Something eating Sarcophyton!

[TERRIER]

Something seems to be eating my Leather coral. There are 3-4 small holes in its cup surrounded by discolored tissue, it rarely opens its polyps and when it does it's only in patches, never completely. I saw 3-4 little anemones with long feather-like philaments on it at night and took them off, but I doubt they were creating the problem (I read in Wilkens that they're quite harmless).

Does anyone have a similar experience, or know what can be doing those holes in my coral?

Thank you all,

I. Yufera[/i]

 

[Bubafat]

Look for nudibranch's...i've had'm. Mine was a really pretty yellow colored one. I hoped that my sarcophyton could regenerate fast enough to keep up with the nudibranch but no such luck and had to pull the nudi.

Look for them at night.

Buba

 

[Anonymous]

I've got the same problem with a friends tank I service. Something, for the last 2 months or so, in munching holes starting from the cap and going down thru the stem, creating a mouth and butt on my leathers. I've looked for predetors, I've come up clean so far. How big/color is this nudi? Mine seems to continue to grow larger(the hole), dead tissue is almost always present. I flush the area, and give the leathers a iodine/water dip. Is there something else I should try? I'm about ready to propigate the leathers (18" diam. top & 3x 10" diam) if nothing else works. This came out of left field, I haven't added anything in a long while.

 

[Garry thomas]

i had this problem with my last tank (featured PFK dec o2) it is a nudibranch, it is white or very pale in color and can devistate soft corals esp sarcophyton! Be sure to examine all new soft corals and look for a mass of small white eggs, it's name is TRITONIA nudibranch, it looks as though it has frilly edges right around it, of which i believe to be its gills...
GT

 

[Garry thomas]

i had this problem with my last tank (featured PFK dec o2) it is a nudibranch, it is white or very pale in color and can devistate soft corals esp sarcophyton! Be sure to examine all new soft corals and look for a mass of small white eggs, it's name is TRITONIA nudibranch, it looks as though it has frilly edges right around it, of which i believe to be its gills...
GT

 

[Anonymous]

While only a few people have ever believed me, I've had a green brittle star that absolutely loved to eat soft corals including sarcophyton and xenia.

Not sure if that's your problem. Do you even have a GBS in there?

 

[TERRIER]

Thanks for your replies. Here's a pic of the actual holes in he Leather's cup. I'll keep an eye at night trying to get the culprit, will inform you if I finally get'im.

Ignacio.

 

[Leopardshark]

I´ve had the exact problem with my 2 sarcs.
It really took me by surprise since both were on EXCELENT conditions and fully opening.
One day the yellow started to open less and the same holes appeared on it. I fragged it but I couldn´t save it. That was about 4 months ago.
3 weeks ago the other one developed the same sympthoms and what I did is cut it to the base, and throw it to the toilet except for the part that was adhered to the rock structure and a little part that looked healthy.
They are both growing again and I hope they will completely recover in no time.
HTH
Marco

 

[Anonymous]

Looking at the photo, I'd have to say those look nothing like holes an animal would create from eating. Looks more like some disease that's causing the holes. You may want to do what Leopardshark suggested.