Elegance coral hitchhikers ID?

Reefiez · 03/26/2017, 08:41 AM

Sorry, I wasn't sure where to post this, but I wanted to check whether anyone could ID this, and whether they are harmful to my tank.

My elegance was in my QT for about 2 months now, I thought there were aiptasia growing on it, but ended up being harmless tubeworms (blue circles).

I moved the elegance to my DT 2 days ago.

After browsing the LPS forums here, I saw that there may actually be another hitchhiker on the skeleton. I was thinking whether it is Spirorbidae? Or perhaps Hydroids (i was look at that post when it scared the hell out of me).

I quickly moved it back to the QT.

I got some pictures using my phone, the quality isn't that great.

You can only barely see it against a darker background, and invisible when looking straight at it. It's like transparent hair, a little bendy...

Actually now that I think about it, I've had a few incidents of transparent spikes lodged in my hands over these few weeks, I've been super confused where they came from, but now I suspect it could have been from handling the elegance and touching unidentified hitchhiker?

Any advice is much appreciated!

AlSimmons · 03/26/2017, 05:40 PM

It looks like a cluster of Spionid worms IMO. In most cases these are harmless, but they have been known to irritate certain corals.

_ld99 · 03/31/2017, 07:40 PM

My elegance has the same thing on it. I would leave it IMO. I took mine out of the tank to kill those things and the coral slimed and wouldn't open for a few days after. It opens now but still doesn't look too good. If the elegance is still opening up during the day I wouldn't be too worried. Trying to kill them only made my problem worse. If they start to multiply I would remove the coral and try to kill them. You could also reduce feeding and hope that starves them

Reefiez · 04/05/2017, 08:41 AM

I've moved it back to QT for the time being. My fingers have been pricked like crazy from handling them without gloves. It sticks into my fingers (usually 1 or 2), and a b**** to get out, even with tweezers.

I'll be using gloves when handling anything in my tank from now on!

Bugboy2020 · 04/05/2017, 09:28 AM

I use cheap kitchen gloves whenever I do anything in my aquarium. It's better to be safe than sorry.

cap23244 · 04/21/2017, 05:51 PM

I had them and they took over my sand bed in a few years . I am tearing my tank down now. get them off now if you can. in the sand bed I have in my 125 you can pull them out by the hand full. there not good long term.

03/26/2017, 08:41 AM	#1
Reefiez Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Hong Kong Posts: 157	Elegance coral hitchhikers ID? Sorry, I wasn't sure where to post this, but I wanted to check whether anyone could ID this, and whether they are harmful to my tank. My elegance was in my QT for about 2 months now, I thought there were aiptasia growing on it, but ended up being harmless tubeworms (blue circles). I moved the elegance to my DT 2 days ago. After browsing the LPS forums here, I saw that there may actually be another hitchhiker on the skeleton. I was thinking whether it is Spirorbidae? Or perhaps Hydroids (i was look at that post when it scared the hell out of me). I quickly moved it back to the QT. I got some pictures using my phone, the quality isn't that great. You can only barely see it against a darker background, and invisible when looking straight at it. It's like transparent hair, a little bendy... Actually now that I think about it, I've had a few incidents of transparent spikes lodged in my hands over these few weeks, I've been super confused where they came from, but now I suspect it could have been from handling the elegance and touching unidentified hitchhiker? Any advice is much appreciated! __________________ my reef tank is the best skimmer... of my wallet

03/31/2017, 07:40 PM	#3
_ld99 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Delaware Posts: 84	My elegance has the same thing on it. I would leave it IMO. I took mine out of the tank to kill those things and the coral slimed and wouldn't open for a few days after. It opens now but still doesn't look too good. If the elegance is still opening up during the day I wouldn't be too worried. Trying to kill them only made my problem worse. If they start to multiply I would remove the coral and try to kill them. You could also reduce feeding and hope that starves them Last edited by _ld99; 03/31/2017 at 07:46 PM.

04/05/2017, 08:41 AM	#4
Reefiez Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Hong Kong Posts: 157	I've moved it back to QT for the time being. My fingers have been pricked like crazy from handling them without gloves. It sticks into my fingers (usually 1 or 2), and a b**** to get out, even with tweezers. I'll be using gloves when handling anything in my tank from now on! __________________ my reef tank is the best skimmer... of my wallet

04/21/2017, 05:51 PM	#6
cap23244 Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: warren oh. Posts: 409	I had them and they took over my sand bed in a few years . I am tearing my tank down now. get them off now if you can. in the sand bed I have in my 125 you can pull them out by the hand full. there not good long term. __________________ You Know You Have a Problem When You Dream Of a Having A Really Large Saltwater Reef Tank Instead of a New Corvette Or House LoL Current Tank Info: 55-125 33 40l 72 bow flatback

03/26/2017, 05:40 PM	#2
AlSimmons Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: California Posts: 2,482	It looks like a cluster of Spionid worms IMO. In most cases these are harmless, but they have been known to irritate certain corals.

04/05/2017, 09:28 AM	#5
Bugboy2020 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Posts: 127	I use cheap kitchen gloves whenever I do anything in my aquarium. It's better to be safe than sorry.