|
Home | Marine Aquariums |
Freshwater Aquariums |
Planted Aquariums |
Brackish Systems |
Ponds,
lakes & fountains |
Turtles & Amphibians |
Aquatic Business |
Aquatic Science |
Ask the WWM Crew a Question |
Please visit our Sponsors | ||||
Coral warfare 8/9/15 Candy Cane placement 2/24/12 War declared, Scler. incomp.
1/26/11 LPS questions, Faviid hlth. f'
5/23/10 Re: LPS questions... Faviids, allelopathy
f's 5/24/10 Crab and Candycane comp. - 08/27/07 Hi Crew, Yesterday I noticed something on my Candycane. In between the outer brown and the inner green it looked like something got caught on there. So I took a tweezers and it lifted right out but it came out swinging. It is (was) tiny and I doubt if I could have presented a good picture. I usually let things, that I find in the tank, live. But my gut feeling was that this was a bad guy, at least for my Candycane, so my tweezers crunched the perpetrator. It looked like a miniature crab. I do not recall reading about any Candycane pests. I have this candy cane a couple years. But recently I took in a large colony from someone since it was deteriorating in his tank. Maybe it is infected with this pest. I have not found any more yet. Right now the bright green center of the head that had the crab does not look bright and is not very green. The mouth is a large hole and is how many of the heads look in the colony that I took in. Aside for keeping my eyes open for more of these creatures is there anything I should do? Would it be useful to do a freshwater dip to force out any more of these creatures? <Naw, don't do that. It won't help and would probably just stress out the coral.> I did not quarantine the sick Candycane because it came from a tank that is much better than mine and my thought was that the other corals were causing it to decline. <Well, quarantining has nothing to do with how well the tank it came from is/was doing. But anyway… very few crabs reproduce readily in aquariums. So even if this "crab" is a pest, if it's actually a crab, I wouldn't worry about it multiplying. Also, you never know if the crab caused the coral's problems or if it simply took advantage of the coral's decline. Just keep an eye on the coral. If it doesn't recover, then you might have to think more about why it's suffering.> Thanks <De nada, Sara M.> Brain Coral Stinging BTA? 11/4/06 Have searched around the site (SO MUCH INFO - THANKS) and can't find an answer to this one. I recently got a rose BTA and he found a spot one day later that he liked and has stayed there for three days. It happens to be right behind and slightly under my Brain Worm Platygyra Coral. When I try to spot feed the anemone (clowns aren't paying any attention to him),<for some reason I haven't had any luck with clownfish and rose BTA's either!> the brain's sweepers inevitably come out. I was worried about the proximity for both their sakes,<I would be too!> and today my anemone looks completely shrunken and BAD. Is the brain stinging the anemone? I know brains can sting other corals, but was afraid to move the anemone since he seems happy there (although the spot he lives in is extremely hard for me to reach for feeding - I can only shoot some shrimp in his general direction and hope he catches it - can't spot feed directly in his center due to awkward location). Do I 1) move the brain to another spot; 2) move the rock that the anemone is attached to for easier feeding/safety; 3) leave them alone because something else is wrong with my anemone (like he's not getting the food). All advice appreciated! Thanks so much! Have gotten so much great advice from your FAQs for everything I do. <I would move the brain since it would be more difficult to move the anemone, try feeding him and hopefully he will perk back up!, IanB> Surrogate Anemone? - 07/12/06 Dear Crew, <<Hello Gerald>> I have a clownfish which has taken up commensal residence in an open brain coral, seemingly mistaking it for an anemone. I have searched the literature but have found no examples of this behavior. Is it uncommon? <<Not at all...I have seen/read about such behavior many times. But some corals are more tolerant of this than others, do keep an eye on the brain for any signs of damage/stress from the clown's attentions>> Thanks, Gerald <<Quite welcome, EricR>> The tiniest crab?? ever inside a candy cane coral 4/6/06 I just bought a white/extra gum green candy cane coral and just noticed a small hole in the tissue and what appears to be a very tiny crab in it (approx. 3mm) is this uncommon and a reason for concern? I am a wee bit worried- how will I remove the crab if needed? thank you, Russell Thomas <Common (though not often observed) and not a problem... though semi-parasitic in nature, these two organisms live together in the wild. Bob Fenner> Candy Cane and Small White Crab 10/22/05 Hi, <<Hello Ed, Ted here>> I have a candy cane coral in which there are three polyps that have a small crab living within the polyp. The crab is white and about 1/8 of an inch long. The polyp still seems healthy but there is an indent where the polyp has reshaped and the crab is sitting in. I called the LFS but they have never heard of it. Do you know if these crabs will eventually kill the polyp or if they have some type of symbiotic relationship? <<From the description, your candy cane may have Gall Crabs. I have found conflicting information on them with some recommending removal if you can do so without hurting the coral and others suggesting that if the polyps seem normal and feed to leave it be. In my opinion, if you can remove the crab without harming the coral, do so otherwise observe and hope for the best.>> Thanks, Ed <<You're welcome and good luck - Ted>> What is my Candy shrimp doing to the mushroom coral? Hi Bob, <Steven Pro in this morning.> I'm a new hobbyist and I have noticed that my Candy shrimp is climbing over my mushroom coral. This does not look good as the coral curls up and lets off a lot of white stringy stuff. It looks like the shrimp is feeding but I need to know if this will damage the coral? <Yes on both accounts, feeding and damage. Try target feeding the shrimp to see if it will leave your mushrooms alone. Many of the crustaceans we keep are capable and willing to eat our other inverts if hungry enough.> Please enlighten me as to what is going on. Many thanks, Dave <You are welcome. -Steven Pro> Cladacora- Solitary Cup Corals (Gulf Rock) hello how are you doing today <very well with thanks and hope that you are the same> I found two Cladacora on my live rock I cant find any info I really only need to know if they can sting coral <they are only weakly aggressive and more likely to suffer in combat with most corals in the trade> I added a new leather coral and I noticed the Cladacora sweeping real close to my leather so please let me know if I should move it some where else <the sweepers are out in defense.. not to attack per se. Do pamper/protect these Cladacora... they are more delicate and harder to come by> thank you for your valuable time once again <best regards, Anthony> Caulastrea bouquet Hi I'm just wondering if various Caulastrea colonies (aka trumpet, candy cane, etc.) will sting each other or whether I can safely place them in multi-color bunches. Thanks in advance! Adam <they cannot be blended in a bouquet and service long-term, my friend. These "colors" are different species and intolerant of each other. Aggression is not always apparent for the first few weeks/months, but one or both colonies will suffer in time. Best regards, Anthony> Faviid eating hermit crab! LPS with a big appetite 3/16/02 Woke up this morning and found that my Faviid had found some dinner. Cant believe that there mouth can open so wide. There goes one of my blue legged crabs. <yikes... cool picture though. Shawn... I'd like to use this picture with your permission in a future presentation or article perhaps. If you would be willing to give your permission, could I trouble you to send the original (full-sized) image to me at readingtrees@yahoo.com and copy it to here as well in case Bob would like to post/use it? If that suits you, please also include your full name as you would like to have it cited for credit (and an address to mail any possible printed copy to). No worries if you cannot share it, my friend. A very cool shot... indeed large zooplankton <G>. Expensive too if it becomes a habit... Ha! Best regards, Anthony> |
|
Features: |
|
Featured Sponsors: |