Losing Yellow Polyps Fast!

[paintballer768]

So over the last few days, Ive lost about 15 polyps or so of my yellow polyps. Im down to about 10-12, of which maybe 8 are actually polyps, not just buds. Tank specs are as follows:
Ammo/Trite: 0
Trate: <5
Alk: 3 meq/L
Calcium: 420 ppm
pH: 8.2
Lights: 150 watts MH over 24 gallons.
Ive examined the remaining polyps for any type of predator, found no sundial snails or spiders. Heres the suspects: Coral Beauty Angel (which hasnt touched anything else that Ive seen, or at least inflicted damage), and a bristleworm that Ive noticed in the tank a few days ago. Ive seen about 3 inchs of the worm, and the last time I added any type of rock was roughly 6-7 months ago.
What do you all think?

 

[tizzo]

Are you positive its a bristle and not a fire?

And have you looked for nudi's?

 

[paintballer768]

I thought bristleworms and fireworms were the same thing? And I havent checked for nudibranches, Ill look tonight.

 

[paintballer768]

I just looked since the lights have been off for a few hours. Nothing too noticeable. I have approx. 9 polyps left, counting buds. All buds are closed up and one little section of 3 were all the way closed. If theyre hurting tomorrow morning too, Im taking out that rock and going to inspect the ones that dont look good. Im going to being fragging the tank soon as well so if I find anything, Im going to frag the remaining onto another rock and see if they can recover. Thats a major if though.

 

[tizzo]

Well granted they are after all nicknames, but a bristle is the one we refer to as the safe and beneficial polycheate (sp?), and a fire worm is commonly what reefers call a Hermodice carunculata which is an unwanted coral eater. But also pretty rare.

 

[tizzo]

Here's side by side...
bristle,

and fire...

 

[paintballer768]

Thanks for the clarification and the pictures. After seeing him again just a few minutes ago with the laptop right there, Im going to have the id him as a bristleworm, not a fire. Im going to see again. Its really odd, it looks like the body, but with the fireworm's actual bristles. Im going to check again tomorrow, since I dont want to overfeed the tank for now.

 

[paintballer768]

Okay so believe it or not, I think amiphipods are to blame. I turned on the lights, and the peanut worm was out and about at his usual spot, and then there were quite a fe amiphpods munching on a yellow polyp bud

.
Could it be possible that through eating a bud, its injuring the coral next to it, and therefore eating that one too?

 

[michaeltx]

what coral is next to it. pods arent coral eaters but will use it as a safety spot.
Mike

 

[paintballer768]

Its not next to any. Isolated by itself.

 

[tizzo]

Hey michael, will zoa eating nudi's mess with polyps? Or sundials?

 

[paintballer768]

Do sundials stay on host polyps all day and night or are they only nocturnal?

 

[m0nk]

Pods will eat dead or dying coral flesh because they are scavengers, however they won't go for living coral. My guess here is that your coral beauty is nipping at them when you're not looking and the amphipods are cleaning up what's left.

 

[paintballer768]

Originally Posted by m0nk
http:///forum/post/2656332
Pods will eat dead or dying coral flesh because they are scavengers, however they won't go for living coral. My guess here is that your coral beauty is nipping at them when you're not looking and the amphipods are cleaning up what's left.
Thats the only thing I can think of. Its only the yellow polyps too. I fragged 3 off of the rock, and they seem to be all the way open today. Im going to give them to a friend locally and Im sure they'll live in there successfully.