HELP! Something eating or degrading torch skeleton!!

[moz71]

Please see pics. I just noticed my torch skeleton is seriously degrading. Not sure if something munching on it. The heads are big and beautiful so not effected there just the skeleton. I don’t see any bugs but didn’t mean they are not there. Parameters
Alk 8.2
Cal 460
Sal 1.025
Phos .06
Mag 1200
Nitrate 5

 

[moz71]

Bump!!

 

[Boxofpurplerocks]

Ever figure out what it was? I have the SAME exact thing happening to my torches. I’m beginning to suspect one of my urchins (bite marks can be seen in the coralline algae to the immediate left of the degraded skeleton.

 

[moz71]

No I didn’t figure it out what caused it but I did take it out to dip it in coral Rx in case of bugs. Then I smeared crazy glue over all the affected areas thinking either smother any bugs inside or just act as a bandage. Lol. Anyhow, IT WORKED!!! Alive and well no other degrading. Looks good and repaired. You maybe right on urchin since I have one as well and it was covered in coralline.

 

[moz71]

Ever figure out what it was? I have the SAME exact thing happening to my torches. I’m beginning to suspect one of my urchins (bite marks can be seen in the coralline algae to the immediate left of the degraded skeleton.

Sorry meant to quote you. See above

 

[Doh Boy]

I can verify that my urchin has done this to my euphyllia. I witnessed it happening. You can see a trail on the rock that is clean and then went right on through between the rocks and euphyllia. I believe it is accidental while the urchin is chomping through the algae.

 

[Doh Boy]

Here some more pics

 

[Doh Boy]

Also it does not seem to affect the euphyllia.

 

[dtrick]

Also it does not seem to affect the euphyllia.

I just had the exact same problem with a pincushion urchin taking a bite out of my rainbow hammer. I first noticed that one of the dual heads on a branch was shrunk up and about to bail. The other head on the branch was doing perfectly fine along with the heads on a separate branch. This morning I found that the other head on the damaged branch was shrunk up. I cut off that branch as to not affect the healthy one. Upon further investigation, I can see a direct path of urchin munching leading up to the hammer and the guilty party at the base of the rock this morning. The urchin now lives in the refugium. It can munch away on all the macro algae it wants down there. I am just very glad I did not find this out about the urchin on one of my expensive torches.

 

[moz71]

Funny I have been carefully watching my pincushion. I call him the destroyer. He takes everything out in his path. He cleans rocks clean. I mean thick coralline algae is removed down to white rock. And after suspecting him doing this damage to my torch I just put him in my refuge as well. People says completely reef safe and I agree but they can do damage. Hoping my rocks get back to a nice even purple. However, I did notice the benefits. He clean rocks so well that I do not see any vermitid snails on the open surfaces of the rocks. But still have infestation in all the crevices.

 

[dtrick]

Funny I have been carefully watching my pincushion. I call him the destroyer. He takes everything out in his path. He cleans rocks clean. I mean thick coralline algae is removed down to white rock. And after suspecting him doing this damage to my torch I just put him in my refuge as well. People says completely reef safe and I agree but they can do damage. Hoping my rocks get back to a nice even purple. However, I did notice the benefits. He clean rocks so well that I do not see any vermitid snails on the open surfaces of the rocks. But still have infestation in all the crevices.

I bought mine in hopes that it would eat ulva. It hasn't touched any of the ulva and seems to love eating all the coralline algae off my pumps and rocks. Not worth the risk when it comes to my Euphyllia. I have finally made a dent with the ulva issue by growing it in my refugium with my fuge lights running 22 hours. I also added a bunch of turbo and astrea snails.