Lots of critters....coral getting eaten quick!

jaihutcherson

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Hey all,
I am pretty new - about a year and a half into a 150 gallon mixed reef. Use apex trident for chem. Kh=9.5
CA=435
Mag=1400
Nitrate=5
Ph=8.2
Salinity=1.026

I noticed SPS and Montipora Gergen eaten. Quarantined and in fact found small brown flat spots and eggs. So pretty sure aefw and have started the process to fix. Joy. However, I’m doing so and inspecting sand, rock, and everything else I ran across many many worms and things I have no clue what they are. I took some photos so maybe the more experienced here can help me identify and figure out do I need to dump the sand and start new, .... yikes!!! Mixed reef about 50 or so frags and colonies, anemones, good rock etc. I do have a99 where all this lives I can set back up and start fresh if needed.
Thanks
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Devin6871

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Boy howdy look at the collection you've got. Most of these pictures are too blurry for me to make out anything. That big colorful stripey thing looks like it could have been colonial tunicates but it is tough to tell as they lose structure when out of water.

Other than that looks like mostly snails and different worms.

The white roundish structures close to the last few pictures look like nerite snail eggs.

Overall taking some clearer pictures would be better.
 
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jaihutcherson

jaihutcherson

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I will try today to get some better pics. Lol. All those critters are so small each pic had to zoom in as far as phone could go. I do believe the round things are snails as well. The tiger striped things ??? Can not find a single thing online to compare. I did find many so I believe it’s not just a one off thing. Thanks for helping for sure. Always welcome ideas thoughts and corrections!
 

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I will try today to get some better pics. Lol. All those critters are so small each pic had to zoom in as far as phone could go. I do believe the round things are snails as well. The tiger striped things ??? Can not find a single thing online to compare. I did find many so I believe it’s not just a one off thing. Thanks for helping for sure. Always welcome ideas thoughts and corrections!


is the tiger stripes thing soft or is it a shell?
 

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Just looking at them, the 1st photo look like pipe fish or sea horse embrio/baby. The tiger skin like look like tiger benthic ctenophores, but still not sure :)
 
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Hey thanks for responding. Sea horse? Can they hitch hike? I know when and how I got the AEFW with one lapse of judgement. But a sea horse? Lol wow. The river thingy under tweezers taking it out felt harder than the worms but still kinda softish. Once out, like things I’ve come across was hard. I’ll try to find another today. I’ve spent all yesterday and today vacuuming out flat worms bristle worms and any of the AEFW I could find left. The new wrasses actually fight my vacume hose for the treats. The leopard wrasse by far the winner as far as getting to the pests the most. All day and night all he does
 

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why not, if you got something recently from somewhere, the baby are free swimming and if it stuck on something isn't problem, ad for some SP need few weeks to grow big enough to see true sea horse, but also the sea pipefish can have similar if no the same shape when it's still young.
 
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Wow. Right on. Thank for taking the time! So far 4 acros and a Montipora . I’m watching a green slimmer. I pulled a couple off as well as eggs. Really have had some great growth over past two months. Hoping can save. My stylo was a goner but had plenty I could Frag. Got 4 small frags so I should be able to come back from that. Vacuuming the tank and looking at everything has been an eye opener! I can honestly say until now I was not fully away of the need of dips, quarantine, and being vigilant. Again thanks
 

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O yes, the DIP and quarantine is the probably the best way. I usually do DIP (in 3 different DIPs and short quarantine for a week + and in the DT, but once I found nudi after 3 weeks, so probably I don't saw the eggs during the dip :( but it's lesson for me, after longer quarantine :)
 
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Thanks for the info. Any chance you can send actual pic of nudi so I know what to watch out for....

mil, well just 4 hours ago, this after 48 hrs straight cleaning, inspecting , and ridding my 150 of anything I could find, I thought I could say I have a chance getting through this losing only 5 acros and 1 Montipora. Just got home from my bike ride and turned lights on saw a bunch of rocks and pebbles where they should not be. Zoomed in on them and dang, these things look horrid. Freaking out,started looking at coral. All of the SPS covered in brown goo and the bases brown spots and eggs. This stuff moves fast. So you will see my green slimmer in the pics with many shots. On bottom back a ref bump pushing out goo, another bump next to egg. it’s a goner I’m sure. Can someone pleaseconfirm this is AEFW or tell me what it is. Obviously dips, spraying off turkey basters, vacuuming entire tank rock and coral was not enough and honestly am getting pretty discouraged. Just need to know a path to take so I can stop the bleeding. Thanks!

first pics are of what looked like rocks in tank. Each shows rock looking then up close. These look like baby factories for critters. Where do they come from in less than four hours time? Next pics green slimmer alll covered.

