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[Ron Primas]

Hi everyone. For the last 2 weeks, my 8 year old coral is receeding from the base up. Originally I thought that the mushrooms in my tank that are growing wild were stinging it but it is not the case. The water parameters are stellar. It's a constant 50% water change weekly with NutriSeawatet for the last 8 years.
Not sure what the issue is. I also thought it was the lighting as have a 4 year old AI Prime but the company says it's spectrum is good for 7 years with my 16 hour photoperiod.
It has always been a perfectly round mass. It now is starting to look like a cap.
Thanks

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Do you want your thread title change to something more descriptive? :)

 

[Jekyl]

Hard to tell from photo but is it a shading issue? From the look here the stuff dying isn't getting light.

 

[twentyleagues]

Hi everyone. For the last 2 weeks, my 8 year old coral is receeding from the base up. Originally I thought that the mushrooms in my tank that are growing wild were stinging it but it is not the case. The water parameters are stellar. It's a constant 50% water change weekly with NutriSeawatet for the last 8 years.
Not sure what the issue is. I also thought it was the lighting as have a 4 year old AI Prime but the company says it's spectrum is good for 7 years with my 16 hour photoperiod.
It has always been a perfectly round mass. It now is starting to look like a cap.
Thanks

Shading? Going by this pic alone. Previous pics may show more.

 

[Ron Primas]

Shading? Going by this pic alone. Previous pics may show more.

Thanks. Not a problem before however

 

[twentyleagues]

Thanks. Not a problem before however

as the coral filled out above it shaded what was below. Just a guess I dont know how it grew or from what area. Just typically what shading looks like.

 

[Ron Primas]

as the coral filled out above it shaded what was below. Just a guess I dont know how it grew or from what area. Just typically what shading looks like.

I agree, however, the entire time I had it, the entire spherical structure was green under the same llighting conditions.

 

[twentyleagues]

I agree, however, the entire time I had it, the entire spherical structure was green under the same llighting conditions.

Looking closer I see vermetid snails near the bottom I think. May be the cause.

 

[Ron Primas]

Looking closer I see vermetid snails near the bottom I think. May be the cause.

Wow. You are right. I see another of them. That explains the other corals that are dying.
I read that bumble bee snails help. Is that true?
Thanks!

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hi everyone. For the last 2 weeks, my 8 year old coral is receeding from the base up. Originally I thought that the mushrooms in my tank that are growing wild were stinging it but it is not the case. The water parameters are stellar. It's a constant 50% water change weekly with NutriSeawatet for the last 8 years.
Not sure what the issue is. I also thought it was the lighting as have a 4 year old AI Prime but the company says it's spectrum is good for 7 years with my 16 hour photoperiod.
It has always been a perfectly round mass. It now is starting to look like a cap.
Thanks

Any change in flow or water used?
Other factors that influence this are often a change in salinity, temperature and salt mixes. Additionally, Elevated phosphate, light and even new light and elevated alkalinity levels will be a higher risk to coral.

 

[Ron Primas]

Any change in flow or water used?
Other factors that influence this are often a change in salinity, temperature and salt mixes. Additionally, Elevated phosphate, light and even new light and elevated alkalinity levels will be a higher risk to coral.

Everything is exactly the same. Insanely stable. Thanks

 

[twentyleagues]

Wow. You are right. I see another of them. That explains the other corals that are dying.
I read that bumble bee snails help. Is that true?
Thanks!

I have never tried them, but I have read that multiple times. Do you have a lot of vermetids? Maybe just try manual removal first. Pry them off the rock with a small flat head screwdriver or crush them with a small pair of needle nose pliers. Just make sure to get the base off. That is what I have done in the past.

 

[Ron Primas]

Everything is exactly the same. Insanely stable. Thanks

I have never tried them, but I have read that multiple times. Do you have a lot of vermetids? Maybe just try manual removal first. Pry them off the rock with a small flat head screwdriver or crush them with a small pair of needle nose pliers. Just make sure to get the base off. That is what I have done in the past.

Unfortunately. It looks like there's a lot of them

I have never tried them, but I have read that multiple times. Do you have a lot of vermetids? Maybe just try manual removal first. Pry them off the rock with a small flat head screwdriver or crush them with a small pair of needle nose pliers. Just make sure to get the base off. That is what I have done in the past.

 

[Ron Primas]

as the coral filled out above it shaded what was below. Just a guess I dont know how it grew or from what area. Just typically what shading looks like.

Thank you!

 

[homer1475]

This is just what happens when a coral starts to grow into a nice colony. New growth is brightly colored and shading the underneath growth.

As the new grows, the old dies, creating the reef.