URGENT Please HELP

RSMRyan

New Member
Only urgent because it involves apstasia, a leather coral and an unknown worm.

I just brought home a new leather coral that has a good chunk of rock attached. While in the bag I noticed what I'm pretty darn sure was apstasia. It was only 1 head, I attempted to take it off with tweezers, plus a little by of paper towels.

Then, as I was putting it back, I saw the crawling (more like slithering) of an unknown bristle worm. After researching hikers, I'm concerned it's NOT a bristle, but in fact a eunicid worm. I say that given the coloration seems to match the orange color a little more.

I immediately dipped the leather in CoralRx, but haven't confirmed the worm is dead or gone.

I put the coral back in the bag with some water from my tank, but the leather is not yet in the tank. How long can I keep it in the bag, and should I try to setup a quarantine tank until I know for sure?
 

PCDS

Active Member
With regards to the aptasia it will regrow even from the smallest fragment left behind. If you are lucky enough to have an aptasia free tank, and have a QT tank available, I would suggest quarantining it and have some AptasiaX ready. I don't think the coral dip kills large bristle worms. But can make it leave the rock - I may be wrong though.
Don't leave the coral in a bag too long. I don't know max time. If the bag is floating in the tank and is open then a few hours I suppose.
 

DaveK

Well-Known Member
I don't think you have too much of a problem.

You removed the apstasia, and only seem to have the one. If you see more take care of them also.
As for the worm, it's most likely a bristle worm, but if it was a euncid worm it sounds like you got it when you dipped it.

Unless you have a quarantine tank already set up, and you never had to use any serious meds in it, then you could quarantine the coral. If you don't have a quarantine tank going, your better off just adding the coral to the tank, and keeping an eye on it. Setting up a new quarantine tank will take some time, and since it's all new, likely put more stress on the coral.
 

Antics

Active Member
I think you've had good advice in this thread. Consider using this event to motivate you to set up and follow a proper quarantine system. I know it's a pain in the ass, and half of people in this hobby talk about quarantining like it's some type of cult following. :confuseded:

Hitchhikers are very real, as you've dealt with potentially two very annoying ones all over a single coral introduction. Consider every fish and coral going forward of these possible negatives.
 

RSMRyan

New Member
Thanks everyone for all of the replies! I've gotten the leather in the tank now. It's looking a little flat so I'll be keeping an eye on it. I ended up breaking off most of the rock from the base, super gluing the area where the apstasia was, and glued the remaining pieces into my tank. I did a full parameter work up and everything looks golden, nitrates though are between 20-40 so I'll need to do some water changes to alleviate that.
 
Top