Hole forming in leather coral, what’s going on?

[Brian1f1]

Hello,
I’ve had his coral for about 6 weeks, it’s been opening well. Lots of other coral, mostly lps, thriving, not near it at all.

Upon retrospect, it had little pits or marks in the affected area for at least the past couple of weeks, and it continued to open fully during the day. You can the area in the fully open pic if you look closely too.

Three days ago it was closed during the day, and had two white spots.

They kind of came off with a turkey baster.

The next day it opened back up. Yesterday it was open and closed (usually just open unless irritated somehow).

Today it’s closed again, and the spot looked bigger, but oddly a bit better.

But after spraying it with the turkey-baster it’s clear that it’s not just a spot anymore, it’s a deep hole on the left. The mark on the right looks like it will become one too.

So what the heck is going on. If it’s a nudibranch it’s gone from super slow to super fast in a couple of days. Is it splitting? Infected? It’s not waxing. I’m not able to physically tend to it until Sunday. I could get a friend to come and dip if you guys think it really needs that.

How’s that for a thorough run down? Help me out! Thanks.

 

[KJ]

Look like Gall crab.
https://www.google.com/search?q=cry...qdTNAhWm5oMKHRjwDJMQ_AUICSgC&biw=1920&bih=955

 

[Brian1f1]

Look like Gall crab.
https://www.google.com/search?q=cry...qdTNAhWm5oMKHRjwDJMQ_AUICSgC&biw=1920&bih=955

That’s a new one for me. In a leather? I can’t see any movement.

 

[KJ]

#reefsquad

 

[Brian1f1]

If we feel confident about this I have a non-Reefer friend I can send to pull it out of the water and pull the crab. How confident are we? Ha

 

[cloak]

I wonder if it's trying to reproduce. Corals like this are known to drop pieces of themselves and a hole developing could facilitate this.

https://www.advancedaquarist.com/2013/3/corals

 

[Brian1f1]

I wonder if it's trying to reproduce. Corals like this are known to drop pieces of themselves and a hole developing could facilitate this.

https://www.advancedaquarist.com/2013/3/corals

I just can’t tell. Think I should wait a few days?

 

[Jason mack]

Do you have torches or euphylia .. Maybe iT was just stung by a stray loss polyp .. just keep it clean it Will heal

 

[Brian1f1]

Do you have torches or euphylia .. Maybe iT was just stung by a stray loss polyp .. just keep it clean it Will heal

I do, but it’d have to have been a free floating polyp.

 

[Jason mack]

I do, but it’d have to have been a free floating polyp.

It happens ..i had something similar happen To mine

 

[Brian1f1]

I guess I’ll let it ride for tonight. Can have it checked tomorrow.

 

[Jason mack]

I guess I’ll let it ride for tonight. Can have it checked tomorrow.

It can take a couple of weeks too heal , the leather probably wont open too much if it’s agitated and will just slime .. don’t worry it’s normal ..

 

[Brian1f1]

I’ll keep this thread updated so you can all see how it plays out.

 

[William Swartout]

I had 2 of these, and one of them started doing this about 6 months ago. I now have 8, the new ones are 3" and growing.

 

[Brian1f1]

I had 2 of these, and one of them started doing this about 6 months ago. I now have 8, the new ones are 3" and growing.

While it was doing it did it not really expand its polyps? Look like the pic I’m about to post below?

 

[Brian1f1]

Today’s update, after blowing it off, hole is deeper, second hole is staring to form. Not fully expanded (polyps not out) but still pretty close to normal size (not nearly maximum shrinkage, ha).

I’m doubting the gall, does it look like reproducing?

 

[William Swartout]

While it was doing it did it not really expand its polyps? Look like the pic I’m about to post below?

At first, yes. I almost pulled it out. Small circle shaped pieces at first. Those holes then healed. Now it breaks off a piece every few weeks without even closing up while doing it. It had grown to about 10" in diameter before it started doing this. Quite amazing, and only one of the two I started with does this.

 

[Brian1f1]

At first, yes. I almost pulled it out. Small circle shaped pieces at first. Those holes then healed. Now it breaks off a piece every few weeks without even closing up while doing it. It had grown to about 10" in diameter before it started doing this. Quite amazing, and only one of the two I started with does this.

Thanks for sharing. That’s really interesting, and I almost pulled as well. I wonder what the circle holes are for, no frag came out of mine at that spot.

 

[Brian1f1]

Here are today’s pictures. If it’s self-propagating this thread is going to document it in detail, ha.

Pre-cleaning

Post-cleaning

Also, my clove/daisy polyps haven’t looked as well over the last few days. Lots of other corals that still seem fine (pictures look ok anyway, I was away). I’m on my way home now, so will have parameters tomorrow. Coral has been in three weeks, I did bump the light acclimation down 5% or so four days ago (increased the light), pretty small change, but could that explain the retraction? I’ve never had “jasmine polyps” before. Photo is left to right 4 days ago 3 days and bottom row yesterday and today. They’ve looked like the first photo most days until recently. So any thought on either is appreciated. I’ll keep the thread updated on the toadstool.

 

[Rispa]

I can't offer any help, but those are really pretty