reefdup, Author at Coral Ever After

Red Bug Parasites (Tegastes acroporanus)

reefdup Identification, Red Bugs May 29, 2021October 16, 2022acropora, AEFW, Bayer, Coral, Interceptor, Milbemax, red bugs, small polyp stony, SPS, Tegastes acroporanus 4 Comments

Somehow back in the day, after over five years of having SPS-dominant aquariums, I got my first case of red bug parasites. A local aquarist was tearing down his system and gave me a few corals that weren’t doing well. Turns out, red bugs AND Acropora-eating flatworms (AEFW) infested the corals. Fortunately, I caught the red bugs while the Acropora was still in my quarantine tank.

Red bug parasites (Tegastes acroporanus) are extremely tiny copepods (as seen in the red circle in the photo) that solely infest Acropora corals (not Montipora, Pocillopora, etc.) They come into the hobby on wild or maricultured colonies (corals purposefully grown and harvested in controlled ocean environments), and hobbyist selling/trading of aquacultured corals further spreads them.

A good indicator of a red bug infection is a loss of Acropora tip coloration and browning that cannot be attributed to other factors. Red bugs caused the coral shown to lose nearly all coloration, while AEFW caused the white patches.

In the early 2000’s (now I’m dating myself), there was a general consensus in the reefkeeping hobby that red bugs only affected smooth-skinned Acroporas. Hobbyists assumed they did not bother corals like Milleporas or “the green slimer” due to the extra mucus they produce. Although red bugs do tend to prefer certain Acropora (especially Acropora valida, the “tricolor”), most every Acropora species is susceptible. Hobbyists also commonly believed that red bugs laid eggs and had a larval stage. This led to a consensus that three treatments were needed in order to eliminate the red bugs entirely. Although research eventually determined that red bugs are live bearers, I still recommend three treatments just as a safety precaution.

How to Identify:

On Acropora corals that have “browned out” due to red bug presence, the red bugs are rather distinguishable. They are mostly yellow (almost a gold color) with a bright red dot. They are also extremely tiny at around 0.5mm (think a little bigger than the size of the period at the end of this sentence). Unfortunately, they are not easy to see on healthy corals, and they have an ability to hide within the coral polyp itself without being consumed. In order to determine the presence of red bugs, I use a magnifying glass to look for them before placement into my quarantine system. After that, I observe the coral daily for a week. I also take a photo of each coral and zoom in to look for anything I’ve missed.

How to Treat Red Bug Parasites:

Unlike other serious pests (e.g., Montipora-eating Nudibranchs), there is a suitable in-tank treatment for red bug parasites.

Method 1: Control

Some hobbyists believe that blowing the corals off with a powerhead a few times for a couple weeks will rid the Acropora of red bugs since they may starve before finding their way back to the coral. Other hobbyists rely on natural predation (e.g., pipe fish, file fish, gobies, wrasses), but to my knowledge, no predators have a 100% success rate. I advise against natural control methods for aquarists who plan to sell/trade their corals.

Method 2: Coral Dips

Coral dips often help stun the pests so they can be blown off gently with a pipette or powerhead. Since red bug parasites are live bearers, this method can work as long as all the red bugs are removed. Since a succession of coral dips work for AEFW and red bugs, I dip all Acroporas daily the first week. After that, I dip every other day the second week, every third day the third week, and then once a week for weeks four through six. I have not lost a single coral with this method, and it saves me the hassle of treating with different medications for different parasites at different times.

I should note that I’ve never found a pest after week two, but I still go the full six weeks since the lifecycle of AEFW is quite long (and I always treat for both AEFW and redbugs). Also, some dips can be extremely damaging to smooth-skinned corals, so please use caution if you plan to treat one of these.

Coral Dip Treatment Protocol for Red Bug Parasites:

Follow dip manufacturer instructions.

Method 3: Prescription Flea Medications

Before the manufacturer discontinued it, hobbyists considered Interceptor (milbemycin oxime), a prescription canine flea medication, as the golden standard for red bug parasite treatment. However, as it killed all shrimp, crabs, and other crustaceans, aquarists had to remove them before dosing (the pod population recovered with time). This die-off would also spike ammonia levels, so reefkeepers had to be prepared for a water change and to run carbon. Many people had difficulty obtaining Interceptor from their veterinarians since treating for red bugs is an off-label use. However, the Veterinary Information Network (VIN) published information on red bug parasites for reference.

