Soft Coral parasites and disease

[irensing]

Can anyone recommend a website for soft coral parasites and disease? I just had a coralimorph mushroom die. He puked up his guts a couple days in a row first. I now have a hairy mushroom starting the same thing after a week later. All my other corals seem ok, good extension etc. My water is fine but I'm doing a change anyhow. Prior to any die off i noticed some wierd cloudy white slimy sacks adjacent to some of my ricordia, but they are now gone. thanks.

 

[lightcs4]

Wet Web Media usually has a lot of information on just about everything reef related. You may want to look there.

 

[irensing]

I think my hair worms are killing my soft corals. I have only read that they are reef safe. Does anyone know otherwise? I didn't know what they were initially and started syphoning them out of my system. I've lost a huge green coralimorph and a hairy mushroom. Now I have another coralimorph that isn't looking so good. I did notice my tank is getting a little warmer than in the past after replacing a bulb but I figured if the tank was getting too warm the other corals would be unhappy too. :frustrat:

 

[dustin_P74]

a temperature swing of more then +/- 1 degree in a 24 hour period can be dangerous to all the tank inhabitants so that could possibly be what is killing your shrooms

 

[yote]

Those worms only eat whats already dead.
Heres something that might help.See if it matches what you got going on.
Its in the disease section of Aquarium Corals by Eric Borneman.
Mushroom Condition 1 affects corallimorphs,primarily from the genus Actinodiscus,which fail to thrive.They shrink,their tissue becomes mottles and pale,and they seem unable to regain the ability to expand.This behavior seems remarkably like wasting of certian anemones,and the similarities in the biology of corllimorphs and anemones may be relevent.As in zoanthid condition 1,no amount of water chemistry manipulation seems to have a pronounced effect.The environment of the corallimorphs may have remained virtually unchanged in terms of normal additions,lighting,and water flow for long periods of time when this condition occurs.Individual mushrooms or whole colonies can be affected.Affected mushrooms may remain in such a state for many months,or they may die fairly quickly.Occasionally,individuals or colonies may spontaneously recover,though this is rare.

 

[irensing]

the hairy mushroom died and a second corallimorph is on its way out. all my other corals seem fine. The 2 corallimorphs that are dying have been in my tank for more than a year and have experienced many temperature (just not above 80 degrees) and salinity swings. They grew to be the two largest mushrooms in my tank and were reproducing. I dive in coastal areas near inlets where brackish rivers flow in and over flourishing reefs. They experience rediculous delta T. I think a 5-6 degree change could affect things negatively not 1.

The description you provided yote is somwhat accurate i guess. The thing is they don't loss color. They are bright as can be. Even when they have died. They seem normal and then all of a sudden throw up their insides. That process repeats for a few days until they die. I noticed at the base of the 2nd corallimorph that he was showing some guts and they was a slimy sack but that might have been just part of him dying. I don't see any parasites, discoloration, spots or anything. If there was an actual parasite causing this damage would it be obviously visible?

 

[yote]

Depends on the parasite.If its microscopic,then you wouldnt be able to see it.