Spinoid Worms Causing Candy Cane Tissue Recession

[Trenton Henderson]

I’ve been trying to figure out why my Candy Canes have been receding and slowly pulling off the skeleton (an almost two headed frag). I noticed tonight when the lights were off that it appears there is a colony of spinoid worms (I’m pretty sure because the tentacles are in pairs and they are only a few millimeters long) all over the stalk of the frag. I’m not sure if they started there and have irritated the coral and are the reason for its recession, or if another issue caused them to recede and the spinoids took advantage of the surface area. They really only seem to be colonizing the stalk, as I don’t see any on the surrounding rock.

Anyone else have experience with these? I have also heard there is a boring variety, so I’d be interested if that’s what they are.

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

If they’re inside the coral, then they’re Coral-boring Spionid Worms:

Coral Boring Spionid Worms -- an ugly bane to SPS

This is not something I've ever seen before. They are extremely ugly. Mar the appearance of SPS. This is on a "Beach Bum" encrusting montipora. I would take aphasia or even montipora eating nudibranchs over this crap. I've beat those with hard work. Not sure how to eliminate these without...

www.reef2reef.com

Coral Boring Spionid Worms- Anybody Killed them?

These turds have survived Bayer, Coral RX Pro, KCI, and Exodus dip. They apparently retract into their tubes, and back into the coral skeleton where they apparently are safe from the medications. Below I will post some pictures for reference. The first pic is mine, but the others are just...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[vetteguy53081]

I’ve been trying to figure out why my Candy Canes have been receding and slowly pulling off the skeleton (an almost two headed frag). I noticed tonight when the lights were off that it appears there is a colony of spinoid worms (I’m pretty sure because the tentacles are in pairs and they are only a few millimeters long) all over the stalk of the frag. I’m not sure if they started there and have irritated the coral and are the reason for its recession, or if another issue caused them to recede and the spinoids took advantage of the surface area. They really only seem to be colonizing the stalk, as I don’t see any on the surrounding rock.

Anyone else have experience with these? I have also heard there is a boring variety, so I’d be interested if that’s what they are.

They favor stalks and feed off the slime on coral skeleton and also algae. If frag is removeable, place it in container of tank water and scrape them off carefully with a Paring knife or similar. They come off easily

 

[Trenton Henderson]

They favor stalks and feed off the slime on coral skeleton and also algae. If frag is removeable, place it in container of tank water and scrape them off carefully with a Paring knife or similar. They come off easily

The coral has receded to the point where I can see the tips of the skeleton. Should I try removing it and doing that, or is it already too far gone? I’ve been feeding it aminos and mysis and it seems to be looking puffier, but no new tissue growth from what I can see.

 

[Cell]

You cannot remove spionids unless you want to chop up the coral. If the coral is dying anyway, then you may have nothing to lose.

 

[Trenton Henderson]

You cannot remove spionids unless you want to chop up the coral. If the coral is dying anyway, then you may have nothing to lose.

That’s where I’m wondering, if it’s just two sickly heads of Candy Cane that cost $30 or less per frag, it may be better just to get rid of the frag. I feel like the extra stress probably wouldn’t do it well.

Do you think the spinoids could have caused the recession of the coral?

 

[saltyfins]

@reefaholichouston

 

[vetteguy53081]

The coral has receded to the point where I can see the tips of the skeleton. Should I try removing it and doing that, or is it already too far gone? I’ve been feeding it aminos and mysis and it seems to be looking puffier, but no new tissue growth from what I can see.

Please provide a pic of the coral under white light intensity showing what you describe

 

[Trenton Henderson]

Please provide a pic of the coral under white light intensity showing what you describe

I wish I could, but I can’t get a good angle on it. They look like those from this post:

Filament/bore worm like hitchhiker is starting to spread in my tank

When I originally bought this hammer I found these all over it so I covered it in epoxy as shown. The hammers are doing fine and are fully extended during the day. I just looked into the tank at night and they have migrated up out of the epoxy at the base of hammer heads. They also seemed to be...

humble.fish

But this is what the polyps currently look like:

There is some protruding skeleton through both the heads and some showing in between them. They have no tissue around the stalk.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I wish I could, but I can’t get a good angle on it. They look like those from this post:

Filament/bore worm like hitchhiker is starting to spread in my tank

When I originally bought this hammer I found these all over it so I covered it in epoxy as shown. The hammers are doing fine and are fully extended during the day. I just looked into the tank at night and they have migrated up out of the epoxy at the base of hammer heads. They also seemed to be...

humble.fish

But this is what the polyps currently look like:

There is some protruding skeleton through both the heads and some showing in between them. They have no tissue around the stalk.

The heads look normal. Would you be able to provide side view of worms you mention and area od recession?

 

[Trenton Henderson]

The heads look normal. Would you be able to provide side view of worms you mention and area od recession?

I removed it because I feel that the worms would make it into my rock, which would give me a permanent issue, but since I have it out, here it is:

You can see along the sides all of the worms.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I removed it because I feel that the worms would make it into my rock, which would give me a permanent issue, but since I have it out, here it is:

You can see along the sides all of the worms.

I see spirobid, tube and coral boring worms. You appear to have it in a container of tank water. You can attempt lugols iodine dip in same container. I see the slight recession of tissue and can be from irritation from worms but also too much flow, elevated phosphate, low calcium as examples

 

[Trenton Henderson]

I see spirobid, tube and coral boring worms. You appear to have it in a container of tank water. You can attempt lugols iodine dip in same container. I see the slight recession of tissue and can be from irritation from worms but also too much flow, elevated phosphate, low calcium as examples

Yeah, my parameters have been stable and flow is low in that location. That’s why I was leaning towards the worms.