Potential Problem Pests

[Steve Bory]

I've got some potential pests that I'm hoping someone can help me with.

 

1) Is this Zoa Pox? If it is, what should I do? It only appears to be on one polyp. It appears to bump out some. This one makes me really nervous. I first spotted this about 15 minutes ago.

 

2) What is this worm-like thing? Do I need to be concerned about it? They appear to be multiplying quickly, but staying on the same rock.

 

3) This one looks like a cotton ball. What is it? I touched it and it was squishy. It's been in my tank for a while. It's grown, but doesn't appear to be bothering anything. It's pretty weird though.

 

Any help would be great, especially regarding the white spot on my zoa as I've read zoa pox can decimate the whole tank...

[Jan]

I've got some potential pests that I'm hoping someone can help me with.

 

Not sure

1) Is this Zoa Pox? If it is, what should I do? It only appears to be on one polyp. It appears to bump out some. This one makes me really nervous. I first spotted this about 15 minutes ago.

 

Hydroids

2) What is this worm-like thing? Do I need to be concerned about it? They appear to be multiplying quickly, but staying on the same rock.

 

Sponge

3) This one looks like a cotton ball. What is it? I touched it and it was squishy. It's been in my tank for a while. It's grown, but doesn't appear to be bothering anything. It's pretty weird though.

 

Any help would be great, especially regarding the white spot on my zoa as I've read zoa pox can decimate the whole tank...

[Steve Bory]

Are these hydroids and the sponge something that I might need to get rid of or do I keep them?

[Jan]

Hydroids sting corals and fish. Sponges are filter feeders, they're fine.

 

Are these hydroids and the sponge something that I might need to get rid of or do I keep them?

[Incredible Corals]

1) Is this Zoa Pox? If it is, what should I do? It only appears to be on one polyp. It appears to bump out some. This one makes me really nervous. I first spotted this about 15 minutes ago. That's on a paly so it can't be zoa pox. Probably nothing to worry about.

 

2) What is this worm-like thing? Do I need to be concerned about it? They appear to be multiplying quickly, but staying on the same rock. Not sure what that is. Do they move at all? Probably some filter feeder that isn't a big deal

 

3) This one looks like a cotton ball. What is it? I touched it and it was squishy. It's been in my tank for a while. It's grown, but doesn't appear to be bothering anything. It's pretty weird though. That's a sponge. Good filter feeder. As your tank matures you will see different color sponges growing in shaded areas. I have some neon yellow sponge growing with some neon green zoas. Looks pretty cool.

[Steve Bory]

That's on a paly so it can't be zoa pox.

Obviously I haven't totally nailed down the difference between zoas and palys.

 

Thanks Steve...I guess I can enjoy my Veteran's Day off again. By the way, all the frags opened up right away and look great. Thanks again.

 

 

[Jan]

Do these move like a worm or snake? I ask because I had loads of them in my 3 gallon pico. They would come out of the rocks when the day lights went out. They'd move like a snake. Someone identified them as a hydroids even though it looked like a worm. somwhere on one of my gazillion posts id a pic. Do a picture search on google for "hydroid" and see if you find it there.

 

) What is this worm-like thing? Do I need to be concerned about it? They appear to be multiplying quickly, but staying on the same rock.

[Incredible Corals]

Obviously I haven't totally nailed down the difference between zoas and palys.

 

Thanks Steve...I guess I can enjoy my Veteran's Day off again. By the way, all the frags opened up right away and look great. Thanks again.

 

You're welcome. It took me a while before I could tell the difference.

[Steve Bory]

Yeah, there are just so many different types of hydroids that I haven't found someone identifying exactly what I'm seeing. They don't really move like a snake, they just kind of float in the water column. I just checked them out again and they are all gone...I guess they like the light. Of course there is a whole new set of creatures that come out at night, but those worm/hydroid things are gone.

[zygote2k]

Hydroids are fine- someone said they sting corals and fish. I'm pretty sure that anemones sting corals and fish and we don't worry about them, so with that rationale, I wouldn't worry about Hydroids.

 

The bump on the zoa/paly could be anything.

 

The sponge is harmless.

[Coral Hind]

The worm Jan mentioned is a worm that lives in the rocks and sends out a sticky string with a hair like ball at the end that catches food. What you have is a hydroid and I would remove them as they spread fast and will sting and kill corals as Jan mentioned.

[zygote2k]

If you're concerned with the hydroids, I'll trade them for an equal sized non- hydroid covered rock. I like diversity in my aquaria.

[Steve Bory]

If you're concerned with the hydroids, I'll trade them for an equal sized non- hydroid covered rock. I like diversity in my aquaria.

Heh...we'll see. I'll keep an eye on them. If they start rapidly spreading, I might take you up on that.