ID these little guys, Interceptor or not?

[Tarlon]

Hey everyone,

I'm hoping someone can help me ID these little guys. I've been losing hammers and torches slowly over the last few month, one by one, tissue receding, and then dead.

I finally dipped a colony the other day and these tiny black worms (about 2mm, elongated, not round) came off. They don't look like the planaria I've seen before, but I'm not sure.

I attached a video below so you can see them.

I tried an insect killer in a dip and it nuked them, but obviously I can't dump that in my display. So my main question is – would Interceptor be a good move here? Or should I just pull all my Euphyllia into QT and keep dipping?

I have other LPS in the tank (trachys, scolys, blastos) and they seem fine so far. Also have a couple of wrasses but they don't seem interested in eating these things.

Any input would be awesome. Thanks!

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hey everyone,

I'm hoping someone can help me ID these little guys. I've been losing hammers and torches slowly over the last few month, one by one, tissue receding, and then dead.

I finally dipped a colony the other day and these tiny black worms (about 2mm, elongated, not round) came off. They don't look like the planaria I've seen before, but I'm not sure.

I attached a video below so you can see them.

I tried an insect killer in a dip and it nuked them, but obviously I can't dump that in my display. So my main question is – would Interceptor be a good move here? Or should I just pull all my Euphyllia into QT and keep dipping?

I have other LPS in the tank (trachys, scolys, blastos) and they seem fine so far. Also have a couple of wrasses but they don't seem interested in eating these things.

Any input would be awesome. Thanks!

tHESE LOOK TO BE PODS AND ARE FREE FOOD FOR FISH AND CORAL. tHEY MOVE TOO FAST TO BE RED BUGS

 

[EnterName]

These look a bit like Epitokes (free-swimming reproductive stage of certain polychaete worms like Syllidae worms).

I think there are a few Syllidae that can hurt zoanthids and also LPS corals, but I will have to double check that first.

Have you seen them on the coral tissue yet? Or only on the skeleton?

 

[Tarlon]

tHESE LOOK TO BE PODS AND ARE FREE FOOD FOR FISH AND CORAL. tHEY MOVE TOO FAST TO BE RED BUGS

Thanks, but I don't think they're pods. I've had reef tanks for years and these don't look or act like any pod I've ever seen. They're elongated, worm-like, and hang out on the skeleton. Never seen pods cause tissue loss like this either

 

[Tarlon]

These look a bit like Epitokes (free-swimming reproductive stage of certain polychaete worms like Syllidae worms).

I think there are a few Syllidae that can hurt zoanthids and also LPS corals, but I will have to double check that first.

Have you seen them on the coral tissue yet? Or only on the skeleton?

Thanks, hadn't thought of Syllidae epitokes, that's a good lead.

yes, I've seen black spots on the actual tissue of some torches, not just the skeleton. When I dipped them with Bayer, dozens of black worms came off into the dip water. Tried looking under a microscope but couldn't see much, just a brownish blob with no clear shape.

If they're just harmless pods or polychaetes, I wouldn't expect my Euphyllia to be dying off one by one. Has anyone here dealt with Syllidae on LPS before? Do they cause this kind of damage?

 

[EnterName]

What's the lowest magnification your microscope has and what kind of microscope do you use?
I assume the issue is that the specimen are too large and not transparent enough to let enough light through?

A close up image would really help with the identification, so if you can somehow make it work, even by squishing the specimen a bit, it might help.

 

[Tarlon]

What's the lowest magnification your microscope has and what kind of microscope do you use?
I assume the issue is that the specimen are too large and not transparent enough to let enough light through?

A close up image would really help with the identification, so if you can somehow make it work, even by squishing the specimen a bit, it might help.

Thanks, appreciate the suggestions.

My microscope is analog, 100x to 500x. Tried top and backlighting but both just showed a brownish blob with no clear shape. I think you're right about the specimen being too thick for light to pass through.

I'll dip a few more Euphyllia today and try to get better photos. Might try squishing one to see if that helps under the scope. I'll update the thread once I have more pics.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thanks, but I don't think they're pods. I've had reef tanks for years and these don't look or act like any pod I've ever seen. They're elongated, worm-like, and hang out on the skeleton. Never seen pods cause tissue loss like this either

Looking on a larger screen than my phone, definitely epitokes

 

[MnFish1]

Hey everyone,

I'm hoping someone can help me ID these little guys. I've been losing hammers and torches slowly over the last few month, one by one, tissue receding, and then dead.

I finally dipped a colony the other day and these tiny black worms (about 2mm, elongated, not round) came off. They don't look like the planaria I've seen before, but I'm not sure.

I attached a video below so you can see them.

I tried an insect killer in a dip and it nuked them, but obviously I can't dump that in my display. So my main question is – would Interceptor be a good move here? Or should I just pull all my Euphyllia into QT and keep dipping?

I have other LPS in the tank (trachys, scolys, blastos) and they seem fine so far. Also have a couple of wrasses but they don't seem interested in eating these things.

Any input would be awesome. Thanks!

I don't understand they look like they are swimming (i.e. you didn't nuke them) - also it looks like they are in a display tank (there was a fish in the background?). What was the insect killer you used?