Sponge growth on duncan coral

[Tavion]

I've had my Duncan frag for about 5 years now, and it's come a long way - it started with two heads and now I've got around 30 living ones, plus some that didn't make it. There's a dead skeleton in the mix, with sponge growing on it and a bunch of tube worms attached - I'm pretty sure they're vermatids, the ones with long strands, not feather dusters. I'm thinking of doing a dip to get rid of them and I've got some Coral Rx on hand - does anyone know if this would be enough to kill the sponge and worms? If not, what dip would you recommend?

[felinxo]

I've had my Duncan frag for about 5 years now, and it's come a long way - it started with two heads and now I've got around 30 living ones, plus some that didn't make it. There's a dead skeleton in the mix, with sponge growing on it and a bunch of tube worms attached - I'm pretty sure they're vermatids, the ones with long strands, not feather dusters. I'm thinking of doing a dip to get rid of them and I've got some Coral Rx on hand - does anyone know if this would be enough to kill the sponge and worms? If not, what dip would you recommend?

Be careful with those vermatids, they're notorious for making perfect circles in human flesh that'll bleed for hours. I'd take the frag out, break off all the snail tubes and pull off as much sponge as possible before dipping. The air exposure should also help get rid of most of the sponge. Good luck.

[Tavion]

Thanks for the advice felinxo. I'm curious about the vermatids, how exactly do they cause bleeding? Is it the shell itself that's the issue when they're broken? And just to confirm, you don't think coral Rx would be enough to kill the vermatids or get rid of the sponge?

[felinxo]

They tend to penetrate skin with ease, making those perfect little circles that just won't stop bleeding.

[finleyz]

I've had my Duncan frag for about 5 years now, and it's come a long way - it started with two heads and now I've got around 30 living ones, plus some that didn't make it. There's a dead skeleton in the mix, with sponge growing on it and a bunch of tube worms attached - I'm pretty sure they're vermatids, the ones with long strands, not feather dusters. I'm thinking of doing a dip to get rid of them and I've got some Coral Rx on hand - does anyone know if this would be enough to kill the sponge and worms? If not, what dip would you recommend?

I dealt with a Red Bug infestation in my acro-heavy tank, now mostly LPS. Sentinel was a game-changer - wiped them out completely.

Considering your issue, have you thought about treating the Duncan frag separately with a stronger dose of Sentinel outside the tank?

[rusticore]

I've had my Duncan frag for about 5 years now, and it's come a long way - it started with two heads and now I've got around 30 living ones, plus some that didn't make it. There's a dead skeleton in the mix, with sponge growing on it and a bunch of tube worms attached - I'm pretty sure they're vermatids, the ones with long strands, not feather dusters. I'm thinking of doing a dip to get rid of them and I've got some Coral Rx on hand - does anyone know if this would be enough to kill the sponge and worms? If not, what dip would you recommend?

I'm curious, why the urgency to remove the sponge and vermatids? If they're just on the dead skeleton, they're not harming the coral. And if the coral's healthy, those hitchhikers won't be able to establish themselves on the living tissue.

My two cents: I'd just let it be. Dipping might get rid of the sponge and vermatids for a bit, but it could also stress out a perfectly healthy coral.