What Are The Dark Things Coming Out Of My Orange Pink Ricordea? No One Seems To Know/Corallimorph Health/Systems 6/16/10
Dear Awesome Crew!
<Irina>
Your site is amazing and I've been reading for weeks and weeks (ok, months!!!). Just can't get enough info crammed into my little brain but I'm working on it LOL!
<A learning experience for sure.>
I'm hoping someone can identify this dark entity on my new, orange-pink Ricordea.
I've read copious publications, researched and asked everyone I can think of, including the shop I got the coral from, what this "thing" or "things" are; but, to no avail.
This is the second Ricordea I've bought from the same place. The first one developed filaments and stressed to death while expelling a few of these dark-oval or petal-shaped entities along stringy filaments. This poor creature dissolved in one day. I'm beginning to think they might be a parasite. Or do Ricordea poop like this??? I know that sounds silly, but; I truly don't know and can't find a photo showing anything like this. I do know it doesn't look like any scat, or poop, that I know of and I'm stumped.
For size reference sake, the photo below shows the Ricordea open diameter of barely half an inch. This little guy is now into his fourth day here and shriveled up to a quarter inch. I'm still happy to see it at all considering how fast the first one melted away.
This second one did not let go all kinds of filaments as the first one did.
Puhleeeez tell me it's not some kind of flatworm.
<Very unlikely. Ricordea have a tendency to extrude their mesenterial filaments when stressed chemically and/or mechanically, and I believe this is what you are seeing. Is quite possible that allelopathy could be responsible if aggressive corals are kept with them. Your Frogspawn (Euphyllia paradivisa) is on that list, and when kept together in miniature systems such as yours, you can expect allelopathy problems in keeping the two together. Lighting can also come into play here as Ricordea do not seem to do as well under direct intense light. Bob may have further input here.>
You have no idea how much I've learned from your wonderful site and all your efforts are appreciated far more than you will ever know!
<Is nice to hear this, thank you.>
Respectfully and gratefully,
Irina aka Cranky When Wet
<James (Salty Dog), happy when wet with beer.>
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Other photos of my hand drawings are below (camera not available when first Ricordea failed).
<I see, helpful.>
Please see end of email for these.... I express myself better with my drawings than my writing.
<You're writing is fine.>
TANK INFO: My tanks are tiny: a pico and a Nano.
<Mmmm.>
Main or Nano display is an 8gal Oceanic Biocube
one-inch deep, live sand bed;
Coralia <Koralia> pump;
380gal/hr upgraded filtration pump;
<Waaaay too much, 80-90 would be much better.>
very aged purple Live Rock (stunning);
and the unit is approximately three month's young.
Two Turbo Snails
One lump of Zoanthids
One very large Hawaiian Feather Duster Worm
One Peppermint Shrimp that ate two Aiptasia that appeared on the worm, above.
Pico is diverse Biotope (six months old)
Polyp/Zoanthid corals, one Frog Spawn
<Ah, the likely culprit if the Ricordea is in with this Euphyllia.>
and a bit of Small Polyp Encrusting Coral
on a deep, 2.5", sand bed inside a 6gal Fluval Edge modified tank of 6 gallons.
Two Hermit crabs
(added two LED strips above this first tank and am using a daylight lamp in order to get higher 6400K white light and some Actinic as well... My lighting knowledge is poor though I believe I have a minimum five watts per gallon in that tank.
If prolific wildlife is a clue to success,
<Success in our hobby can be a wide gamut.>
I have what seems like a gazillion copepods; a few bristle worms; lots of wild dusters, sponges and associated bio-load I cannot recall the formal name of this second (tunicates sp?) LOL!
I feed Phytofeast algae mix and toss in the occasional intestinal tract of Maine lobster when the cat doesn't snag it first... otherwise, the whole thing seems to feed itself and is quite lush and fascinating. Oh yes, no protein skimmers here so I do weekly, diligent water changes.
<Great.>
Water condition:
sg = 1.025,
zero nitrite,
zero nitrates,
no ammonia
and pH is 8.2ish.
I don't have the top-of-the-line test kit but did get a portable refractometer to monitor salinity.
<Another plus, do check the calibration periodically with distilled water.>
I use a product called "Meersalt" for water
<Not familiar with that product.>
and do weekly water changes of approximately one quart of buffered-down distilled water (don't have RO system).
The volume/ratio of rock to water is almost 50/50.
I stuffed about fourteen pounds of live rock into this little tank.
The quarantine tank, is a Pico-style little thing with a simple filter pump inside it that also breaks water surface a bit. I run a daylight lamp over it, as well as an array of 30 LED bulbs of unknown strength (manufacturers don't seem to want to say what you're buying LOL!). This little unit is barely three gallons but again is loaded with wildlife like copepods, deep purple corals and a big, spinning Chaeto-algae ball all grown from same, original batch of well-cured live rock.
All tanks holding temperatures of 74 - 78 degrees Fahrenheit and I'm using mini heaters during colder seasons. I hope this is steady enough for reef systems.
<Be better to adjust the heater to maintain 78 rather than fluctuate between 74-78. Should be easily done with the summer temperatures in your area.>
So, if flying by the seat of my pants and a whole lot of intuition serves me, I think both my little tanks are doing rather well and are surprisingly stable... for now, hee hee!
<Sounds good with the exception.....>
I know I have a lot to learn and am loving every minute of the journey!
(I've years of fresh-water experience but little marine and doing my best).
<I've been into this for 30+ years and I'm still learning.>
This was the very first Ricordea I purchased. It expelled filaments and dark "things" within an hour (from top and side!) and finally dissolved leaving a sad little ring of tissue on the rock no more than 24 hours
later. I am wondering if those dark entities are some kind of parasite or disease???
<Unlikely.>
It was a lovely purple with green.... what are those things???????? Sure hope you can help. Thank you so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
<As above along with Bob's possible input.> <<I do concur James. B>>

