A Bit Stumped - Need Advice From Two Angles

[tREEFarm]

Hey there reefer friends,

I'm in a bit of a pickle and I would love some advice on how I might handle two challenges.

The situation: I recently ordered some soft coral colonies from a popular vendor, one came in just fine and is acclimating wonderfully. The other is a sinularia colony that is giving me some trouble. The corals arrived this past Wednesday, Nov 23rd and since then some things have become clear. The sinularia was sent to me attached to what appears to be either a chunk of Montipora or Porites that is still slightly alive and glowing green in my tank. The foot of the sinularia is barely attached and also has black spotting along with what looks like tissue turning black where it's making contact as it slumps over it. Since it's barely attached this is how it is laying naturally. I've considered trying use flow or something to create space between the two, but I do not want to cause more irritation or a larger issue.

I gently pulled the sinularia up Thursday morning to get a better sense of what was going on underneath, it looks like there is a black spot on the stalk and a dark circle on the monti/porites that align perfectly. I have used a pipette to softly blow some of the tissue away in the worst spots.

On one hand - it's a free chunk of coral I guess - on the other, it's giving me cause for concern as it seems to be stinging/irritating the sinularia, causing some black spots on the stalk where it's making contact and at the base where it looks to be getting irritated enough to be releasing from the coral chunk.

I have contacted the vendor and communication has been prompt but I am starting to feel weird about the whole situation. The last response directed me to leave it as is, there is nothing to worry about, looks like every other sinularia, if it detaches you can figure it out from there. Not sure it applies but just in case, here are some parameters/deets:

Tank is 14 months old
Temp - 76F
Alk - 7.8
Calcium - 450
Mag - 1500
Nitrate - 7ppm

Okay, I think that's all the relevant information. Other than where the base is attached there are no other corals close to the sinularia, it's on its own rock and receiving moderate flow.

My two questions to all you wonderful people are;

1) Do you think the sinularia is okay as it is? Should I be taking any actions? I do not want to lose it!
2) Would you be upset/annoyed in this situation or do you see this as normal/okay for a vendor to ship a coral like this?

I greatly appreciate any responses in advance - I'm just trying to get a gut check and take care of the sinularia the best I can!

Let me know if I need to provide more details or updated pics. Thank you!

 

[blaxsun]

1. It generally looks fine - but keep an eye on that small spot anyway.
2. Free coral!

 

[tREEFarm]

Unfortunately, today it seems to be deflated and there are more spots popping up around the stalk. The 'fingers' of the sinularia are usually reaching for the light and standing up straight - today it's pretty frumpy and beginning to drape over the rock and down the other side.

If you look at how it was laying in the previous post, you can definitely see a difference. I've been stuck in meetings for two days straight but tomorrow I should be able to pull the sinularia up a bit so I can inspect the underside where most of the black spotting is located and get a clearer picture.

 

[KrisReef]

The sinularia may be dying, but not because it was stung by the porities. It basically looks healthy but unhappy (because it was moved from home where it was growing) from shipping stress and new home acclimation. Both totally normal for getting a new soft coral. Sometimes the whole thing just dies, no reason, just happens from being moved.

If you are going to be upset I will tell you from many years of experience that you are wasting precious mental energy with a pointless irritation. The "blame" upon you for purchasing this mail order or the blame upon the vendor for shipping it to you, both caused the resulting situtation for the poor Kenya Tree. Since the tree is now in your tank, I would recommend tending to that issue as what happens with the tree going forward is pretty much up to you, (imo).

I would move that coral away from the porities and attach it loosely with a rubber or wedge it in place with a rock on the reef so it can attach itself in the new home. It may attach, or it may continue to be angry and decide to fall into pieces from the base up. If the latter strarts to happen, you need to cut away the rotten base and frag the top branches and attach those into place the same way as mentioned before.

Regarding attachment. I have successfully superglued 1(one!) Kenya tree frag to a plug and "wedged" or rubberbanded in place countless soft corals. Gluing these never really worked for me, but rubberbanding or wedging seems to work better ime. There is so much living tissue in the tree you got you could start a Kenya Tree Farm imo. Frag one branch from the top just to practice if you don't frag the entire tree. Once the thing adjusts to your parameters it should grow like a weed and quickly you will have two or more trees filling much of your reef tank, ime.

Looking back to your pictures, the black spot on the porities was where the Kenya was growing into that coral. If you wedge the Kenya it should try again in the new place. Put the Porities in a well lited with good flow area and you got a free bonus frag. If you don't like it, trade it with a buddy or to the LFS for credit.

HTH.

 

[tREEFarm]

I do really appreciate the response. I'm not new to soft corals or sinularia, but out of the hundreds of coral I've been delivered from ordering online, I have to say this is my first time receiving a coral attached to another live coral.

The cost associated with this sinularia is also what is upsetting when considering the vendors approach. But clearly the vendor doesn't care and the lack of reaction from this forum suggests maybe I've been lucky and everyone else regularly receives corals in this state. I haven't asked the vendor for a refund, I've only inquired about the steps I might need to take to help save the coral. Oh well.

I will get to fragging it up this afternoon and hope for the best. Lesson learned.

 

[Oldreefer44]

Separating the two pieces should not be that difficult. I remove all of the frags I get from the plug and attach to rocks. I would guess that I have lost less than 1% of them. I understand the frustration with vendors. I have had many instances where I thought they were unreasonable so my list of go to vendors just gets smaller. In this case I think you have an opportunity to get 2 corals for the price of 1.

 

[tREEFarm]

I do too - much easier with hard corals. And I agree, my list of go-to vendors is getting shorter. Serves me right for going outside the trusted network.

I think I'm just very disappointed in the experience. But oh well - let the fragging begin!

 

[tREEFarm]

I wanted to circle back and give a few updates here, not that it matters too much, but I feel like it's the right thing to do.

Bad news ~ good news

The bad news is I was not able to save the sinularia. When I took it out of the tank I could finally get a good look at the underside and it was ugly, smelly, and just all around bad news. The black spotting had spread across far more of the fingers than I had hoped and the flesh was disintegrating off of the stalk.

Very sad. But such is life in this hobby.

I have to say, my feelings regarding the vendor have changed dramatically. There isn't a clear 'guarantee' posted on the website other than a DOA policy, so I assumed I was just going to be out the cost of this large softy colony.

However, the vendor on multiple occasions over the last few days has continued reaching out to me for updates and to check in on the state of the coral. Without me even asking, the vendor gave me credit for the coral and made it right - which is the good news. The narrative in my head caused me to write things in previous posts like, 'the vendor obviously doesn't care' because I expected the worst. But that's on me.

Even though I never shared the vendor name I wanted to at least come back and report on the conclusion and acknowledge the haste in which I applied prior experience to this vendor. My biggest takeaway, aside from examining the narratives that control my behavior - is that taking photos throughout the process and trying my best to care for new livestock as they acclimate are very good habits. But do not wait too long when your gut is telling you to act!

Have a great day!