Once Interceptor was no longer available, reefkeepers began searching for a replacement. Currently, Milbemax is the most often recommended replacement. It is a prescription combination of milbemycin and praziquantel. (The latter medication is commonly used for fluke treatment in reef tanks (e.g., PraziPro); however, it is a much lower dose than would be effective for common marine flukes).

Providing proof of infection to a veterinarian and asking him/her to look up red bugs on the VIN should be enough to receive the medication (or at least it was for us.) Some veterinarians have recommended different medications with different treatment protocol (e.g., MilbeMite Otic), so those individual cases are not discussed here. Unfortunately, many aquarists are finding some red bugs have a resistance to milbemycin. If you try it with no success, work with your veterinarian to find an alternate medication or try one of the other methods listed here.

Interceptor Treatment General Protocol for Red Bug Parasites:

(This is provided for historical purposes only since Interceptor is no longer available, as it may be relevant to other treatments.) Dustin Dorton of ORA determined 0.025 grams of Interceptor are needed per 10 gallons of water. After that, the protocol is the same as Milbemax, described below.

Milbemax Treatment General Protocol for Red Bug Parasites:

(Obtain actual procedures from a veterinarian, as this is for general reference only.) The recommended dosage is 23mg per 400g tank water, which works out to 0.0575mg per gallon tank water (or 5.75mg per 100 gallons if that is an easier reference point). Similar to Interceptor medication, pulverize and weigh the medication out as accurately as possible. Estimate the true volume of water as close as possible (subtracting live rock, sand, etc.)

Remove all crabs, shrimp, and other crustaceans from the aquarium before dosing. Turn down the skimmer so that water runs through it, but the skimmer doesn’t actually skim. Remove GFO and activated carbon. Add an airstone (or multiple, depending on the size of the tank) bubbling gently to help maintain the pH. Otherwise, allow everything else to run so that the chemical can spread throughout the aquarium. Dose the correct amount and let the system run for six hours.

After six hours, the red bugs should be gone, but if they are not, slightly adjust the dosage and try again in a few days. Perform a water change (~15-25%), turn the skimmer back up, and bring the GFO and carbon back online. As mentioned above, although red bugs are live bearers, three treatments a few days apart is still ideal. Once the red bugs are completely eradicated and the medication is removed, reintroduce the crabs, shrimp, and other crustaceans to the aquarium.

Method 4: Bayer Advanced Insecticide

WARNING: Per Bayer Advanced Insecticide’s labeling, “It is a violation of Federal law to use this product in a manner inconsistent with its labeling.”

Yes, this is the stuff you may have in your garage or at your local hardware store. Some aquarists use it as a dip only, not as an in-tank treatment. This website does not cover Bayer use as a coral dip, due to the warning above.

Method 5: Temperature Adjustment

With crazy heat in the summers, lowering the tank temperature may not be feasible. But for tanks located in basements during the winter, this may be the least expensive option. In fact, this method worked for me…accidentally! Right after I received the infested Acropora mentioned above, we lost power for about six hours. My quarantine tank got down to about 65 degrees (thanks to being in Utah in the middle of winter). After the power came back on, there were no signs of red bugs. I’m not the first to document this. I still continued treating for them just in case, but I never saw another one. This seems to work, but we still need scientific studies to back it up.

Experimental Temperature Treatment Protocol for Red Bug Parasites:

Slowly lower temperature to 65-66 degrees. If tank inhabitants start to show signs of stress, start bringing the temperature back up. Leave the temperature at 65-66 degrees for 4-6 hours. Note: this is experimental, and there is not enough data to determine if this treatment works 100% or is safe. Use with caution!

Conclusion:

Acropora Rehabilitation Before and After

Thanks to all the courageous mad scientist reefkeepers out there, there are several proven treatments for red bugs, including an in-tank treatment. The Acropora shown was saved from both red bugs and AEFW! Hopefully, with the increasing ease of treatment protocols, red bugs will be a thing of the past. Best of luck in your treatment!

