Candy Coral: "I'm meeeellltinggg..."

[SBlisters]

I'm too new to coral to really know what things should be doing, or what is alarming vs normal. My candy cane coral is looking very strange. There are some bare spots. Part of it looks like it's melting?!

 

[Coastie Reefer]

What's it next to? Looks like coral warfare and it's losing the battle...

 

[SBlisters]

It's next to a green star polyp and some mushrooms. I've only had it for 2wks now

 

[nemo1017]

What are your parameters? Calcium,alkalinity? Those green mushrooms on the bottom right will sting nearby coral.

 

[alyee5]

I think u have ghosts.....

 

[seastar]

I think u have ghosts.....

I saw that and thought the exact same thing!

 

[Triggreef]

I think u have ghosts.....

Lol crazy you caught that from that photo

I agree whatever is there is stinging it. That part drooping down is some broken skeleton but the tissue is alive trying to repair itself. Had that happen before.

 

[SBlisters]

What are your parameters? Calcium,alkalinity? Those green mushrooms on the bottom right will sting nearby coral.

My pH is 7.8, but I don't know my current calcium content. Salinity is 1.026. I didn't realize the mushrooms could sting! I'll move them to a different location in the tank and see if that gets rid of the ghosts...

 

[His & Hers. 240 Reef]

I think u have ghosts.....

That's all I saw! [emoji23]

 

[Triggreef]

Yeah mushrooms put out some toxins when they come in contact. They can be fierce.

 

[cloak]

What you described as "melting" could be a form of reproduction. (Dripping)

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2008/8/aafeature1

 

[SBlisters]

What you described as "melting" could be a form of reproduction. (Dripping)

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2008/8/aafeature1

I had wondered that too! Hopefully, if this dripping is indeed reproductive, it will just continue as normal now that I've moved the coral away from the mushrooms.

 

[SBlisters]

The move of the candycane more away from the mushrooms may have been exactly what to do. It looks more puffed up and happy now. Thanks so much for the advice! Hopefully the skeletal part will start filling in now.

 

[spidercrab]

Yep mushroom rhodactis are extremely potent! They beat almost anything except maybe a torch or nem.

 

[SBlisters]

Yep mushroom rhodactis are extremely potent! They beat almost anything except maybe a torch or nem.

My Xenia, which is currently quite happy, keeps creeping closer towards the mushrooms. Should I redirect it?

 

[spidercrab]

Xenia will be fine it will just grow in a nice circle around the mushroom

 

[SBlisters]

candycane has been filling in more every week!

 

[Macdaddynick1]

To me it looks like the light issue. Shading in particular, that's why all of the individual polyps puffed up, when you moved it up, what lights are you running?

 

[SBlisters]

To me it looks like the light issue. Shading in particular, that's why all of the individual polyps puffed up, when you moved it up, what lights are you running?

The skeleton was showing when I got it, so that is what is now filling in. For the light, I've got an Aqua Ray on a bracket.

 

[supernanoguy]

I think u have ghosts.....

Omg scary!!! Ahahaha