SPS "Parasite" ID Needed

[SnowDog]

I purchased a couple frags and after inspecting them I found one had a "critter" burrowed into the skeleton. I could see it inside the hole with a jewelers loop and it looked like some type of "pod". it also fluoresced blue under actinics. In my QT it made movements like a filter feeder so I'm not sure what to think. I dipped the coral in Bayer and Coral RX, but have not seen it come out.

Any ideas?

 

[drawman]

Hard to tell but maybe a vermetid snail?

 

[SnowDog]

Not a vermetid IMHO. I have seen a few of those and this does not have any of the shell structure. It's more like a "burrow" than a shell.

 

[Lovemyreef2015]

Looks like a barnacle. Put a dab of Super Glue on it.

 

[DHill6]

I had a couple on two different SPS, pulsed in and out with a feather appearance, didn't hurt anything.

 

[DHill6]

Yours looks a bit different now that I looked at it better

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I'd go with barnacle. Harmless and cool imo. Most likely won't live long.

 

[KJ]

Acropora barnacle. Cantellius cardenae .

 

[themcnertney]

I agree with barnacle. Cool hitch hiker, I'd keep it.

 

[SnowDog]

Thank you KJ!

Definitely not something I want spreading to other corals. I haven't been able to find info on their reproduction in the reef aquarium, but better safe than sorry. I have a fairly high-end SPS collection that I'd hate to see covered in barnacles.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

They usually die because there's not enough food. They're as hard or Harder to keep than NPS and scallops.
No matter how hard I tried to keep them alive.

 

[Highgrade]

Barnacle... One way to tell if your Acro is a maricultured piece.