Dying Acanthastrea Coral Rehabilitation

reefdup Acanthastrea, Rehabilitation February 20, 2021February 20, 2021Acan, Acanthastrea, quarantine, Rehabilitation, Rescue Coral 0 Comment

Assessing the Coral’s Health:

This dying Acanthastrea (“Acan”) coral came out of a hobbyist’s tank that had been neglected due to an impending move. Notice the lack of tissue between the polyps. Luckily, corals in poor water conditions usually recover quickly in a mature, well-maintained aquarium. Rehabilitation should be easy with just proper, basic care. (Photo taken 9 June 2012)

Preparation for Quarantine:

Since the coral just needed a healthy environment, there wasn’t a whole lot I could do. There was some nuisance algae on it, so I cut those sections off. I gave the coral a dip in Coral Rx to check for pests just in case. Within less than a month, the polyps were already expanding out more and growing larger. (Photo taken 30 June 2012)

Quarantined Coral:

Within a month, the previously dying Acanthastrea coral looked almost like it had never had a problem. Unfortunately the remaining skeleton kept growing nuisance algae, so I kept having to remove it to facilitate its rehabilitation (white areas in the photo, taken 7 July 2012.)

Coral Grow-Out:

After a month in quarantine, I was able to re-dip the coral and place it into a grow-out tank. In a grow-out tank, I can continue to monitor the coral for any remaining issues while not exposing it to other incoming quarantined corals.

Within only two months the polyps were fully expanding and growing tissue between them (14 August 2012). Around this time I purchased a band saw, so I cut off the part of the disc that kept growing nuisance algae.

Rehabilitated Acanthastrea Coral:

Not too shabby! All this coral needed was a bit of TLC and some good water to make a full recovery within six months. (7 October 2012)

I had this coral for several years, during which time I fragged it many times to pass along to other hobbyists. For all I know, I may still have some of it, but I’ve lost track of which Acan coral it may be in my tank after a few moves and having several similar corals (what a great problem to have!)

Dying Lithophyllon Coral Rehabilitation

reefdup Lithophyllon, Rehabilitation February 8, 2021February 8, 2021carbon, chalice coral, Coral, Dying Coral, flatworm, Lithophyllon, poison, quarantine, Rehabilitation, Rescue Coral 0 Comment

A local fish store (LFS) called me to ask if I wanted to try to save some of their corals. An employee had overdosed their reef tanks with a chemical used to treat flatworms (I was not told what chemical it was). When I arrived, honestly, I was shocked at how bad many of the corals were. I don’t know if these corals were dying from an overdose of some unknown chemical or if the flatworm toxins were killing them. Either way, something was poisoning these corals to death. I picked up two “chalice” corals, amongst others. These dying Lithophyllon coral mouths were gaping open, the tissue was falling off, and what tissue did remain was barely hanging on. Rehabilitation was going to be dicey. (Photo of Litho#1 taken 11 May 2013)

Dying Lithophyllon Coral Inspection and Dipping:

When I brought them home, I temperature acclimated them to my quarantine tank and prepared the dips. Like most of my rescues, I dipped the corals for pests. (Photo of Litho#2 taken 11 May 2013)

*NOTE: This post tracks the corals as “Litho#1” and “Litho#2” to show individual progress.

Coral Quarantine:

After the dips, I placed the two dying Lithophyllon corals into my quarantine tank in a low light, low flow area. I made sure that no crabs would bother the coral, especially with all the decaying tissue. Since the corals were poisoned, I made sure the quarantine tank had new carbon to help absorb anything that the corals might leach. Both corals did start to quickly recede, so I tried to stop it by smearing a bead of superglue gel along the receding edge (white lumpy band in the photos below). Rehabilitation was definitely already proving rough. (Photo of Litho#1 taken 11 May 2013)

Receding Lithophyllon Coral (Photo of Litho#1 taken 9 June 2013)

The corals also refused to eat until about a month after I received them. I started them on fish food pellets (shown here and above) since they are quite processed. In my experience, sick corals seem to digest fish pellets better than whole foods (like mysis, etc.) This helps them recover faster. (Photo of Litho#2 taken 9 June 2013)

Coral Grow-Out:

After stopping the recession with superglue and maintaining regular feedings, the corals started to heal quickly. And how great they started looking! After 30 days in quarantine, I inspected, re-dipped, and placed them into the grow-out tank. (Photo of Litho#2 taken 4 August 2013).

