Disease ID and treatment

[will?]

Any ideas on the ID of this brown stuff? It seems to be eating away at the coral’s flesh and I would really appreciate any tips on how to treat it. Thank you!

 

[will?]

 

[Subsea]

Will,
I don’t see anything unusual. Would you point out what you see?

Use white light to assist with identification.

 

[will?]

Will,
I don’t see anything unusual. Would you point out what you see?

Use white light to assist with identification.

Apologies, I made that in a rush since I was having some connection issues. I was just referring to the brown material toward the top, I’ve removed a bit and it seems to be covering some tissue damage/loss, and ive moved it to stronger flow. I’ll see if I can get a better photo now too

 

[will?]

 

[will?]

I’ve tried uploading a photo with red circles around the brown stuff but I always seem to have trouble loading photos on here

 

[will?]

 

[Subsea]

Using your words, I googled this.

Brown Jelly Disease (BJD) is a fast-acting, often fatal coral infection, especially for LPS corals like Torch, Hammer, and Frogspawn, causing tissue to dissolve into a foul-smelling brown, gelatinous slime. Caused by bacteria and protozoa (like Arcobacter), it's highly contagious and often linked to stress or injury, requiring immediate isolation, removal of affected tissue (sometimes the entire head), and treatments like Cipro or iodine dips, though success isn't guaranteed.


Symptoms

• Brown, slimy, gelatinous mass forming on coral tissue.
• Tissue dissolves and sloughs off (necrosis).
• Foul odor, a key indicator of BJD.
  

Causes & Triggers

• Bacterial/Protozoan Infection: Associated with Arcobacter bacteria and ciliates.
  
  
• • Stressors: Poor water quality (high nitrates/phosphates), temperature swings, overcrowding, or physical injury.
    
  • Contagion: Highly contagious; contact with the slime spreads the infection rapidly.
    

Treatment & Management (Immediate Action)

1. • Isolate:
     Immediately remove the affected coral from the main tank to prevent spread.
     
   • Remove Affected Parts:
     Turn off flow, use a turkey baster to remove the jelly, and frag off all infected/dying tissue, even if it means losing most of the coral.
     
   • Treat Remaining Coral:
     • • Dips: Try dips with iodine, hydrogen peroxide, or specialized products like Reef Primer.
         
       • Antibiotics: Some hobbyists have success with Ciprofloxacin (Cipro) (low doses).
         
   • Tank Hygiene:
     Perform water changes and monitor water parameters closely.
     

Prevention

• • Quarantine & Dip: Always quarantine new corals and perform dips.
  • Stable Parameters: Maintain stable salinity, temperature, and nutrient levels.
  • Good Flow & Feeding: Ensure adequate water flow and proper nutrition.
  • Avoid Stress: Prevent overcrowding and physical damage.

 

[will?]

Got it!

 

[will?]

Ive dealt with BJD before and it doesn’t appear the same here, this looks more like a water soaked coral ‘scab’ over a wound if that makes any sense? I will keep it in mind though…

 

[vetteguy53081]

To assure this is Not expelling of zooxanthellae, blow on surface GENTLY with a turkey baster and see if substance returns

 

[will?]

To assure this is Not expelling of zooxanthellae, blow on surface GENTLY with a turkey baster and see if substance returns

Okay, I already blew some of the substance off, I can check if it’s returned, I might have to go to sleep soon though, I can check again in the morning

 

[vetteguy53081]

Okay, I already blew some of the substance off, I can check if it’s returned, I might have to go to sleep soon though, I can check again in the morning

That works

 

[will?]

Okay, I already blew some of the substance off, I can check if it’s returned, I might have to go to sleep soon though, I can check again in the morning

That works

I can’t see any brown stuff coming back to those spots, at least not significantly

 

[vetteguy53081]

I can’t see any brown stuff coming back to those spots, at least not significantly

Ok, great. Another 24hr check will confirm Zooxanthellae was likelihood

 

[will?]

I can’t see any brown stuff coming back to those spots, at least not significantly

Ok, great. Another 24hr check will confirm Zooxanthellae was likelihood

dang, Im leaving tomorrow morning, but I might be able to get the people looking after the tank to get a photo, or I’ll get one as late as I can tonight/really early tomorrow morning