Two Weird things in my Reef Tank

[coralgazer]

Hello, was wondering if someone could ID two strange "organisms" in my reef tank.

Lately, some of my corals have been acting poorly, not opening up all the way, some zoas just downright dying. Ricordia also looking sickly.
On the other hand, the Kenya, Fox, mushrooms, leather, all look great.

The 1st picture shows my poor old hammer coral. He used to be splendid and would spread those hammers so wide and deep you couldn't see the stone base he was on. These small bony tubes started appearing on the base, and he will not spread out much at all, I'm afraid he'll die. He used to be so beautiful! (pic #2)

The 2nd strange thing I can't figure out what it is, started growing under a piece of live rock. It has slowly expanded in thickness so now it's over an inch thick. It is gray, just a gray blob, but steadily growing over time. 3rd picture

The only real problem I've had, I had some aiptasia, very small ones, which I think I got rid of with aiptasiaX. But I suspect there are some teeny tiny ones in there.

Anybody know what those tubes are, or the gray blob? Please help me save my reef tank!

Here's my tank stats, Tank has been running a year:
RODI water + Instant Ocean
T= 81 F
SG= 1.024
pH=8.1
Ammonia= 0
Nitrates= 0
Nitrites= 0
Alkalinity= 11 dKh
Calcium= 460
Magnesium= 1320
Phosphates= 0

36 gallon bowfront with 15 gallon sump; Coralife lamp: (2) HO T5 10,000K + (2) Actinic Blue HO75; Total 124 watts; (2) Koralia 550 wavemakers; Bubble Magus NAC 3.5 skimmer, filter sock, PhosBan and activ carbon bags in sump

Livestock:
CUC turbo snails and hermit crabs, 2 peppermint shrimp
2 large feather dusters
1 large hammer coral
1 Kenya tree
1 Fox coral
1 very large rock with green mushrooms
3 Florida ricordeas
Several small frags with multiple zoas & palys
1 firefish, 1 royal gramma, 2 clownfish, 1 pajama Cardinal, 1 midas blenny
1 small leather coral

 

[Connie]

The red tubes are little tube worms that are filter feeders and pretty harmless. They would not cause your hammer to close.

The gray blob is a sponge. It is a filter feeder as well. I have both of these critters in my tank and have never had a problem.

Your ALK is a little high, although still in the acceptable range. Do you every dose iodine? Sometimes that will help a little. I can't help you on the mushrooms...I can't keep them either...lol

Good luck!

 

[ritter6788]

The tubes are vermetid snails. They gray blob I can't tell, maybe a sponge.

 

[coralgazer]

Your ALK is a little high, although still in the acceptable range. Do you every dose iodine?

Thanks for the help, My ALK has always been pretty high, 11-13. No matter what I do, it never drops. I never need to add calcium either seems like. How can iodine help bring the ALK down? I have read that sometimes when you start fiddling like that, you can throw everything out of balance. But I would sure appreciate your opinion on what you think I should do. Do you think my other parameters look okay? Sure am sad about the demise of this beautiful coral!

 

[Connie]

Iodine doesn't bring the ALK down...I'm sorry if I gave that impression. I have just found in my system when soft corals and some LPS start looking puny, I can put a few drops of Lugol's in and they seem to perk up. I don't dose it regularly though. Where is your hammer located in your tank? Top, bottom, high flow, low flow etc.

 

[WatercolorsGuy]

The tubes are vermetid snails. They gray blob I can't tell, maybe a sponge.

+1
Vermetid snails will irritate your corals...sometimes enough to kill them. I just crush their tubes, although some people super glue the holes shut.
Phosphates shouldn't be zero imo. .02-.04 would be better I think. Could just be the test kit showing zero though.

 

[Connie]

Those are babies right now and not big enough to kill the hammer at this point; something else is happening. They will get bigger over time and can irritate coral; although I've never had one kill a coral. It is easy to just chip them off right now while they are small.

 

[Connie]

+1
Vermetid snails will irritate your corals...sometimes enough to kill them. I just crush their tubes, although some people super glue the holes shut.
Phosphates shouldn't be zero imo. .02-.04 would be better I think. Could just be the test kit showing zero though.

+1 on the phosphates :smile:

 

[WatercolorsGuy]

http://reefbuilders.com/2012/07/23/vermetid-snail-stony-corals/

 

[Mike J.]

I'd break off those Vermetids, they can take over a tank. And, they'll send cobwebs out all over your tank when they're spawning. If your Alkalinity is always that high I'd consider using a different salt.

 

[Connie]

Vermetid snails are bad for stony corals, coral crabs keep em in check

Very good article Watercolors. Thanks for the info. I stand corrected!

 

[Reefing Madness]

You can use Muriatic Acid to bring down your Alk.

 

[Connie]

Just wanted to throw this link out to you. It has a lot of valuable information on anything to do with marine life.
Vermetid Snail ID F1

 

[Ashraf.siddique]

Can you please tell what is this?

 

[reef lover]

Can you please tell what is this?

Welcome to r2r!
This thread is terribly old...but from what i see... sponges ...harmless.
Feel free to start a new member thread so we can welcome you properly!