Good or bad?

Adrian Em · May 28, 2022

Hi guys. Just noticed this purple/burgundy “scab” growing on the “bark” of my hammer coral. It’s retracted because I just bothered it. I also have noticed both it and my other hammer have not had full polyp extension in two weeks or so. New to reefing so all help appreciated. I also noticed a similar spot on one of my Zia colonies, but that pick is less clear.

Reffetsevla · May 28, 2022

Looks like Vermetid snails to me, but a all white pic a touch clearer would help.

Is that spot "hard" like the base of a feather duster would be?

Edit to add if it is, you want to get needle nose pliers or scissors you dont really care about, pull the coral out and put it in some tank water in a little container, then crush the base of that snail. The little red tube portion. Make sure you get the "gooey" stuff inside off it, that's the actual snail. They are a pest, not part of CUC and you want to nip them in the bud if you get them. Fighting them a tiny bit myself. Found a few the other day.

Adrian Em · May 28, 2022

Reffetsevla said:
Looks like Vermetid snails to me, but a all white pic a touch clearer would help.

Is that spot "hard" like the base of a feather duster would be?

Edit to add if it is, you want to get needle nose pliers or scissors you dont really care about, pull the coral out and put it in some tank water in a little container, then crush the base of that snail. The little red tube portion. Make sure you get the "gooey" stuff inside off it, that's the actual snail. They are a pest, not part of CUC and you want to nip them in the bud if you get them. Fighting them a tiny bit myself. Found a few the other day.

Thanks a bunch. Didn’t get a chance to feel it yet. If it is a vermetid snail, guess I’ll be pulling them out tomorrow. Here are some better pics. Thanks again.