Coinzmans Reef
Active Member
Both my tanks have freeloaders and for me they are a problem. They are in every coral period. They might not eat corals but they will tick them off. I have witnessed the brittle stars under the fold of skin that covers the sharp edges of the skeleton on my torches. I have had many polyp bailouts, afterwards the stars are in the heart of the skeleton. I have cut the branches down to the main stem and they are deep inside. It is this burrowing that makes them difficult to remove.
There is something going on between the stars and my torches, they might not eat the flesh but they are in that deep for a reason. Another issue I noticed is the skeletons has become very brittle. I can crush it between my fingers. This was not the case three years ago. (any insight on this would be appreciated)
I do ICP every three months and Moonshiners for adjustments. Without going thru all my parameters my ICP score ranges from 95%-98%. The main chemicals are Apex and trident dosed. nitrates range from 2.5 - 15 phosphates .02 -.4 PH 8 - 8.4 I check the apex numbers three times a day after the trident completes the testing, sometime I can go months without making adjustments. ALK 8-8.5 CAL 425-475 MAG 1300-1375
Salinity 1.0255 - 1.0262 10% water change monthly. Ro top off water, 0 TDS
I hear Bongo shrimp will eat them up but I have not been successful finding any for sale.
The pictures are after dipping my two torches (Todd's and NY nicks both are around 10 heads and sit on a rock 3" x 5" pedestal) with Red Sea Dip for 10 minutes each. Torches always enjoy the dip and look better after loosing all these freeloaders (Brittle stars, chitons, Asterina stars and Vermetid snails) and yes maybe 50% come from the pedestal. Can you find any critters I have not listed?
There is something going on between the stars and my torches, they might not eat the flesh but they are in that deep for a reason. Another issue I noticed is the skeletons has become very brittle. I can crush it between my fingers. This was not the case three years ago. (any insight on this would be appreciated)
I do ICP every three months and Moonshiners for adjustments. Without going thru all my parameters my ICP score ranges from 95%-98%. The main chemicals are Apex and trident dosed. nitrates range from 2.5 - 15 phosphates .02 -.4 PH 8 - 8.4 I check the apex numbers three times a day after the trident completes the testing, sometime I can go months without making adjustments. ALK 8-8.5 CAL 425-475 MAG 1300-1375
Salinity 1.0255 - 1.0262 10% water change monthly. Ro top off water, 0 TDS
I hear Bongo shrimp will eat them up but I have not been successful finding any for sale.
The pictures are after dipping my two torches (Todd's and NY nicks both are around 10 heads and sit on a rock 3" x 5" pedestal) with Red Sea Dip for 10 minutes each. Torches always enjoy the dip and look better after loosing all these freeloaders (Brittle stars, chitons, Asterina stars and Vermetid snails) and yes maybe 50% come from the pedestal. Can you find any critters I have not listed?
