Ciliates, known for their hair-like cilia exterior, are everwhere in ponds, lakes, the soil and even the ocean. Most aquarists know of at least one species, Cryptocaryon irritans or Marine Ich, but now other ciliates may get an equally bad rep with aquarists . A recent article written by Dr. Shashank Keshavmurthy, describes a likely link [...]
Ciliates, known for their hair-like cilia exterior, are everwhere in ponds, lakes, the soil and even the ocean. Most aquarists know of at least one species, Cryptocaryon irritans or Marine Ich, but now other ciliates may get an equally bad rep with aquarists . A recent article written by Dr. Shashank Keshavmurthy, describes a likely link between brown jelly disease in corals and ciliates. Specifically, Helicostoma sp. a cilitate of freshwater origin.
Helicostoma is believed to have caused brown jelly like infections in aquarium corals. Additionally Acropora sp. have been observed in Japan and the Great Barrier Reef suffering from “Brown Band Disease” due to ciliate infections. Although potentially a different species, Dr. Keshavmurthy throws the question out there–is freshwater a source of ciliate infections? In both locations (GBR & Japan) there were inputs of freshwater nearby.
Are Acropora Eating Ciliates “AEC” next? We really don’t know. What is interesting is that scientists have observed them eating zooxanthellae from the coral, and the symbiotic algae stay intact within the ciliate… Read more at Coral Science.
[cover photo : unidentified siamese ciliate : proyecto agua]
