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FAQs about Trachyphylliid Coral Disease/Health,
Parasites, Pests 5 Related
Articles:
Coral Pests and Disease;
pests, predators, diseases and conditions by Sara Mavinkurve,
Trachyphylliid Corals,
Trachyphyllia Reproduction Report,
Related FAQs: Trachyphyllia
Disease 1, Trachyphyllia
Disease 2, Trachyphyllia Disease 3,
Trachyphyllia Disease 4, &
Open Brain Coral 1,
Open Brain Coral 2,
Trachyphylliid Identification,
Trachyphylliid Behavior,
Trachyphylliid Selection,
Trachyphylliid Compatibility,
Trachyphylliid Feeding,
Trachyphylliid Systems,
Trachyphylliid Reproduction,
Stony Corals,
Stonies 2,
Stonies 3,
LPS Stony Corals,
Coral System Set-Up,
Coral System Lighting,
Stony Coral Selection,
Coral Placement,
Foods/Feeding/Nutrition,
Disease/Health,
Propagation, Stony
Coral Behavior,
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Brain Not Extending It's Tentacles/Trachyphylliidae/Health
8/27/09
Hello.
<Hello Sharon>
I have had an open brain coral for about a month and it swells pretty
well when the lights are on and is maintaining its colours. However, it
does not extend it's feeding tentacles at night. Since buying it, I
still have not seen it extending it's tentacles before. Does that mean
that it is unhealthy or is there something wrong with my water? All the
critical parameters are in check and I place it on the sand bed. I try
to feed my
corals several hours after lights off..
Please comment,
<Well, you do not mention lighting being used, would be very helpful
here, along with stating additives being used, if any. Please respond
and we will continue on.>
thanks!
<You're welcome. James (Salty Dog)>
`Sharon*
Re Brain Not Extending It's Tentacles/Trachyphylliidae/Health
8/28/09
Dear James,
<Sharon>
I'm using a single 250w Reeflux 12k MH with Lumenbright mini reflector
supplemented with 2 actinic blue plus T5. I dose Purple Up daily and
Seachem Reef Advantage Calcium, magnesium and carbonate to maintain
ionic balance.
I also do around 10% water change weekly using natural seawater that my
LFS sells.
<May be a problem here depending on where the water was collected from.
I believe you would be better off just using a reef blend of artificial
sea salt mix.>
Thx for the prompt reply. Hope to hear from you again.
<Always include your measured levels of calcium, magnesium, dKH, and pH,
does aid in our response. I would add iodine to your additive list. As
for feeding, cut back to no more than once weekly. Corals produce most
of their food by way of photosynthesis and frequent feedings can have a
negative impact on water quality.
Do read here and related FAQ's for helpful information on keeping this
coral. http://www.wetwebmedia.com/trachyphlliidae.htm
James (Salty Dog)>
`Sharon*
Re Brain Not Extending It's Tentacles/Trachyphylliidae/Health
8/29/09
Alright, I will try my best. Thanks for the help!
<You're welcome. James (Salty Dog)>
`Sharon*
Open Brain Question, pred.? 08/19/09
Hello, I have recently been given a very established saltwater aquarium
with some live rocks, a couple of clown fish, and Damsels, Blennies, and
an Open Brain. The Open Brain seems to be doing great. He swells up when
I
feed him and seems content. Although, on the edge of it there is what
looks like a "blackhead" on/in it. It looks like poop or algae sticking
out of him. I thought maybe he was pooping but it has been there for a
couple weeks now and I don't know if it is bad. I cannot find anything
online about it. It looks like something brownish is coming out of a
"pore". There is some sticking out and some that penetrates deeper
inside the brain. Any idea what this could be? Should I try to pull it
out with tweezers or something? I test the water every couple days and
keep it
right where it is supposed to be.
<Without a picture, it's hard to say for sure. But this sounds a bit
like a gall crab. This thread here has some good pictures of the hole
they make:
http://www.manhattanreefs.com/forum/identification/27215-gall-crab.html
If this isn't it, please do send in some pictures if you can.>
Thank you, Jessie
<De nada,
Sara M.>
Red Open Brain Help...
reading 7/30/09
Hey Guys, Let me begin by saying your site is a wealth of knowledge and
I have learnt soo much from it!
