Something is chewing on my leather!!!

[Whoyah]

I brought home a leather coral in late December and pretty consistently it gets little chew spots on the tips of the fingers. The spots are white and kind of rough in appearance. They are never bigger then a pencil eraser around. Spots will appear and heal up after a few days and the mean time a couple more spots will appear. I banished a blue leg hermit to the sump for spending a little to much time around the leather however the spots continue. Any guesses on whats chewing on my leather? My cleaner shrimp checks it out at night but I don't really think its him. The only fish I have is 2 chromis, a percula clown, and a royal gramma, all coral friendly. Any ideas?

[Reptoreef]

It's a sarco, right??? See those little mini stars hangin out around... more so at night??? Just a guess, but it's either that or some kind of worm.

[bjpembo]

im thinking fireworm of some type. your probably gonna have to hang around the tank late at night when the lights are out and try to see him.

[Whoyah]

It's a sarco, right???

Heres a picture of it.

http://www.captivereefing.com/album_pic.php?pic_id=183

I am not exactly sure of the type. :lol:


See those little mini stars hangin out around

I have seen mini stars in my tank. Small (less .5") and white. I haven't seen and on or near the leather.


im thinking fireworm of some type

Is this different then bristle worms? I haven't seen a bristle worm in quite a while but...

I checked last night at about 2 and 3 and didn't see anything via moonlights. Brought the flashlight in for spotlight this morning. Hopefully I will catch the little %&$@.

[bjpembo]

same family as bristleworm just can get much larger, some dude on rc has a pic of one thats like 6 ft long and was munching on coral polyps and living in his plumbing.

[dakar]

A six footer? Holy cow, i think if Angel found anything like that in the rank while she was working in there she's be looking for a scattergun :lol:

Good luck finding your shroom muncher, if I read it right and remember it right Fireworms got their name for a good reason.

[Whoyah]

Whats the best method for trapping fire worms? Hopefully mine is not a 6 footer because I doubt my wife would really dig that. Probably give me nightmares too.

[Reef_Angel]

Oh geez!! There had better not be any 6ft worms in our tank! I probably wouldn't be so quick to work in the tank the way I do!

[bjpembo]

not for sure, probably need to spot him first to see just how big it is and if its actually a worm. you could try a trap. buy one or make one from a coke bottle.

[Whoyah]

I moved two more suspects to fuge the other night. One was my over sized emerald and a mid size hermit with kind of olive legs. Both had been lurking on or around the leather. I figure a little time in the fuge won't hurt them and will eliminate them from the list of suspects. Spotlighted last night around 3 but didn't see anything. :-?

[Reptoreef]

I've seen emeralds get ugly like that... usually on my sps.

[Whoyah]

I bought two the same day from the LFS. One didn't last a month before he was banded to the fuge for munching on my yellow polyps. If it turns out, that the other one was eating my leather, both are going to finding new homes. Both are good size, main body about the size of a quarter. They may be headed somewhere with a porcelain bowl :pottytrain5: is can't find them new homes at the reef club meeting.

Also, emeralds like chaeto. The one has pretty much wiped out the chaeto in the fuge. I have little bunch stashed in the in flow section waiting for him to take a hike. Couldn't figure out why it wasn't growing until I saw him it like spaghetti. :evil:

[dakar]

Also, emeralds like chaeto. The one has pretty much wiped out the chaeto in the fuge. I have little bunch stashed in the in flow section waiting for him to take a hike. Couldn't figure out why it wasn't growing until I saw him it like spaghetti. :evil:

Hmmm just learned something here... I never even thought about it that way, ours have been doing a fantastic job on bubble algae like they are 'sposed to.. and don't seem to care for halimeda or the shaving brush plants either, but that likely explains what happened to the green grape I had in the display before it disappeared.