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SHNICI

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Thanks for the info. Any chance you can send actual pic of nudi so I know what to watch out for....

mil, well just 4 hours ago, this after 48 hrs straight cleaning, inspecting , and ridding my 150 of anything I could find, I thought I could say I have a chance getting through this losing only 5 acros and 1 Montipora. Just got home from my bike ride and turned lights on saw a bunch of rocks and pebbles where they should not be. Zoomed in on them and dang, these things look horrid. Freaking out,started looking at coral. All of the SPS covered in brown goo and the bases brown spots and eggs. This stuff moves fast. So you will see my green slimmer in the pics with many shots. On bottom back a ref bump pushing out goo, another bump next to egg. it’s a goner I’m sure. Can someone pleaseconfirm this is AEFW or tell me what it is. Obviously dips, spraying off turkey basters, vacuuming entire tank rock and coral was not enough and honestly am getting pretty discouraged. Just need to know a path to take so I can stop the bleeding. Thanks!

first pics are of what looked like rocks in tank. Each shows rock looking then up close. These look like baby factories for critters. Where do they come from in less than four hours time? Next pics green slimmer alll covered.

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Mate, really can't help with ID any of this..., but it look like you have factory of pests.

#reefsqaud , can some of you have look a bit close here Please, really many creatures in.
@jaihutcherson Don't give up mate, I can suggest only to setup bare quarantine tank, take out every coral you have and DIP it in whatever you can, BAYER, coral RX, ReVive, Iodine, DETTOL (chloroxylenol - not for all corals), and keep eye on them in the QT. Do that for about 2-3 weeks DIPing the corals per 4-5 days. take out all the invertebrates you have in the DT, fish and all what you know and you're sure it's good for you. The LR..., I'll say restart the system, wash the rocks with RO/DI and I think you can bleach them or something else which you can wash away easy later on.
Just restart your system, cleaning perfectly the LR and the sand/gravel you have (or you can replace that one if you wish). I'm using bleach for the LR and the gravel sand. but later on, the washing it away it's taking really much of RO/DI, and if you can dry it at the end before putting back in the tank, I'm drying it with fan heater for example. the same with the sand/gravel. You can use also after the RO/DI some of the water conditioners used in the FW tanks, to neutralize the chlorine and the rest from the bleach. The drying process help a bit more.
Really wish you Good Luck, just don't give up, after you will be able to build really good reef system, and in the future just DIP your corals (all new stock you get) and use the Quarantine system before you put them in the DT.
 
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Mate, really can't help with ID any of this..., but it look like you have factory of pests.

#reefsqaud , can some of you have look a bit close here Please, really many creatures in.
@jaihutcherson Don't give up mate, I can suggest only to setup bare quarantine tank, take out every coral you have and DIP it in whatever you can, BAYER, coral RX, ReVive, Iodine, DETTOL (chloroxylenol - not for all corals), and keep eye on them in the QT. Do that for about 2-3 weeks DIPing the corals per 4-5 days. take out all the invertebrates you have in the DT, fish and all what you know and you're sure it's good for you. The LR..., I'll say restart the system, wash the rocks with RO/DI and I think you can bleach them or something else which you can wash away easy later on.
Just restart your system, cleaning perfectly the LR and the sand/gravel you have (or you can replace that one if you wish). I'm using bleach for the LR and the gravel sand. but later on, the washing it away it's taking really much of RO/DI, and if you can dry it at the end before putting back in the tank, I'm drying it with fan heater for example. the same with the sand/gravel. You can use also after the RO/DI some of the water conditioners used in the FW tanks, to neutralize the chlorine and the rest from the bleach. The drying process help a bit more.
Really wish you Good Luck, just don't give up, after you will be able to build really good reef system, and in the future just DIP your corals (all new stock you get) and use the Quarantine system before you put them in the DT.
Thank you for your time and effort. I am pretty much on that exact thinking woth exception of new sand and boiling the rock for half hour. Lol I’ll keep you posted!
 

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I’ve been combing the sand for more it appears to be a one off.
about the sand depending how much is it (in volume=liters/gallons), you can boil it, but have on mind if it accumulated already chemicals from the water and/or some toxins you can get injuries by the evaporations, that's the same and about the LR. If you go on that route, the best way is to do it outside the house. Be very careful about, because the hobby know many cases when people boil LR and they enter the hospital with some disease/poison etc ...
Yes boiling in a water is the fastest way to kill pests, but think about for your safety and that on the people near you.
Good Luck, please keep us on touch about your progress
 
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about the sand depending how much is it (in volume=liters/gallons), you can boil it, but have on mind if it accumulated already chemicals from the water and/or some toxins you can get injuries by the evaporations, that's the same and about the LR. If you go on that route, the best way is to do it outside the house. Be very careful about, because the hobby know many cases when people boil LR and they enter the hospital with some disease/poison etc ...
Yes boiling in a water is the fastest way to kill pests, but think about for your safety and that on the people near you.
Good Luck, please keep us on touch about your progress
Thank you for that information. I had no clue. I will boil the live rock on my grill out side. I am getting new sand in the morning. Just bought another 90 gallon tank and skimmer. Already have a new pump on the shelf. I do not know the best method for cleaning my effected tank, the plumbing in it, reactors, skimmer, bio media in sump etc. if someone that knows would chime in I am all ears and ready to learn.
 