Regular feedings likely helped the coral recover. (Photo of Litho#1 taken 12 October 2013)

Here is Litho#2 on 3 November 2013.

A month later (8 December 2013), Litho#2 was growing down its skeleton.

Fully Rehabilitated Lithophyllon Coral:

Nearly a year later, both previously dying Lithophyllon corals were growing rapidly. This Litho#2 is shown on 1 May 2014, when it was fully rehabilitated. Below is a close-up shot showing the corals’ beautiful patterns.

Conclusion:

I had very little hope for these dying Lithophyllon corals due to their poisoned state. However, the fast reaction of the LFS along with continued care over a year fully rehabilitated these two corals. Shown below are the before/after photos of the dying Lithophyllon coral rehabilitation. One coral was nearly immediately rehomed, and the other coral was rehomed a couple years later.

Dying Cyphastrea Coral Rehabilitation

reefdup Cyphastrea, Rehabilitation February 2, 2021October 16, 2022Coral, Cyphastrea 0 Comment

Cyphastrea coral are usually very hardy and prefer low light (and sometimes do best partially shaded) but can be acclimated to higher-light areas. They also adapt well to a variety of flow conditions. I received this dying Cyphastrea coral from a reefkeeper who was getting out of the hobby. Good husband would likely be key to this coral’s rehabilitation. (Photo taken 22 May 2012)

Unfortunately, most corals in the tank were suffering from poor water quality, and this Cyphastrea was no exception. The reefkeeper did the responsible thing by recognizing that the corals needed proper care and attention.

Note how some of the polyps still have tissue while there is no tissue between the polyps. This is a good indication of poor water quality (in addition to actually speaking with the previous owner). Regardless of the damage root cause, I still dipped and checked it for pests.

Coral Quarantine:

As mentioned, the coral was declining due to poor water quality. After the initial dipping process, I placed the coral into my quarantine tank for observation and acclimation. Here, the coral was fairly low in the tank to allow it to adjust to the lighting. Notice that by less than a month later (15 June 2012), the coral was already regrowing!

Just another 15 days later (30 June 2012) and slightly over a month total time with me, and the coral was gaining coloration and growing rapidly! Given the proper light and water conditions, this coral grows extremely
fast.

Fully Rehabilitated Coral:

This previously dying Cyphastrea coral was completely rehabilitated in less than three months (pictured at 14 August 2012). The coral had completely covered the old skeleton and had encrusted onto the base. In fact, it started to grow so quickly, that I had to frag it several times. Coral reproduction via fragmentation reduces hobbyist impact on the oceans.

Troubleshooting Dying Cyphastrea Corals

As mentioned above, if the Cyphastrea coral has started to lose tissue between the polyps, then there is probably a water quality issue. If the coral is bleaching, then it’s likely in too high of light (or might’ve been in absolutely no light.) If the coloration isn’t great (too brown), then it may need more light or less nutrients. Or, if there’s recession from one side to another, then it may be a pest, bacterial/fungal infection, or a sudden water quality problem.

Identification of Marine Eggs

reefdup Identification, Marine Eggs January 23, 2021October 16, 2022AEFW, Berghia, Cerith, Collumbellid, Crabs, Eggs, Montipora-Eating Nudibranchs, Nerite, Nudibranchs, Polyclad, Snails, Stomatella 6 Comments

A single dot, a squiggle of white, a floating orange ball – marine eggs come in all shapes, sizes, and colors! Of course, the easiest way to tell what it could grow up to be is to find mom nearby, but that’s not always possible. These are just a few of the most common eggs found in an aquarium to help you with the identification of marine eggs.

Berghia Nudibranch Eggs (Berghia verrucicornis) – Reef Safe:

Anyone plagued by Aiptasia sp. anemones needs to know about Berghia nudibranchs. These nudibranchs only eat Aiptasia anemones, and they produce an egg sac like the one pictured every few days. Below, a microscope image shows the developing nudibranchs, along with grown adults.

Nerite Snail Eggs (Nerita sp.) – Reef Safe:

Nerite snails are a great snail, but I only know of one person who had nerite eggs hatch and grow successfully to adults (in other words, most eggs do not become adults…or even make it to juveniles.) The eggs look like white sesame seeds and are sometimes found singularly or in small groups (like the four in the photo below). Read more about snails here!