I bought a red open brain about a month ago and within a week of
introducing it to my aquarium it turned from deep red to a light pink on
one lobe. The open brain has two lobes of which the other is still
brightly colored. I figured that this was because of too much lighting
so i reduced the Photo period to 5 hours.
<Mmm, not a good idea>
Since then a small part of the outer tissue has receded to show skeleton
(showing about 4 ribs all the way to the center) on the lightly colored
lobe.
<... What are you feeding?>
Once this stopped I figured that I was in the clear and the coral may
bounce back as nothing changed for a couple of weeks, but yesterday I
noticed tissue receding again on the same lobe at another point. I am
really worried now and do not want to lose this coral. I feed it every
other night and the tentacles are extended, more on the colored lobe
though.
This coral is placed on the sand and the aquarium is 20" in depth and
lit by 250 MH lighting. Ammonia, Nitrites, Nitrates & Phosphates are all
undetectable.
<... all "corals" need some NO3, HPO4... the absence of chemical food
may be the issue here or at least a large/r contributing cause>
I keep the water temp. between 78-80 F.
I have not noticed any fish picking, I do have a flame angel though but
he does not even come close to the brain. Other coral are Finger
Leather, Plate Coral, Xenia, Colt, Mushrooms, Zoos and Montipora.
Yesterday to I did a Lugol's dip hoping that it would help the
situation. Can you offer any guidance?
Thanks for the help!
Troy
<Read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/trachydisfaqs.htm
and the linked files above. Bob Fenner>
Re: Red Open Brain Help –
07/30/09
Thanks for the response Bob. Since I emailed I have moved the brain to
under an overhang, after reading your response on reduced lighting I am
guessing that this may be a bad idea too?
<... likely so>
Should I move it back out into the open and increase the lighting
period?
<Likely so...>
I am feeding minced shrimp, salmon & coral frenzy. What should I do to
raise the Nitrates and Phosphate? I am running Rowaphos so I guess I
should turn off the reactor?
<Yes...>
Sorry for all of the questions, I just don't want to lose this guy.
Thanks for the help
Troy
<Keep reading. BobF>
Re: Red Open Brain Help
Thanks again for the help Bob.
<Certainly welcome Troy. B>
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Trachyphyllia parasite 03/31/09
Greetings and Happy Spring!
<Thank you and sorry for the delay... did Michelle answer your email? In
case she forgot... I'll try to help.>
I received this small brain several weeks ago site unseen, (online order)
and it came to me with a slightly damaged area that I found to be home to a
nocturnal worm of some sort; the area has continued to worsen. My plan is
to try and remove the creature with tweezers, and if that doesn't get it,
to work surgically, trying to remove flesh to expose the worm and then
clean the skeleton up with a Dremel. Does this seem like a productive
approach?
<Well, if you haven't done so already, no. It's highly unlikely that this
worm is the cause of the coral damage. It's more likely that it is simply
opportunistic. If you can pull it out without troubling the coral much,
then go ahead. But don't cause more damage trying to do so. The best
thing to do is to just make sure your water quality is high, that the coral
has the right lighting and water flow, etc... and just hope it recovers.
Did you acclimate it properly?>
Would a freshwater bath be helpful or more damaging?
<more damaging>
Next, because as you may be able to see Cyano has found its way to the
exposed skeleton,
<typical>
does anyone ever use a petroleum jelly ointment of Neomycin sulfate (eye
ointment) in the marine system?
<Not that I've heard of... but it's an interesting idea. I would take it
out of the water before doing this though. I'm not sure if it would do any
good, but it's an interesting though. If you care to experiment, I would
remove the coral from the water, apply the ointment, then cover it with an
inverted bowl (to keep moisture in)... or, cover it with a damp paper towel.
Then let it sit for a few hours. Then return it to the tank. But again,
I'm not recommending this... as I've never heard of such a thing being
done. But if you wanted to try it, that's how I'd do it.>
Other than it being a petro/ mineral oil product, it's water resistance
might keep the antibiotics localized and in place perhaps keeping the
blue-green algae at bay.
<Yes, it is an interesting idea... >
The coral is inflating fairly well and eating even though looking a wee bit
bleachy due to misplacement in direct halide lighting.
<This could also cause (or make worse) the damage you're seeing.>
Any suggestions/cautions are very much appreciated, thank you. Robert
<Please let us know how it works out.
