked. (Once it had made it's way through half a head, I removed it ... and all the limpets I could find. And the acan healed over the course of a month.)

That said, as others have mentioned, the corals pictured look dead and covered in algae...

So, it's possible that the type of limpets you have a not coral eaters and are merely consuming the algae off the skeletons.

Your options:
a) Don't worry about the limpets for now and concentrate on getting/keeping your corals healthy. Once the corals are growing, just keep an eye on the limpets to see if the exhibit and coral-munching behavior.

b) Remove the limpets as you see them if you don't want to risk it. (But that won't resolve our current coral health problem.)

The reason I'm attaching photos and videos, is to show everything else is completely fine except another acro frag, which was close to the one who didn't make it. The algae there become after I put that acro under brighter light (to observe it for a while), the polyps still was popping out. the whole process to die took near 3 weeks and start from the bottom of it, slowly to the top. Can't find any nudis eating it, also once per month and half (maximum) I'm dipping the frags if I get anything new in that system, just in case, no issues till 3 weeks ago. And the second one which is near half dead (can't see limpets on it) is near 2 months old in that system.

Goaway · Oct 8, 2021

SHNICI said:
The reason I'm attaching photos and videos, is to show everything else is completely fine except another acro frag, which was close to the one who didn't make it. The algae there become after I put that acro under brighter light (to observe it for a while), the polyps still was popping out. the whole process to die took near 3 weeks and start from the bottom of it, slowly to the top. Can't find any nudis eating it, also once per month and half (maximum) I'm dipping the frags if I get anything new in that system, just in case, no issues till 3 weeks ago. And the second one which is near half dead (can't see limpets on it) is near 2 months old in that system.

You may need to find someone who can treat this, this is bacterial. Its going to spread.

SHNICI · Oct 8, 2021

Mibu said:
If you truly believe they are the culprit, look at other across and see if they are being munched on. It is your system.

But... People have healthy colonies for years that get sick. It happens. Stn, rtn. It happens. This looked like stn. Because algae had time to grow on the acro.

My question now is, when did you just notice the acro was green with no polyps and a few dying tips left?

Don't see any movement on the other other one. That's the reason I guess after the limpets STN by some reason which can't catch it

Answer: It start to come green when I put it under brighter light after the acro was half dead near 1.5-2 weeks

Mibu said:
Also, there gave been reports of turbo snails eating zoa and palythoa.

have only 2 in that one which never saw them on the corals

Mibu said:
You may need to find someone who can treat this, this is bacterial. Its going to spread.

That's what worry me, as most of the bacterias don't go with simple dipping
(I do dip them in Iodine-Seachem, ReVive and Dettol every 6-8 weeks, 2 times after something new is present in that system)

Goaway · Oct 8, 2021

SHNICI said:
Don't see any movement on the other other one. That's the reason I guess after the limpets STN by some reason which can't catch it

Answer: It start to come green when I put it under brighter light after the acro was half dead near 1.5-2 weeks

have only 2 in that one which never saw them on the corals

That's what worry me, as most of the bacterias don't go with simple dipping
(I do dip them in Iodine-Seachem, ReVive and Dettol every 6-8 weeks, 2 times after something new is present in that system)

I don't know how to stop the spread. Once this kicks in, I seen a few horror stories of people fighting stn. They dose chemiclean - some type of bayer pesticide in the water, cirpo- amoxicilian. The struggle is real. I am sorry for what is going on. But, you have to do what you think is best. If you believe the snails are triggering these infections, toss them. There is no real knowing. But treatment is needed now.

We do what we have to.

Goaway · Oct 8, 2021

If you want some help with treatment ideas, as you pointed out it is spreading. But, this is stressful as you get 100 opinions on how to cook your soup. I can tag some people. This is up to you.

Remove the snails to give yourself a peace of mind.

SHNICI · Oct 8, 2021

Mibu said:
I don't know how to stop the spread. Once this kicks in, I seen a few horror stories of people fighting stn. They dose chemiclean - some type of bayer pesticide in the water, cirpo- amoxicilian. The struggle is real. I am sorry for what is going on. But, you have to do what you think is best. If you believe the snails are triggering these infections, toss them. There is no real knowing. But treatment is needed now.

We do what we have to.

you're right, personally have few bad stories as well...
Don't know are the snails or no, 1-st time I see them and they're only on that coral (saw them after the flesh gone, don't know do they come on the big stony like plug burrowed in, as on observation wasn't able to see them for sure)
I'll have to find with what to treat the water now, as if it's bacterial infection, then it's in the water not only on the corals. Always I'm looking for the best but harmless chemicals. But if I don't know what I'm fighting with.., then nothing can help me for sure.

Goaway · Oct 8, 2021

@ReefSquad Medical advice needed.

Goaway · Oct 8, 2021

SHNICI said:
you're right, personally have few bad stories as well...
Don't know are the snails or no, 1-st time I see them and they're only on that coral (saw them after the flesh gone, don't know do they come on the big stony like plug burrowed in, as on observation wasn't able to see them for sure)
I'll have to find with what to treat the water now, as if it's bacterial infection, then it's in the water not only on the corals. Always I'm looking for the best but harmless chemicals. But if I don't know what I'm fighting with.., then nothing can help me for sure.

I hope you get some answers. I made a tag. I hope they chime in and give it a scan.

SHNICI · Oct 8, 2021

Mibu said:
If you want some help with treatment ideas, as you pointed out it is spreading. But, this is stressful as you get 100 opinions on how to cook your soup. I can tag some people. This is up to you.

Remove the snails to give yourself a peace of mind.

the snails are out in a box with/on the coral. It's already gone (this morning was completely stripped off).
I'm not sure w/o microbiological tests who and how can help, but I'm always open for ideas. So if you can point/tag someone who can help, you're more than welcome.