Sinularia SPIDER WEBS...What are they?

Scuba Josh · #1 03/31/2007, 09:48 AM

Hey guys,

I decided to take a flash light to my tank last night and notices that my green finger sinularia had these long stringy web things spreading out in the current and retracting every few seconds. Are they stingers to hurt other corals?

Please advise

sir_dudeguy · #2 03/31/2007, 10:12 AM

i've never really looked at a sinularia, but i'd think they're either feeders or sweepers (not sure if there is a difference really...i know feeders feed, and sweepers can sting but i dont know if they're the same.

BlennyBabe · #3 03/31/2007, 02:15 PM

Do they look like this? I just got in a few corals that are sending out stringy thingies.

BlennyBabe · #4 03/31/2007, 02:16 PM

Do they look like this? I just got in these corals and was about to post the same question. What the heck are these things and are they bad for nearby corals?

Scuba Josh · #5 03/31/2007, 02:26 PM

Sir_...those are the 2 I could narrow it down to.

BLENNY BABE....YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Those are them. What are they? Sweepers is my gues for stinging. I would not say feeders b/c they have polyps and zooanthelea in the tissue.

oceanarium · #6 04/01/2007, 05:11 AM

Look for worms on the colony... usualy the same color as the coral like a slimy film below the polyps. You can scrape them of with your finger nail. They can be quite large 1". Not to sure as to how much damage they can do or not.

johndonaldson3 · #7 04/01/2007, 05:18 AM

If I understand correctly, they are a type of worm that attaches it self on soft bodied corals. The long sweeper you see is a way of filter feeding. "Food" gets caught on the web and it pulls it in to eat. I have had one for some time and no problems. You will also find it will move around to other corals. JMO

Scuba Josh · #8 04/01/2007, 08:51 AM

WORMS!!!

That sucks..I cannot see them. But if you guys say they do no dammage, I will just leave them.

oceanarium · #9 04/01/2007, 10:07 AM

Yup u have worms

Check it out first thing in the morn, before the coral expands and extends the polyps. They are usualy around the base. if you can pick up the coral if its not attached you will see them no worries.

more common on sarco's have not seen many on sinularia

LeslieH · #10 04/01/2007, 12:04 PM

No, you don't have worms, you have benthic ctenophores. Most ctenophores are pelagic animals often mistaken for jellies. They feed by extending 2 pinnate appendages to catch copepods & other small crustaceans then reeling the threads back into the mouth area. Benthic species look like flatworms; some have 2 humps surrounding the areas where the tentacles emerge. Here's some pics: http://www.seaslug.info/display.cfm?id=15558

Normally they're reported to be on Sarcophyton/Lobophyton. This is the first record of one on a Sinularia that I've seen. Your pic of the feeding tentacles shows the short pinnae very well.

BlennyBabe · #11 04/01/2007, 12:32 PM

Thats exactly what I have. I was trying to get a good photo of the flatworm thingies so I could post a question about them. The link you posted is exactly what they look like.

There are several on this sarcophyton. They are a little more red than the coral.

I didnt think they came from the coral because they are just to delicate. They look exactly like the feeding tentacles of sea goos berries. Those are ctenophores also so that makes sense. Cool.

Scuba Josh · #12 04/01/2007, 03:38 PM

DOES ANYTHING EAT THEM?

LeslieH · #13 04/01/2007, 04:49 PM

Verry little is known about predators on benthic ctenophore. My guess is probably the same fish that eat flatworms & nudis. You could gently brush them off or blow them off with a pipette if there are only a few.