Tentacly critter on/in my Euphyllia

[Naja]

Hey guys!

For the last 2-3 weeks my Torch coral has not been extending fully, probably about 60% of what it used to, 70% on good days. I have been a little concerned. I've checked water parameters to make sure everything is okay, which it is. The Torch is located close to where my clown pair is living, and also where my two cleaner shrimp are living, so I thought maybe the shrimps are annoying it a litte, but haven't seen any of them close to it or around it.

Everyday after lights have been out for a while I look around with a flashlight to see if I can spot critters I don't see during the day, which is super fun! However, last night I saw something on my Torch that I have never seen before. I saw what looked like two small black and white striped tentacles on the side of it. I found my grip tweezer tongs thingy (no idea what it's called in english), and gently tried to touch it, and the tentacles retracted immidiatly, only to come back out a few seconds later. And as far as I could tell, it looked like it came out from a little hole on the side of the Torch (or could be hiding behind it). It's difficult to see as it's on the side, and the glass makes everything distorted when I don't look almost straight in. I got really concerned about this, and thinking it's some kind of pest that is either eating my torch from the inside, or at least annoying it. Could also explain why the coral hasn't been fully extending for a while, and why it sometimes during peak light hours just completely closes up.

I took this picture after the lights had been off for 8 hours last night, and this is the best picture I could get. This is the first time I have seen anything strange about the Torch, as I have been inspecting it and looking at it several times per day to see if I could find out why it's not extending completely. All my instincts tell me to take the torch out and dip it, but I want to ask if anyone knows or has any idea what it is first. The dip I have currently is Seachem Reef Dip, and hopefully that is strong enough if dipping is what you recommend me doing.

Thanks!

 

[Naja]

When i study the picture, and think about it, is it possible that it's just a micro brittle starfish?

 

[Zack K]

Yes, sounds like a Micro Star. Your problem with the torch though sounds like too much light, if it closes completely at peak hours, it not happy with the light that it’s getting. If it were me, I would either turn down the lights a little bit or move the torch down. IMO
-Zack

 

[Naja]

Right, that's good news, I must admit I did panic just a little, haha!

I will try and move the torch down a notch, I didn't know they could suddenly be unhappy with the light after being happy in the same spot for some time. It doesn't close up at peak hours often, but it has been happening, so hopefully it's just the light.

Thanks!

 

[John3]

Could also be a vermatid snail. They send out a web to catch food which can irretate polyps and cause them to retract. If you stir up your tank or blast off the rocks with a turkey baster they normally send out the web right away. Could also be a brittle star, hard to tell from the pic.

I have a vermatid snail on a lobo that I have tried to kill twice now by breaking its shell with bone cutters and even stabbing after that inside the remaining hole. Darn thing won’t die. I think it’s one reason I can’t get this lobo to recover and puff up.

 

[FishLipz]

I was thinking vermatid snail. If it looks like the critter is in a tube, then it’s most likely a vermatid snail.

 

[Naja]

I think you are right with the snail, and that it's not a micro star. Last night I noticed some webbing at the base of the coral. While studying this critter I saw it pull a string towards him, just like a vermetid snail. A few seconds later he tossed out some stringy poop like thing. So I'm positive it's a vermetid snail instead. How it has managed to make or take refuge in a hole in the actual structure of the coral amazes me. He must be in there as I cannot see any tube around or on the coral itself.
If I glue/epoxy him shut, will he cause any problem to the coral when he dies inside the structure?

 

[John3]

Don’t know but I would like to know too! While technically “harmless” I think their web can really tick off a polyp.

 

[FishLipz]

I think you are right with the snail, and that it's not a micro star. Last night I noticed some webbing at the base of the coral. While studying this critter I saw it pull a string towards him, just like a vermetid snail. A few seconds later he tossed out some stringy poop like thing. So I'm positive it's a vermetid snail instead. How it has managed to make or take refuge in a hole in the actual structure of the coral amazes me. He must be in there as I cannot see any tube around or on the coral itself.
If I glue/epoxy him shut, will he cause any problem to the coral when he dies inside the structure?

I've always covered them with epoxy or taken a small jewelers screwdriver and scrambled them to get rid of them. The epoxy tomb has been very successful for me. I'd hesitate to poke him dead if he's in the structure of the coral itself.