Cheers,
Sara M.>
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Deflated Trachy 2/17/08
Gents
I'm writing to you from Guernsey, a small Island in the British channel! I have
a question that so far, despite trying many different people, have not got an
answer. I have a Trachyphyllia Geoffroyi that has been deflated for about 3
weeks. I've had him for about 8 months and has always looked amazing. I recently
upgraded my skimmer to a Deltec apf600 on a 325 Ltr
(90 US Gallon?).
<About 86>
I changed my carbon and phosphate remover but nothing different to my normal
routine. My coral has since deflated. The flesh was very tight over the skeleton
and I thought all was lost. I was really gutted as he's my favourite coral. I
didn't remove the coral but left it for a few days.
One night I noted he looked a bit inflated but the next day he was the same. I
have since put him in a Pyrex bowl on the bottom of the tank so that I can get
to him easily. I feed him in the bowl and he feeds well but still no inflation.
The flesh is no longer tight over the skeleton but definitely not inflated. Any
ideas what the problem is?
<Mmm, first guess would be a nutrient shortage from your new, more efficient
skimmer.... Do you have measurable phosphate?>
My conditions are:
S.G - 1.025
pH - 8.2
KH - 8
Ca- 420
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 15
I'm afraid that's all I test.
I do 25 Ltr water changes every 2 weeks with good quality reef salt. Use a Ca
reactor, Carbon, Phosphate remover,
<This too is too-likely a culprit... I would pull this media for now. Some
soluble HPO4 is absolutely essential to all life...>
Live rock, DSB, skimmer. All other fish / corals are in good health and no fish
appear to be irritating the coral.
Many thanks for any help.
Cheers
Jeff
<And a bit of iodine/ide supplement, and let's see how this Open Brain does in a
week or so, eh? Bob Fenner>
Re: Deflated Trachy, HPO4 2/25/09
Hi Bob, or whoever this may be going to.
Many thanks for responding to me. I've tried what you suggested and no response
as of yet. I don't have any measurable phosphate. I removed the phosphate
remover and added some Red Sea Iodine at the stated dosage. I've
left the skimmer running. Do you think it might be worth adding a Polyfilter? to
remove something that may be irritating it. Maybe a change in salinity? I'm
running out of ideas and any further help would be much appreciated.
Cheers
<Mmm, no to the chemical filtrant... or changing SPG... Odd as it may sound, I'd
look to adding a supplement that included soluble phosphate...
Life needs it... BobF>
Trachyphyllia-unidentifiable parasite
1/28/2009
Dear Wet Web Media,
<Hi Tina, Mich here.>
I have had a green open brain for 6 months. Upon arrival, I noticed a small hole
in the skeleton (about the size of a pencil head eraser). The coral expanded and
ate normally until the last three months. Around the same time, I noticed the
hole in the skeleton increasing in size.
<I'm doubting this is causational.>
When a light is projected into the hole, I can see two dark brown tubes that
retract into the hole, followed by the plugging of the hole with a round piece
of coral skeleton.
<Hard to say without a picture but my best guess is a sedentary snail.
They are generally harmless and can often be detected by the mucus net they
produce to capture food items.>
I have searched fruitlessly for information about what this creature might be
and if I should attempt to remove it.
<In my experience the hitchhikers I have found on such corals have generally
been harmless.>
Can you help me?
<I'm not finding a good image to show you, but perhaps the written description
is enough?
Thank you very much in advance for your time.
<Welcome! Do let me know if this fits the picture.>
Best Regards,
Tina Woodruff
<Cheers,
Mich>
Re: Trachyphyllia-unidentifiable
parasite 02/08/09
Hi Mich,
<Hi Tina, Sara M. here.>
This explanation makes sense to me, but I have never seen the mucus net that you
mentioned.
<As Mich has said, without a picture it's hard to say. But I do agree with Mich
that this was likely a Vermetid snail.>
I have a company that maintains the larger of my two aquariums and they removed
the "creature" from the brain coral late yesterday afternoon.
<Bad idea!>
It was very large in size (for living in a small open brain) and had bored a
large cave in the skeleton of the coral. It did not look like a normal snail,
but more like a small sea slug attached to a hard operculum.
<Again, I suspect this was a Vermetid, like this one:
http://www.asira.org-a.googlepages.com/IMG_0469.JPG >
Do you still feel that this creature had a commensal relationship with my brain
coral and was likely a sedentary snail?