What is This? Harmless Acoel Flatworms -- 5/23/10
Crew,
<Hello, Lynn here this evening.>
My son saw these crawling on the glass like little inch worms. The bulb end expands and stretches out and the two little tails follow. There were 5 or 6 between 1/16" and 1/4" long.
<No worries, they're harmless little Acoel flatworms. They tend to pop up, stick around for a bit, then disappear. For more information, please see the following links: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/flatworms.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/flatwrmfaq3.htm >
Thanks
<You're most welcome. Take care, Lynn Z>

ID???, Flatworm 4/11/10
The green thing under the Magniglass can you tell me what it is and if it's good or bad I'm seen two other smaller ones.
<Looks like a flatworm, Convolutriloba retrogemma, to me.>
I knocked them off the glass with my glass scrubber the other two disappeared but the other came back and I defiantly saw them move kinda like a caterpillar or worm.
Thanks for the time
Eric
<See here for more. http://www.wetwebmedia.com/flatworms.htm .>
<Chris>

Critter ID 4/2/10
Hello everyone!
<Howdy Rhonda>
I'm almost afraid to ask but I found this weird moving spot on one of my Alveopora stems. The thing moved pretty fast--there was about 5 seconds between these photos. Any idea what you're looking at? Is it horrible?
What should I do?
Thank you a million times.
Rhonda
<Looks to be a flatworm... not horrible if they are few. Please read here:
http://wetwebmedia.com/flatworms.htm
and the linked Related FAQs files above on "control". Bob Fenner>

Help with identifying unwanted addition in 100 gal reef aquarium 7/27/09
Hi,
<Scooby doo>
I have exhausted hours online trying to identify what this particular thing is. I'm referring to the small white flat ovalish dot on the base of the Frogspawn Coral and also on the aquarium at the corner behind the Birdsnest Coral.
<I see them...>
We quarantine everything and this appeared just a couple of months ago. I now see it on the liverock, on our clam's shell and on the Frogspawn coral that was just added a month ago so it apparently spreads aggressively.
We have had our tank a couple of years and so far have been successful adding slowly and quarantining religiously. Please let me know if you need additional information, I would be happy to send it.
I need help identifying what this is and how to control it.
Many thanks, Marlyn
<Mmm, need a better resolved, closer up image to make a better guess, but look to be some sort of Acoel flatworm... Please send along that better pic
and read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/fltwmcomp.htm
and the linked files above. Bob Fenner>

Identify (Pesky Platyhelminthes) 7/9/09
Hello,
I have been reading your site for years and it has helped me a lot...thank you. Now for my question, I have something in my saltwater aquarium. I cant figure out what it could be... It seems to be a single cell type algae or creature of some kind...but I've not been able to identify what it could be.
<Phylum Platyhelminthes:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/flatworms.htm
>
I need to know if it is harmful to my tank or what?
<Mostly "or what".>
...my tank has been up and running good for about three years...everything in it seems to be doing just fine.. it has been in my tank for about a month now but seems to be multiplying fast and is now starting to cover my glass, live rock and sand...how do I get rid of it?
<Best physically removed, or via the addition of something that eats them, though the range of options here will depend on your aquarium and level of experience; see here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/pestflatwrmanthony.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/fltwmcont.htm
>
hope you can help.. I've enclosed 2 picture the first is up close shot and the second you can see it on my live rock.
<To be honest, I've usually found these pesky flatworms come and go in pulses, perhaps related to ambient conditions; optimising water conditions, improving things like skimming, circulation and filtration, should tilt things in favour of other, more desirable organisms.>
Thank You
Kristi
<Cheers, Neale.>

Critter ID 5/24/09
Sorry crew for the not to informative email. Ok the tank is saltwater, and the only new additions lately have been orange mushroom and a chocolate chip starfish
< Chocolate Chip Starfish are not reef safe. The mushroom could soon become lunch if it or the starfish are not removed. http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ccstarcompfaqs.htm >
I only was able to get 2 decent pics of this thing on the side of my tank, but there are about 20 of them that I can see, to much rock to really see the back of the tank, but there could be more! Thanks for your help.
Kenny
< The animals in the pics are Red Planaria (Convolutriloba retrogemma).
Remove what you can. They thrive in high nutrient and low water flow. Lots of info here on Wet Web. Please read here.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/pestflatwrmanthony.htm GA Jenkins >