Cyphastrea being eaten?

ThadVonP · Apr 23, 2020

I have had this piece for a few months now and it has been growing.

Brief lighting issue cause some fading, but that was resolved and color returning to normal.

I noticed the underside has a few areas that are open. These were encrusted when I bought the frag, so I know something is up, but I have no idea what could cause this.

If water parameters could be the culprit, I can post them later.

Intentional livestock include green star polyp (nowhere near the cyphastrea), two hermits, a true of sexy shrimp, and a rock flower anemone which is also not near this frag.

I have some confirmed bristleworms and dwarf brittlestar hitchhikers. I have had aiptasia flare-ups which I treat as they pop up. I have seen some shelless snails late at night as well. I never see anything other than hermits go near the cyphastrea.

I have a significant population of pods which were without phyto for a week, might they have supplemented their diet with my delicious Coral? Last two from when it was new.

Any ideas on the color change also appreciated.

Sorry for poor photography and lighting, O haven't checked the threads on those things out yet.

DirtDiggler2823 · Apr 23, 2020

pull it and dip it to see if any critters come off.

ThadVonP · Apr 30, 2020

Thanks, I did a dip and a few things came off. Looked like some copepods and a handful of something else. Could have been flatworms. I moved it to a quarantine tank. A few days later, I don't see any signs of it getting worse or recovering yet. Guess I should do weekly dips in case it was flatworms.

Rp8 · Aug 11, 2020

do flat worms eat them? I have flatworms in my tank, and my cyph is starting to darken

ThadVonP · Aug 19, 2020

Rp8 said:
do flat worms eat them? I have flatworms in my tank, and my cyph is starting to darken

I have read that they can sometimes.
First dip I saw some stuff and suspiciously faltworm-like critters come off. The coral started recovering, but a couple weeks down the road it just lost all color and subsequently was covered in the coralline algae I have on my rockwork, so I guess the damage was too great or the stress of dips was too much.