Kenya Tree Brown Ring Around Stalks

[george9]

Hi all,
I noticed on one of my Kenya’s that both of its stalks have a brown ring around them almost looks like it’s rotting in that area. It’s been like this for over a couple months and hasn’t really significantly expanded or stopped the coral from continuously dropping a million stalks. But it looks slightly more pronounced today and I am curious if anyone has seen this before? Parameters are good and corals are growing like weeds including this kenya tree but also another kenya right next to it that is not showing any signs of this.

Sg - 1.025
ca - 470
mag - 1350
alk - 9.3
nitrate. - 5
phos - .07

Honestly this coral has been ticking me off with all of the stalks it’s dropped so I am not super attached to it but maybe it would benefit from a Coral rx or iodine dip? If these big stalks don’t make it, the coral will live on through its many babies around my tank lol

thanks!

 

[KrisReef]

From your dialogue and after looking at the pictures I wonder if someone put rubber bands on the coral that are pinching them?

 

[Pridedcloth3]

Hi all,
I noticed on one of my Kenya’s that both of its stalks have a brown ring around them almost looks like it’s rotting in that area. It’s been like this for over a couple months and hasn’t really significantly expanded or stopped the coral from continuously dropping a million stalks. But it looks slightly more pronounced today and I am curious if anyone has seen this before? Parameters are good and corals are growing like weeds including this kenya tree but also another kenya right next to it that is not showing any signs of this.

Sg - 1.025
ca - 470
mag - 1350
alk - 9.3
nitrate. - 5
phos - .07

Honestly this coral has been ticking me off with all of the stalks it’s dropped so I am not super attached to it but maybe it would benefit from a Coral rx or iodine dip? If these big stalks don’t make it, the coral will live on through its many babies around my tank lol

thanks!

Every tree I had came with that trunk ring

 

[george9]

From your dialogue and after looking at the pictures I wonder if someone put rubber bands on the coral that are pinching them?

that could be maybe at some point in its life. It really didn’t start until the coral started growing quick and the stalk got very thick

 

[KrisReef]

that could be maybe at some point in its life. It really didn’t start until the coral started growing quick and the stalk got very thick

I have not seen any other illnesses in soft coral that have rings like your picture. I have seen trees with support wires or sprinkler hose wrapped around them that produced similar ring like damage.
I would slice across one of those rings to see if there is a buried mechanical irritation that the coral is trying to grow over.

Still, it could be something else that is causing the symptoms. Let’s see what other people think/know about the situation.

 

[george9]

Every tree I had came with that trunk ring

So this isn’t abnormal at all? My other kenya doesn’t show this and this is something that showed up in the last couple months as the coral’s growth accelerated

I am thinking since it is on 2 stalks at approximately the same level, maybe it is damaged flesh from where I glued the coral to the piece of rubble? It started as quite a small little branch. Maybe it since has grown and the damaged area that was glued remains but healthy flesh has grown below it? I’ve never had super glue gel damage coral flesh, but this is the only thing I can think of other than a literal rubber band around the coral which appears unlikely.

I am just hoping it isn’t bacterial because my neon green kenya is very close and would likely become infected as well. Although the slow progression of it and the growth of the coral makes me seem it can’t be an infection

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

I'm with the it looks like a rubber band mark for securing the softie to the rock. I don't have it on mine as it was a cut that was propped on the rock and it eventually stuck to it.

 

[Aspect]

All my Kenya trees have that exact same ring. Never were on a plug either.

 

[KrisReef]

Wow and “cool beans” regarding these rings that other people are chiming in to report the same thing on their softy trees.

Seems like a thing that is known but not understood yet?

I have seen a few Kenya trees that were damaged and rotting at the base, and sometimes they were discolored but never in a ring pattern like the Op demonstrated. Those trees looked good except for the mysterious ring. Maybe some one else will check in the thread with unpublished data regarding the origins of the Kenya Ring!

 

[Aspect]

I thought it was algae starting to grow on mine.

 

[vetteguy53081]

If these were purchased, they likely as stated were tied to frags with rubber bands which shrink in saltwater why I dont like the rubberband method. I had many and never had rings.
While they make nice fillers for coral scape, they can get very invasive.

 

[george9]

Interesting! I cannot see any sign of rubber bands but it would make sense that the marks became more apparent as the trunk got wider and the hypothetical rubber band became tighter. I just cant seem to see any rubber bands around them even with a flashlight. Maybe it occcured before I received the frag but it's been in my care for over 8 months now.

I agree they are pretty invasive an most hate them but for some reason I can't get myself to get rid of them. They just look so pretty waving in the flow

 

[Pridedcloth3]

So this isn’t abnormal at all? My other kenya doesn’t show this and this is something that showed up in the last couple months as the coral’s growth accelerated

I am thinking since it is on 2 stalks at approximately the same level, maybe it is damaged flesh from where I glued the coral to the piece of rubble? It started as quite a small little branch. Maybe it since has grown and the damaged area that was glued remains but healthy flesh has grown below it? I’ve never had super glue gel damage coral flesh, but this is the only thing I can think of other than a literal rubber band around the coral which appears unlikely.

I am just hoping it isn’t bacterial because my neon green kenya is very close and would likely become infected as well. Although the slow progression of it and the growth of the coral makes me seem it can’t be an infection

As others have said it could be from mounting practices. One thing for sure I've never had issues with any with it on them. If anything they themselves were the problem.