Collumbellid Snails…AKA Hawaiian Strombus Snails…AKA Strombus maculatus – Reef Safe:

Ok, so maybe the taxonomy isn’t entirely straightened out on this snail yet, but regardless of name, they’re great snails. As you can see by the multiple egg sacs, they reproduce faster than rabbits. If you’re sick of buying snails, then these are your best choice in my opinion. They graze over rocks and on glass, stay small, and their population waxes and wanes with food supply. Read more about snails here!

Nassarius Snail Eggs (Nassarius sp.) – Reef Safe:

Nassarius snails produce various egg patterns, depending on species. Some of them produce some of the most beautiful “fan” patterns of marine eggs, but others leave these small individual sacs. Read more about snails here!

Cerith Snail Eggs (Cerithium sp.) – Reef Safe:

Cerith snails are a beneficial part of a reef tank clean-up crew. They reproduce in captivity to some extent (some aquarists have more success than others, and the juveniles make it to adulthood in small numbers). The egg pattern is very distinctive, as shown with the
mother (and possibly father). The egg pattern will vary by species, but most have something similar to this white swerving pattern or the fuzzy white string below. Read more about snails here!

Stomatella Snails (Stomatella sp.) – Reef Safe:

Stomatella snails are hands-down my favorite snail. They come in nearly all colors (like the black one and speckled one below, but also in red, silver, green, etc.) They frequently enter an aquarium as a hitchhiker, scour the tank for algae, and then reproduce prolifically. They’re broadcast spawners, so they reproduce by climbing high in the aquarium and releasing small puffs of sperm and eggs which look like smoke.

Although the stomatella snail can’t be seen in the photo with the Scolymia coral, there is one hiding under the coral releasing either sperm or eggs (white smoke-looking mass to the left of the
Scolymia). This event lasted about 3 minutes. Unfortunately, I’ve had a hard time determining their life cycle times since they constantly have new batches of babies. Read more about snails here!

Conch (Strombus sp.) – Reef Safe:

I had (what I assume to be) a mated pair of fighting conchs that regularly laid eggs. Unfortunately, I never had success raising these in captivity. Read more about conchs here!

Acropora-eating Flatworms (Amakusaplana acroporae) – Not Reef Safe:

As the common name implies, these flatworms only eat Acropora corals. Although they usually lay their eggs directly on the Acropora corals, the eggs can sometimes be found near Acropora corals, like on a frag plug in the photo.

Polyclad Flatworm – Not Reef Safe:

These massive flatworms are not reef safe due to their predatory behavior. I found one of these flatworms inside a hole in the live rock attached to a coral along with the marine eggs shown. Although I am not 100% certain the eggs are from the flatworm, there were no other large invertebrates within the live rock. Additionally, the eggs resembled very large Acropora-eating Flatworm (AEFW) eggs, another polyclad flatworm species.

Gall Crab Eggs – Reef Safe with Caution:

There is quite a bit of debate over whether gall crabs are reef safe, but I, personally, have not experienced any issues. The female builds a small hole in live rock, and corals grow around the crab. Since sick corals often contain gall crab inhabitants, the crabs are often blamed for the coral’s ill health. I should note that extremely large, healthy corals in the wild house gall crabs with no noticeable problems. The female shown is carrying eggs (in yellow).

Coral Eggs – Reef Safe:

Coral eggs, like the Tubastrea coral eggs shown, are typically orange balls. The coral below actually started spawning while in a coral dip!

Unknown Marine Eggs

Marine egg diversity is vast, as shown by another pattern here. What eggs have you found in your tank?

Dying Pectinia Coral Rehabilitation

reefdup Pectinia, Rehabilitation January 21, 2021October 16, 2022coral dip, Dying Coral, ostracod, Pectinia, Rehabilitation 2 Comments

A fellow hobbyist in my local reef club at the time contacted me about his dying Pectinia coral. He said no matter what he did, the tissue kept receding, and it was just a brown color. Knowing the hobbyist and his system, this was out of the ordinary. So, after much discussion, I took it in to attempt a rehabilitation of this dying Pectinia coral. (Photo taken 8 March 2014)

Inspection:

Upon inspection, I noticed that the tissue recession was slow (notice the coralline algae growing on the old skeleton). I also noticed it was covered in very tiny, moving, white dots (and majano anemones!)

