parasite or fungus

[karburn]

I have a Sinularia (finger) that has been growing and behaving normally until about two weeks ago. When it shrunk down one day I didn't think too much of it, as it always does so at night and whenever it gets smacked by one of the two tangs that chase around the tank. It stayed small for over a week, while other specimens continued to behave normally. I removed the one in question with a small bowl to examine it, and on the base stalk was, for lack of a better description, a small protruding "patch" of what looked to be short (1/8") black fibers. I took tweezers and began pulling out the dark matter, which did not seem animate, but did look worm-like. What was left was a round hole, like a small plug of flesh had been removed. I do not have a microscope, otherwise I would have (and should have) examined the material I removed more closely. The injured coral was treated with some dilute iodine solution and returned to it's normal place after about 10 min.

Was this "growth" a fungus of some kind or a parasite? It's been two days since the impromtu surgery, and the Sinularia is starting to behave normally again, although it has not regained it's former size.

Any of this sound familiar? Thanks for your time.

[Anthony Calfo]

hard to say without very good pics... but it is not uncommon for such burrowing/burning whisps to be stinging hydroids/hydrozoans. They are very common at the base of leather corals. Often can be seen sticking up and around the base not much thicker thana hair. If you look close, many have a small pom-pom spray of stinging aspects. Much like a tiny fan worm.

Just a thought :)

[karburn]

Apologies for not acknowledging your comments in a timely manner. The description you gave was just what the growth that I removed looked like - a small spray of black, stubby hairs. Is "surgery" the only realistic cure? The wound has healed over nicely, and the animal has returned to vitality. This an all of the other corals have responded well to the increased lighting, too (different post). I swear the zoanthids have spelled out "thank you" across the back glass.

Take care,
Kevin