Is my Plate Coral Splitting? "Picture Inside"

[fishrule]

My plate has been acting strange since I moved my 25 Gallon tank into my 24 Gallon Nano.
The mouth has tripled in size in the last half hour. I have never seen the mouth this big/long before and it is almost as long as the body.
It is hard to see in this picture so I drew some red lines to show where the mouth is currently.
Is it possible that my plate is splitting?

 

[wax32]

As far as I know they don't split. They reproduce sexually and sometimes send off little baby plate corals. Not a plate coral expert!

 

[fishrule]

Originally Posted by wax32
As far as I know they don't split. They reproduce sexually and sometimes send off little baby plate corals. Not a plate coral expert!
I thought I read that somewhere too, but I wasn’t sure. I don’t know what it is doing, but it isn’t its normal behavior... Maybe it is getting ready to release some little plates?

 

[wax32]

If anything it's probably just reacting to slightly different water quality/lighting. I wouldn't worry and/or get excited, yet.

 

[puffer32]

I think some times they split, here's mine, its deffinetly splitting, but no expert either, mine has 2 mouths, i only see one long one on your plate :notsure:

 

[ninjamini]

Originally Posted by FishRule
My plate has been acting strange since I moved my 25 Gallon tank into my 24 Gallon Nano.
The mouth has tripled in size in the last half hour. I have never seen the mouth this big/long before and it is almost as long as the body.
It is hard to see in this picture so I drew some red lines to show where the mouth is currently.
Is it possible that my plate is splitting?
Sadly that is a sign that your plate is unhappy. That is its mouth and it should not be open like that. How long have you had it and what are the water peramaters?

 

[ukcats]

Is that a LTP? If so mine did that just before it started losing flesh..wasn't around too much longer than that.

 

[wax32]

Wow, that's cool puffer!

 

[krazekajin]

huh? What puffer? I only see pics of plate corals

 

[babyb]

i think hes saying the pic puffer posted is cool, but i could be wrong

 

[bang guy]

LT plates usually do this. It is dying I'm afraid.
If you really enjoy plate corals try a Short Tentacle plate.

 

[krazekajin]

Originally Posted by BabyB
i think hes saying the pic puffer posted is cool, but i could be wrong

Gotcha. This the case of the missing comma.

 

[fishrule]

Originally Posted by Bang Guy
LT plates usually do this. It is dying I'm afraid.
If you really enjoy plate corals try a Short Tentacle plate.
I'm going to move it to my 55 gallon tank and see how it does there. Unless you are telling me there is no turning back?
What are their Ideal Conditions as far as lighting and flow? My 55 has 150 watts MH and 130 watts PC with 1500 gph flow.
I know plates like to be on the sand bed, but should I place it in a med-high flow area or low flow? Should I place it directly under the MH lighting or somewhere more shaded?

 

[bang guy]

They really need to be on the sand bed. The reason is because a healthy LT Plate coral will move around. If it's up on the rocks then when it starts to crawl it will fall and probably injure itself. Intense lighting, direct feeding, moderate, chaotic waterflow.

 

[fishrule]

Originally Posted by Bang Guy
They really need to be on the sand bed. The reason is because a healthy LT Plate coral will move around. If it's up on the rocks then when it starts to crawl it will fall and probably injure itself. Intense lighting, direct feeding, moderate, chaotic waterflow.
Thanks Bang!!! :happyfish
I will move it to my 55 and see if it gets any better.
BTW, do Short Tentacle Plates need the same requirements and are they easier to keep than long tentacle?

 

[bang guy]

Originally Posted by FishRule
Thanks Bang!!! :happyfish
I will move it to my 55 and see if it gets any better.
BTW, do Short Tentacle Plates need the same requirements and are they easier to keep than long tentacle?
Short Tentacle Plates - Moderate - high lighting, moderate - high flow, direct feeding.
In truth they are 100% easier to care for.

 

[mudplayerx]

Short tentacle plate corals (fungia) are extremely hardy. They can even grow from pieces of the skeleton that busts off. The do require large feedings (large as in quantity, not size of food). I feed mine every day or two and it completely digests each meal.
One of my favorite corals!