I wanted to take a closer look at the “white dots,” and found that they were Ostracods – seed shrimp. This was the first coral I’ve encountered that had a massive pod population covering it during the day. Typically I’ve only seen ostracods out at night.

Although a microscope isn’t ideal for examining seed shrimp, it was still neat to see.

Treatment:

As with all my dying corals, I started the coral out with a series of dips.

During the dipping process, I trimmed off all of the excess skeleton to expose any hidden issues, reduce the likelihood of pests, and allow the coral to regrow a skeleton unencumbered.

I didn’t really believe the ostracods were the source of the problem, but dips are always wise.

Quarantine:

After three dips and a skeleton trim, the Pectinia coral was quite stressed, but it went into my quarantine tank for observation.

Continued Care:

The coral started to regain color, but the ostracods came back. Interestingly, they only covered this one coral during the day. I decided to perform the dips again.

Final Results:

After the second set of dips, I never saw the ostracods again, and the coral started to recover. By 1 May 2014, the coral was turning a beautiful blue and starting to grow. Shortly after this photo was taken, I gave the coral back to its owner. Below, you can use the slider to see rehabilitation of a dying Pectinia coral from beginning to end!

Identification of Sea Spiders

reefdup Identification, Sea Spiders January 18, 2021October 16, 2022acan spider, Acanthastrea eating spider, kill with fire, marine pest, Marine spider, parasite, reef pest, Spider, zoa spider, zoanthid eating spider 2 Comments

Although sea spiders are certainly creepy and may have eight legs like land-dwelling spiders, sea spiders are only distantly related. The sea spiders identified here are more interested in eating coral than eating pods in a reef tank, which makes them all the more scary!

Acanthastrea-Eating Sea Spiders: Not Reef Safe

Here’s another one for your nightmares! For years I had heard rumors of a stealthy Acanthastrea predator, but I had yet to find one (to my relief.) A while back, I attended a coral fragging demonstration, and along with my frag freebie, I also received these lil buggers.

Phylum: Arthropoda (joint-legged invertebrates)
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Pycnogonida (sea spiders)
Order: Pantopoda

Rumor has it that these spiders tend to prefer Acanthastrea (typically called “acans”) corals, but they have also been found on other large polyp stony corals (LPS). Thankfully I eradicated these spiders before I had a chance to find out if they would infect my other LPS corals as well.

This Acan-eating spider shown below (hereafter referred to as AES) has (or had, I should say) eight legs. This is likely a female as the males have a specially modified leg (called an oviger) for carrying eggs (unless I knocked that leg off accidentally too) (Cowles, 2009). As you can see, there is practically no body – it is mostly legs. On the left side of the AES in the photo are the chelicerae (mouth parts) and the proboscis (tubular mouth part for ingestion). As mentioned – these are not true spiders! (Although they still give me the heebie jeebies!)

How to Identify AES:

AES are nearly colorless, so they blend in quite well with the coral. Even after a thorough visual inspection of the coral prior to dipping, I only found these after they fell off in the dip. The ones I found were about 1 cm in diameter (nearly half an inch). So, I recommend a good coral dip prior to introducing the coral into your tank. As they can rapidly eat Acanthastrea corals, proper identification of sea spiders is critical.

How to Treat AES:

Various dips may be effective against AES; however, multiple dips may be required to eliminate any recently-hatched eggs (most dips are not effective on marine pest eggs).

Hydrogen peroxide dip: This is my preferred method for AES. This dip creates bubbles that will actually lift the AES off the coral – they usually can’t hold on! Use this dip with caution as overdoing it can cause serious coral damage. Also, only dip LPS in it. Soft corals and small polyp stony (SPS) corals do not typically respond well.

CoralRx, Lugols, and other commercially-available dips: Although I haven’t used these dips on AES, they should work…possibly with varying levels of effectiveness. Several brands tout effectiveness against pycnogonida (sea spiders).

Natural predators: Certain wrasses and other typical pod-eating-vertebrates may eat AES, but I’m not aware of any definite natural controls.

Manual removal: If your eyes are good enough (or are helped with a magnifying glass), you may be able to manually remove AES with tweezers or a pick. However, you may miss some and end up with a worse problem down the road.

