Soft coral questions

[blackdog]

Hello group,
Three days ago I received a soft coral package from GARF.org. One of them -- protopalythoa -- had some dead spots when it arrived. I scraped the fuzzy white covered portions off on the first day, but a couple more spots have turned white:

I'm wondering if it's better to reach in and scrape this section off, or if it's better to leave it alone to acclimate and heal itself for a couple days. I manhandled the coral pretty badly when I was trying to clean it and situate it out of the light on the first day. Since then, the polyps that are healthy have opened nicely.
Second, a xenia that was part of the package appears to be doing quite well. I'm pretty sure it has shown growth just in the first couple days. But there are a couple polyps where the tentacles are white:

Should these be cut off to avoid it spreading, or best to leave it alone?

 

[blackdog]

BTW, the whitish gunk in the first photo that isn't circled is not decaying coral; it is glue. GARF propagates onto manmade "aragocrete" plugs and holds the cuttings in place with copious amounts of glue. I suppose it will look fine once the corals have developed and overgrown the glue, but several of the plugs look kind of tacky with large blobs of white gunk surrounding the corals.
That said, I am pleased that I was able to buy my first corals with zero impact on the environment.

 

[blackdog]

You know, it's tough on the ego when Mr. Bubble gets 98 hits on his post about a $120 VHO setup, and I can't buy a vowel concerning my poor poor soft corals.
I will now go hide under a rock with my jawfish.

 

[goofyreefer]

I also ordered the soft coral package from GARF about 2 weeks ago and while I can't really say I've had the "problem" you have had I would say to either let it go and see what happens or I would call Garf and see what they have to say. They've been very responsive when I've called in the past. I didn't have a problem with the amounts of super glue used on the plugs but I was kinda disappointed in the size of the some of the cutting. But with that said all is doing well and I would also agree with you that things seem to be growing already especially the Xenia. I also helped save a reef in the process.

 

[nm reef]

The stressed tissue may or may not recover...personally I'd let it be and wait. My xenia goes thru stages like yours is showing and seems to be fine...(actually growing like a weed). If the tissue continues to recede I would contact your source and see what they have to say. I'm aware of garf and have heard of several folks getting frags from them. For the most part everything I've heard has been good.....and I like the idea of raising propagated corals. Way less stress on the natural systems. Keep us posted on how yours pull thru. Most of what you are seeing is probably due to shipping and handeling. Hope they recover!!!

 

[blackdog]

This morning I checked the rock with the sea mat and the white areas were nicely cleaned away, so it looks like my janitors are doing their job.
The xenia, which I wasn't as concerned about, appears unchanged or possibly improved -- still happily pumping away.
Patience proves to be the key in this case...

 

[catherine]

I have some coral frags from GARF. My first batch the delivery people goofed up, and I got it on Friday instead of Tuesday. A few survived, but they replaced the whole bunch. Like you, I noticed that any damaged polyps seemed to get promptly eaten. I would like to transfer some to my live rock, not the plugs that they come on. Do you know if it is possible to do this? I just LOVE that xenia--actually, they sent two. I wonder if there are any other colors?

 

[deucey]

Catherine there are diff colors of Xenia....though they are rare and expensive....i know there is a blue and a candy cane xenia...though like i said very rare and expesive!
Blackdog i think you xenia will be fine....just give it some time!