A tale of two Trachyphyllia

[JulesH]

Hi,

I have two Trachyphyllias in my two year old 300 litre mixed reef aquarium. They have been in my tank for about a year, one is big and puffed up, the other is shrinking (they both were big and puffed up). They are on the tank bed, side by side and receive about 100 PAR at that particular location. There is no warfare going on. I feed once a week a little bit of shrimp and they both partake. Could this be a natural occurrence or something more sinister?

My parameters:

KH 9.8.
Ca 460
Mg 1230 (ish, depends how reliable the test is)
NO3 9.7
PO4 0.09

I use 2 part, including Mn with the occasional dose of NH4 HCO3 depending on how my nitrates drop. Everything else including Alveopora, Goniapora, Duncans, Zoas, various SPS, Lobophyllia etc look fine?

Any ideas please?

 

[SaltySqueeble]

You could try upping you magnesium. Thats the only thing I can see. Or maybe move that one to a lower lighted area and see if that helps.

 

[VintageReefer]

Can you show photos?

 

[VintageReefer]

I have a theory but would need to see what your seeing

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

My trachy is the moodiest coral in my tank, sometimes it puffs up and sometimes its as flat as a pancake for days, I don't pay it any attention anymore

 

[JoJosReef]

I'd adjust position of the unhappy one and give it an extra target feed or two per week. Possible there's a jet of water flow pushing against its flesh? Also could be bothered by something else in the tank. I just discovered a few bristleworms bothering my ailing scoly, trying to crawl in while feeding it (Hi @VintageReefer ! Let's not say you told me so!).

Otherwise, might just not like the coral next to it. My lobo was putting out mesenerial filaments every day while it was between my trachy and torch until I nudged it half an inch away from both.

 

[VintageReefer]

Some trachy, are formerly called Wellsophyllia.

I have a wellso, and it normally is very brain like with well defined vallies, and every once in a while completely poofs up like a round beach ball

I researched this and read in the wild they inflate to make themselves more buoyant to get caught in currents and relocate to a new spot

It is possible there is a condition in that spot it does not prefer

@JoJosReef - I won’t say anything unnecessary! Just keep an eye out for them or things won’t heal

 

[JulesH]

I have a theory but would need to see what your seeing

I will post a couple of images, thanks!

 

[Tcook]

You said the tank is 2 years old. Have the trachys been in there 2 years and one is now withering? Or are these two new additions?

 

[LPS Bum]

Mag could be a bit higher. What’s your tank temp? Fleshy LPS tend to like cooler water (75-77).

Try moving it a little farther away and see if that helps.

 

[JulesH]

You said the tank is 2 years old. Have the trachys been in there 2 years and one is now withering? Or are these two new additions?

Hi, They have both been in the since Oct 2023.

 

[Tcook]

Any pics?

 

[JulesH]

Pictures of my Trachys:

 

[Tcook]

Hard to tell in that lighting. Is it becoming translucent? What par is it at? I had one of that color morph in my 20 aio observation tank under a kessil 350. Became translucent ( bleaching) and may have been the combo with low nutrients, I don’t remember the parameters. Became more translucent than the pic below. Moved to the dt under 70 par and over a year it recovered. It’s the one further back in the second picture.