<Not so much "commensal"... the snail gets much more out of the relationship
than the coral. In fact, the snail might even be considered mildly parasitic in
that it does take food that might otherwise come to the coral. But they don't
really cause any real harm.>
I guess my worry now is will the brain survive the surgery, but only time and
good care will tell. Do you have any suggestions?
<Again, I wouldn't have removed the thing... doing so likely caused more stress
than good. But now that it's done, I would just leave the coral be.
Care for it as you normally would, with good water quality, target feeding,
etc.>
Thank you again for your time and the care you took in answering my query, you
guys really are the best.
<De nada.>
Best Regards,
Tina
<Cheers,
Sara M.>
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Crab eating open brain??
01/04/09
Hi there!
<Hi>
I have been spending a lot of time on your site and it has helped me
tons!
I have also listened to Bob (just bought your conscientious book)
Bluezoo Radio which I listen to and love! I have a question I needed to
write in for...
I have a 29g mini- reef, running now for 3mos. Ph 8.2, 78 degrees. N ,
No2, and No3 all 0. Ca 380, KH 8. I am running a Current Satellite 30"
60w SunPaq dual daylight, dual actinic, w/moon for lighting. I am also
using a hob filter using foam, and carbon, an AquaC remora skimmer, both
hung on the back of tank, and 2 powerheads placed in the top front
corners of the tank pointed to the opposite lower back corners of the
tank.
My tankmates are: 1 turbo, 1 trochus, 1 emerald crab, 1 peppermint
shrimp, 1 blue knuckle hermit, and around 8 mini hermits. I have a few
small Seastars that hitchhiked into my tank as well.
I acquired 2 colonies of Zoanthids, a sponge, some tube (feather
dusters?)
worms, and some mushrooms on my live rock.
The corals I purchased, were acquired from the same LFS; Euphyllia
Frogspawn, Dendrophyllia (my favorite) , Caulastrea Candycane, Xenia,
Nephthea, Diaseris, and a Trachyphyllia g. (pink and green). All seem to
be doing great, (with the exception of my Trach, which brings me to
write to you) expanding fully and eating.
<This is a lot of different types of corals for such a small tank. I
would expect some chemical warfare problems... if not now, then in the
near future.>
My question is about my open brain. He's been in my tank about 5 weeks .
I originally had him up on a rock, just an inch above the sand, but my
pesky blue knuckle hermit kept mowing him over into the sand, along with
everyone else! I have since used Aquastik to glue all my corals to the
live rock, and put my brain onto the sand as I've read is better on your
site.
<Ah, good.>
He seemed to settle in, expanding during the day, after having what
seemed to be a tough few days. He did still eat a small mash of raw
shrimp 3 days ago. I tried to feed him yesterday, and a puff of brown
'smoke' came out of one of his mouths. Good/bad??
<It is likely expelling waste (maybe even expelling zooxanthellae--
judging from how it looks a little pale, this could be "bad").>
Tonight, after my actinic lights shut off, I found my Blue knuckle
hermit on the edge of my open brain. The hermit looked like it was
shoving his legs and claws into the edge where the pink outside, meets
the green inner side (where the brains mouths are) kneading it like a
cat. I tried to move it away from my brain , but it grabbed hold, and
wouldn't let go. I tried luring it off my brain with a piece of krill,
but it was more interested in pawing at my brain for a bit longer until
the brain was totally drawn into its skeleton. It finally lost interest
and moved on . Was my Hermit eating my Open Brain coral??
<This is a bad sign. Hermits are mostly opportunistic eaters. It was
likely either trying to steal food from the coral, or picking at weak
tissue.>
Is my Trach dying? Should I remove my Hermit?
<Possibly, unfortunately-- but the good news is that it's far from dead
just yet. Yes, I would remove the hermit and target feed the coral.>
2 last questions; What other corals do you think would be a compatible
next purchase to go with the corals I already have? I would love to buy
3 or 4 fish. Any suggestions??
<IMO, you have too many different types of corals already. As for
fish... keep them small and few, gobies, chromis, maybe Perculas...
please read, research thoroughly before purchasing.>
I have attached a picture of my Trach that I took just yesterday, and a
pic of where things are set up in my tank. Thanks for taking the time to
answer my questions!!
<Good luck>
- Nancy
<Best,
Sara M.>
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