Coral dying

Nemo1 · Jan 16, 2020

I’ve had this for about a month now and the coral has never opened up, I’ve tried moving it various places but it stays the same the last few days it has had a slimy coating appear on it and has turned brownish, I remove the asterina starfish off it as and when I see them

Neoalchemist · Jan 16, 2020

You didn't mention your water parameters. So not much to go on, but, from your pic the tank is growing a healthy crop of good algea so I believe it's doing what leathers do. They react to environmental changes by closing up and growing a waxy skin. For days to weeks the waxy skin ages and starts to get dirty and frayed even grows stuff on it. Then all of the sudden one day it will shed the skin and open up bigger and better than you've ever seen it.
Give it some time all leathers do this from time to time.

Nemo1 · Jan 16, 2020

Calcium 460
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
PH 8.4
Salinity 1.025
My nitrates are high but they have been for ages, I’ve posted about them before nothing seems to get them down but I’ve had no issues with them being high so far unless this is the first?
I didn’t think it would stay closed for as long as a month tho?

najer · Jan 16, 2020

Neoalchemist said:
You didn't mention your water parameters. So not much to go on, but, from your pic the tank is growing a healthy crop of good algea so I believe it's doing what leathers do. They react to environmental changes by closing up and growing a waxy skin. For days to weeks the waxy skin ages and starts to get dirty and frayed even grows stuff on it. Then all of the sudden one day it will shed the skin and open up bigger and better than you've ever seen it.
Give it some time all leathers do this from time to time.

This, it is sulking, once it sheds it should be a joy.