Worm eating Aussie Goniastrea

I have noticed a few holes appearing in my Aussie Goniastrea, and thought it was gall crabs. However, tonight I noticed a small black worm, with gold rings. It was quite dark, so no way to get a picture. Tried to grab it with tweezers but he slipped back into the coral. So, I have taken the coral out and put it in a qt tank. The worm does not appear to leave the coral. It appears to be borrowing in it. Any ideas what it is or how to remove it? I thought I saw it open it's mouth and the Unice (I think, or Euclid, I get these confused) telltale crown appeared, but it's late, not 100% sure. Is there a black and gold Unice that burrows in corals? Anything I can do to save the coral? Any dips work on them, or something? Wasn't a cheap coral... why do they always go for the good ones?

 

Actually, just to clarify, it is not really eating the coral as the title implies, it seems to be boring through the rock and coming out in the coral occasionally. It dosn't seem to hurt the coral, but holes have appeared. If you look into the hole, it appears to be like a tube where the worm bored through, but the coral tissue, otherwise seems unaffected. When I first got the coral a year or so ago, there were 2 or 3 holes that the coral had appeared to grow around. I had squirted a little fresh water down the holes actually to try to force anything in them out, but didn't see anything, so eventually put it in the tank. Now recently though, a few more holes appeared, but the coral seem happy otherwise.


I guess it could be a peanut worm, although, It didn't really look like a peanut worm at 2 am, but it was tough to tell... I guess that would make sense, but can form small, (slightly smaller than a pencil) holes through coral tissue?

 

I had a scale worm (Polynoidae) that lived in a favia for years. It had some gold highlights. However, when I think about it, I think it was using someone elses burrow because I don't recall ever seeing any new holes.

You might want to dip the coral in Coral Rx as that's effective against common polychaetes.

 

thanks Curt, I just ordered some CoralRX, none of the stores around me carry it and of course I just ran out.....

Here is a picture of the edge of the coral. There are three sets of holes, that are tough to see, in the rock, where the coral meets the rock. The worm was coming out of the top one.


Here is a image of one of the holes that appeared in the coral. The tissue seems otherwise unaffected.

 

Very similar to what I had. (However, in my case no new holes ever appeared). The polyps on the right side of that coral are hungry.

 

Yeah, need to feed it. I think I just saw the tail of it heading into the hole. Looked grey now in the light and the tail end didn't look like a typical bristle worm, more like a eunicid worm.

Like this I think, but grey and very small, maybe 1/2 to 1/4 pencil width. This time, I just saw the end 1/4 inch or so.

Eunicid Worm

Or there is another worm

Wish I had some CoralRX now. I'm going to be afraid of that coral forever now, that thing is creepy

 

All of the polyps are open. Always are when the lights are off, that thing is like a vacuum cleaner LOL.

 

ichnogenera Entobia



maybe this boring worm? i have had some boring worms, my fear would be my clams getting them they will kill the clam. a logols solution dip should kill the worm without harming the coral permanently, i have diped favia with success with it but the rx may work to even better.

 

You might try baiting a trap. No experience here just a suggestion.

 

Thanks guys. I am actually thinking that the first worm may have been a peanut worm. It was very similar to this. http://www.melevsreef.com/2008/12/peanut-worm-pictures.html I just usually don't see them extended, but late at night it's tough to id things. The rings and coloration and crown could definitely be it though.

Could they live in the coral and be responsible for the holes though? Or do I have another worm as well? Wishful thinking maybe....

I was thinking of flushing the borrows with soda water. If there is a eunicid, I've read they are tough to trap, as they mostly stay in their burrow.