Parasite inside the mouth of my torch coral?

[duesmortem]

Hello R2R community!

I recently noticed that one of my torch corals has something move in and out of its mouth. I have not noticed this behavior with any of my other torch corals, so it leads me to wonder if this is some type of parasite? Or is it simply a function for the coral to help itself feed?

Here is a video of the occurrence:




Is this something that may harm the coral long term?

Please let me know what you think!

 

[Fudsey]

Can't say I've ever seen that. Let's get more eyes on it @ReefSquad

 

[Shirak]

It's a barnacle filter feeding. Probably growing between a couple of the heads

 

[duesmortem]

It's a barnacle filter feeding. Probably growing between a couple of the heads

Should I remove the barnacle? If so, then how can I remove it without harming the torch?

 

[Shirak]

Should I remove the barnacle? If so, then how can I remove it without harming the torch?

Well good question. I don't think it will harm the torch directly. It may grow larger and start to crowd the edges of the torch polyps. It seems to be positioned right in the middle of the 3 heads which are splitting apart. Maybe something damaged the torch head a little and exposed some skeleton and allowed a barnacle to settle there? They can get pretty big so personally I would remove it before it becomes a potential problem for the torch heads. You should be able to see the cone shaped outer shell when the torch is retracted. Would be pretty easy to just crush it with some needle nose or similar tool. Or just wait and keep an eye on it and if you see it becoming an issue for the torch do something then.

Is this a recent addition? It may just die off if you don't feed much in the way of very fine particulate food.

 

[duesmortem]

Well good question. I don't think it will harm the torch directly. It may grow larger and start to crowd the edges of the torch polyps. It seems to be positioned right in the middle of the 3 heads which are splitting apart. Maybe something damaged the torch head a little and exposed some skeleton and allowed a barnacle to settle there? They can get pretty big so personally I would remove it before it becomes a potential problem for the torch heads. You should be able to see the cone shaped outer shell when the torch is retracted. Would be pretty easy to just crush it with some needle nose or similar tool. Or just wait and keep an eye on it and if you see it becoming an issue for the torch do something then.

Is this a recent addition? It may just die off if you don't feed much in the way of very fine particulate food.

I have had it for a little less than a month now. I target feed all of my LPS corals so I will probably use some forceps to damage the barnacle whenever the torch retracts it's tentacles. Thank you so much for the advice and insight!

 

[dutchreefer8]

heey i also have a hammer coral with one of those barnacles on it and i asked someone at my lfs and they said that they dont hurt the coral so i wouldnt mess with it to much unless you see that the coral is hurting from it

 

[xiaoyuliang]

I know it's been so long but I saw the exactly same thing coming out of the mouth of one of my torch heads, did you end up removing it or how is the touch later

 

[duesmortem]

I know it's been so long but I saw the exactly same thing coming out of the mouth of one of my torch heads, did you end up removing it or how is the touch later

Unfortunately the torch ended up dying. I went on vacation for a week and had someone watch my tank for me. All my other euphyllia survived but this one just decayed :/