Other: I am not aware of any in-tank treatments (other than possible natural predators). Additionally, Bayer insecticide is a common hobbyist treatment for marine pests; however, it was not designed for reef usage. Please read the label.

AES Conclusion:

Although Acanthastrea-Eating Spiders are quite creepy-looking, they are not a horrible pest to eradicate. They are highly susceptible to coral dips and can even be manually removed. If you know you have AES, please be a responsible reefkeeper and do not pass your coral on without at least notifying the new owner.

Zoanthid-Eating Sea Spiders: Not Reef Safe

Note how different the AES above is from the Zoanthid-Eating Spider (ZES) shown below. The AES is much larger and has a much smaller (proportionally) body. Both have eight legs.

The photo below is of a zoanthid-eating spider that came off a zoanthid colony during a dip in CoralRx. It is in a water droplet on the top of a water test card for size reference.

How to Identify ZES:

ZES are extremely tiny, so they hide quite well in the coral. And, they are able to attach themselves very well inside the zoathid polyp. Even after a thorough visual inspection of the coral prior to dipping, I only found these after they fell off in the dip. The ones I found were about 3-5mm in diameter. So, I recommend a good coral dip prior to introducing the coral into your tank. Since they can devour Zoanthid corals, proper identification of sea spiders is critical.

How to Treat ZES:

Various dips may be effective against ZES; however, multiple dips may be required to eliminate any recently-hatched eggs (most dips are not effective on marine pest eggs).

Hydrogen peroxide dip: This is not an ideal treatment for ZES, as soft corals (zoanthids) do not typically respond well.

CoralRx, Lugols, and other commercially-available dips: These ZES photos were taken after removal with CoralRx, so these preparations may have varying degrees of effectiveness based on brand/solution.

Natural predators: Certain wrasses and other typical pod-eating-vertebrates may eat ZES, but I’m not aware of any definite natural controls.

Manual removal: If your eyes are good enough (or are helped with a magnifying glass), you may be able to manually remove ZES with tweezers or a pick. However, you may miss some and end up with a worse problem down the road.

Zoanthid-Eating Sea Spiders Conclusion:

Although Zoathid-Eating sea spiders are quite creepy-looking, they are not a horrible pest to eradicate. They are highly susceptible to coral dips and can even be manually removed. If you know you have AES, please be a responsible reefkeeper and do not pass your coral on without at least notifying the new owner.

References:

Cowles, Dave, “Phoxichilidium femoratum (Rathke, 1799),” https://inverts.wallawalla.edu/Arthropoda/Chelicerata/Pycnogonida/Phoxichilidium_femoratum.html, accessed 18 January 2021.

Dying Echinophyllia Coral Rehabilitation

reefdup Echinophyllia, Rehabilitation January 18, 2021October 16, 2022brown coral, chalice, dying, Echinophyllia, Rehabilitation, Rescue Coral 0 Comment

A friend of mine asked about this dying Echinophyllia coral’s rehabilitation, “How did you even know there was any living tissue on that one?” That’s a really great question, because this Echinophyllia sp. (also known as a “chalice”) coral was in a really bad shape and dying.

There was a local fish store (LFS) near me back in the day that used to have massive coral runways with massive runway sumps below. If any corals died, the employees would just throw the pieces into the sump. I used to take a UV-light and run it along their sump to see if there was anything with the tiniest hint of life clinging to it. Although I didn’t get this particular coral there, a UV pen was what gave me hope. This coral might be brown under regular light, but it fluoresced a beautiful green under UV.

This dying Echinophyllia coral got its start with me on 22 May 2012. Of course, I dipped it to check for parasites and placed it in a low light, higher flow area.

Coral Quarantine:

Just a little over a week later, on 3 June 2012, the transformation was amazing. With regular target feedings, this previously dying Echinophyllia sp. coral was no longer clinging to its skeleton, showed off its orange mouth, and it developed what can only be described as “glitter” throughout its tissue (notice the specks around the mouth). I was getting excited! Its rehabilitation was coming along!

By the end of June (30 June 2012), just a little over a month later, and the Echinophyllia sp. coral had nicely filled out. It was time to transfer the coral from quarantine to the grow-out tank, so it was dipped again and inspected to ensure it was clean.

