White Foamy growth on Coral

robn

robn

Member
I have an elegance coral that has been in the tank about 5 days....after a couple of days I moved it about 5".....the next morning I checked it and it had a bad white foamy growth on the left side....I took a Q-Tip and gently brushed the white stuff off...it was kinda stringy.....it is now covering it again....there are no more tentacles underneath the white stuff.....any ideas on what it might be and what I should do about it? Here are a couple of pics:

Another shot with different camera lighting:

Any help would be appreciated.....I think I am going to put it in the QT in a few minutes......
 
robn

robn

Member
Now I have noticed some on my Green Star Polyps. I check Ammonia, Nitrites, Nitrates, SG, and pH. Is there something else I can test for that might be causing this problem? I am using Distilled Water in the tank. Nitrates are 10-15, pH is 8.1-8.2, SG is 1.024. kH is very high though, about 22. Would that cause this problem?
My sebae is doing fine. All the inverts are doing OK, my bicolor blenny is doing great.
 
spsfreak100

spsfreak100

Active Member
This "gunk" you're observing is dying tissue from the coral. This, unfortunatly, is quite common, esspecially with corals which are extremely sensitive (which includes your Elegance).
Evidently, elegance corals will not survive unless they're placed facing upwards. Elegance corals, because of the water where they collect them from, will need an abundence of nutrients which is not easy to achieve.
Unfortunatly, I think this may be the end of your Elegance coral. I've only seen a select few specimens thrive in an aquarium for longer than a year. I would the say the majority have the same fate as yours, which is to eventually die off (Of course, some quicker than others). Poking it with a Q-tip is not going to improve the situation. Feeding it with foods such as Krill, shrimp, squid, and other meaty foods will benifit the coral which may possibly end up extending the lifespan of the coral.
kH is very high though, about 22. Would that cause this problem?
This could possibly be a factor in the problem.
Now I have noticed some on my Green Star Polyps.
Can you take a picture of the coral?
Take Care,
Graham
 
robn

robn

Member
Thank you Graham for your helpful reply....the elegance is about 1/3 eaten away, but just on the left side. Do you think I ought to take it out and move it to a QT tank? I gave it a 20 second freshwater dip tonight. What I have a fear of is some horrible bacterial infection.....the problem with the elegance happened the day after I moved it.....I got a little sand on that particular side when I moved it....do you think maybe I just irritated it? After the freshwater dip tonight I moved it back to where it was originally.
Here is a picture of the star polyp.....the quality is not good but maybe you will get the idea:

Thanks again for your help
 
gdamador

gdamador

Member
:nope:
:nope:
I'M SORRY TO TELL YOU THAT YOUR ELEGANCE SEEMS TO BE ON ITS WAY OUT... I HAD ONE AND IT BASICALLY DID THE SAME THING. IT STARTED RECEEDING FROM ONE END UNTIL IT WAS ALL GONE. SOME PEOPLE SAID TO FEED IT SILVERSIDES BUT IT WAS TOO LATE FOR MINE. YOU MAY TRY TO FEED IT AND SEE IF IT COMES BACK FROM THE BRINK. GOOD LUCK, HOPE IT MAKES IT.
 
spsfreak100

spsfreak100

Active Member

Originally posted by robn
Thank you Graham for your helpful reply....the elegance is about 1/3 eaten away, but just on the left side. Do you think I ought to take it out and move it to a QT tank? I gave it a 20 second freshwater dip tonight. What I have a fear of is some horrible bacterial infection.....the problem with the elegance happened the day after I moved it.....I got a little sand on that particular side when I moved it....do you think maybe I just irritated it? After the freshwater dip tonight I moved it back to where it was originally.
Here is a picture of the star polyp.....the quality is not good but maybe you will get the idea:

Thanks again for your help
The freshwater dip most likely did more harm than good. Moving it to a Quaratine tank wouldn't prove much help, either. You're best off leaving it in the aquarium, continue feeding it and hope for the best. There's really not much you can do in this type of situation. I can also say, because it started loosing tissue right after you received it, that most likely this is from overall stress and shipping from country to country and then into your pet store.
I got a little sand on that particular side when I moved it....do you think maybe I just irritated it?
Possibly. This is why I urge you to keep it in the tank, feed it, and hope for the best; there is a chance, although quite slim, that it will eventually recover.
For your star polyps, they look fine to me (except for the fact that they're not extended, which can be normal at times). Have these polyps ever extended in your aquarium?
Take Care,
Graham
 
robn

robn

Member
I gave it a freshwater dip just in case there was a bacterial cause....I thought it might help. Guess I need to chalk that one up to a learning experience.
The star polyp has only been in the tank about a week.....but it's coming out more and more every day....it is extended alot more today.
Thanks Graham, appreciate it!
 
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