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Thank you for that information. I had no clue. I will boil the live rock on my grill out side. I am getting new sand in the morning. Just bought another 90 gallon tank and skimmer. Already have a new pump on the shelf. I do not know the best method for cleaning my effected tank, the plumbing in it, reactors, skimmer, bio media in sump etc. if someone that knows would chime in I am all ears and ready to learn.
I'm sure there can be more and better advices but what I can say, if you are ready/near to restart your system completely, then:
1. empty the tank from all your live stock you want to keep.
- if you wish remove and the sand, otherwise you have to sift it completely during each of next step, if you want to keep it, and you have to vacuum it from all what's in to reduce the ammonia which will produce after the treatments.
2. fill much as possible the tank with RO or RO/DI water if you can, let the pumps work + all the wave makers.
-you can use and tap water but the best way is to use it with Seachem Prime (to neutralise the heavy metals)
Ratio 2-3 caps per 50G or 2-3ml per 10g of water, Sulfur smell like is normal.
3. leave them like that for minimum 24h if you want more that will be better.
- leaving for longer, the RO/DI will wash deeper your LR/sand.
- will kill all pests for sure
- if you leave it to work like this for over week I'm sure will kill and the pests which are still in eggs
4. That's not 100% working good for everyone: put bleach in the water in ratio: 1/30 or 1/40 (if the Sodium hypochlorite is 4.6ml/L), for 24H-36H will be enough
5. empty the water from the tank and now you have to flush the LR from all this again using RO/DI or tap water (I don't advise using it, because I don't know how much unneeded chemicals you can get in and trapped in the LR.
-if you use FW, it's good to get FW (Fresh Water) conditioner, I suggest to get one by Seachem Prime.
- Ratio 5 caps per 50G or 5ml per 10g of water, Sulfur smell like is normal. it will neutralise all bad from the tap water: Chlorine, chloramine, nitrite, and detox ammonia, and heavy metals as well. And will completely neutralise the Bleach if you used any.
- leave it with pumps and wave makers for about 24H+
6. Empty the tank and leave it for another 24H-48H to "dry" the leftover bleach (if there is still presence of it) will escape in the air with the evaporations.

7, Now you can start again filling your system with salt water and is good if left Seachem Prime to use in ratio like on the bottle. Use starting bacterias vials/products, I prefer Prodibio for starting or restarting system and Brightwell Microbacter 7

Wish all my best, you can research and another suggestions/advices but that's the fastest way which I already try 2 times (my 1st system and in friend of mine), and it work perfectly.
 

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if you boil the LR you have to leave it to dry out completely (which will take longer), and before/after is good to wash it completely from what's left in. I think that way you can use bleach again, ratio: 1/30 or 1/40, (if the Sodium hypochlorite is 4.6ml/L)
 
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jaihutcherson

jaihutcherson

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I'm sure there can be more and better advices but what I can say, if you are ready/near to restart your system completely, then:
1. empty the tank from all your live stock you want to keep.
- if you wish remove and the sand, otherwise you have to sift it completely during each of next step, if you want to keep it, and you have to vacuum it from all what's in to reduce the ammonia which will produce after the treatments.
2. fill much as possible the tank with RO or RO/DI water if you can, let the pumps work + all the wave makers.
-you can use and tap water but the best way is to use it with Seachem Prime (to neutralise the heavy metals)
Ratio 2-3 caps per 50G or 2-3ml per 10g of water, Sulfur smell like is normal.
3. leave them like that for minimum 24h if you want more that will be better.
- leaving for longer, the RO/DI will wash deeper your LR/sand.
- will kill all pests for sure
- if you leave it to work like this for over week I'm sure will kill and the pests which are still in eggs
4. That's not 100% working good for everyone: put bleach in the water in ratio: 1/30 or 1/40 (if the Sodium hypochlorite is 4.6ml/L), for 24H-36H will be enough
5. empty the water from the tank and now you have to flush the LR from all this again using RO/DI or tap water (I don't advise using it, because I don't know how much unneeded chemicals you can get in and trapped in the LR.
-if you use FW, it's good to get FW (Fresh Water) conditioner, I suggest to get one by Seachem Prime.
- Ratio 5 caps per 50G or 5ml per 10g of water, Sulfur smell like is normal. it will neutralise all bad from the tap water: Chlorine, chloramine, nitrite, and detox ammonia, and heavy metals as well. And will completely neutralise the Bleach if you used any.
- leave it with pumps and wave makers for about 24H+
6. Empty the tank and leave it for another 24H-48H to "dry" the leftover bleach (if there is still presence of it) will escape in the air with the evaporations.

7, Now you can start again filling your system with salt water and is good if left Seachem Prime to use in ratio like on the bottle. Use starting bacterias vials/products, I prefer Prodibio for starting or restarting system and Brightwell Microbacter 7

Wish all my best, you can research and another suggestions/advices but that's the fastest way which I already try 2 times (my 1st system and in friend of mine), and it work perfectly.
Thank you for taking the time to write that. I’ll sure look reaearch and do.
 

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