Coral Grow-out:

This photo was taken on 14 August 2012. The grow-out tank’s lights were much stronger, so this coral started out in the sand again. Even down in the sand, the coral began to develop some beautiful coloration, with blues, greens, and orange mouths.

Fully Rehabilitated:

By 19 February 2013, the coral looked as if it had been beautiful all along. There were no signs of fragging, and the coloration was fantastic. This previously dying Echinophyllia coral was rehabilitated!

After about a year-and-a-half recovery (2 November 2013), the coral was ready for a permanent home (excuse the oversaturated photo!) This coral went from essentially the “trash bin” to having a new start.

Catalaphyllia Rehabilitation

reefdup Catalaphyllia (Elegance), Rehabilitation January 17, 2021February 25, 2022catalaphyllia, Coral Restoration, dying, Dying Coral, elegance, Rehab, Rehabilitation 0 Comment

Catalaphyllia Rehabilitated Before and After

This dying elegance coral (Catalaphyllia) came in on 24 November 2012 covered in aiptasia anemones and flatworms. Although I believed the flatworms were just Waminoa (nuisance, but not parasitic), but the previous owner was convinced the flatworms were actually parasitic. At the time, reports of LPS-eating flatworms were becoming more prevalent, so I wasn’t about to take chances.

This photo shows the coral in a dip to remove the flatworms and any other unseen parasites. I had to manually remove the aiptasia (chopping off parts of the old skeleton).

Only two days later (26 November 2012), and the coral was looking much better. (Only one piece of the Elegance is shown here.) With good water quality, I was hoping the coral would grow well.

Unfortunately, even seven months later (16 June 2013), the coral had not grown. Many rehabilitated corals often have stunted growth for about six months or so (some have had stunted growth for about two years). The coloration was significantly better though, with beautiful pink tips and fluorescent blue streaks reminiscent of lightning in the center.

Shortly after this photo was taken, the coral was permanently rehomed.

Catalaphyllia Rehabilitated — Move the slider to see the before/after coral rehabilitation!

Fluke Parasites in Reef Tank – Cercariae Stage

reefdup Identification, Worms/Flukes July 10, 2020October 16, 2022cercariae, fish, fluke, Marine creature, parasite, reef tank, Snail, trematode, Unidentified 2 Comments

“I’ll just feed my tanks before bed.” Famous last words. I spent the next two hours with a microscope and the glow of my computer screen instead of my nice, cozy bed. Even then, it took quite a while to find someone to identify them as likely the cercariae stage of fluke parasites in my reef tank.

A few minutes after feeding my reef tank, I noticed some rather large “pods” swarming around the top of the still water (all pumps were in “Feed Mode” – off). Odd, but nothing too weird. After all, I thought they were Ostracods at first (seed shrimp). On second glance, they looked too big. I paused, and then I realized what really caught my eye. They were red. Other than “red bugs” (Tegastes acroporanus), I’ve never seen red pods. I sighed in hesitation, then accepted my fate. Bed would have to wait.

I took a sample. There was no doubt; these were truly red. Ok, red Ostracods, right? I wouldn’t have to get out my microscope and prepare a slide, right? Wait. Ostracods don’t have tails. Noooooo.

Up Close with a Microscope: Fluke Parasites

I prepared a slide, and nothing could have prepared me for what I would find. I expected something in the definitive worm or pod realm. But not this. This was respiring. It was opening and closing its… mouth?

Close-up of its anatomy… for what it’s worth.

Up until this point, they looked all cute. Like, little swimming strawberries, right? Nooooope. More like Sauron’s Eye (check out the video below).

So what are they? I have no idea. Every idea leads me down the wrong path. The closest I’ve landed is maybe some sort of larval sponge? (See update below.)

Identification: Fluke Parasites

Update (12/27/2020): Thanks to Reeffraff on Reef2Reef back in July 2020, it appears these are likely the cercariae of a trematode or fluke (in other words, they’re likely parasitic). Their life cycle probably involves snails and fish. I was right: these fluke parasites in my reef tank were the thing of nightmares! My treatment was to run fishless for several months (as the snails can shed for weeks/months). Another option, which I did not utilize, was to run PraziPro. I decided against that approach, as the number of worms (e.g., spaghetti, bristle) in my tank would probably cause a crash. I plan to quarantine all future snail purchases in a fishless system to avoid these.