Normal for Montipora digitata?

[puckstopshere]

I have a bubblegum digitata that has recently been on an awesome growth spurt. At the same time, I’m noticing that polyps on the front side of the base have started to die off. The area that is receding is fully shaded due to light angle and coral growth. Is it normal for those polyps to die off if they don’t get direct light? Should I be at all concerned or perhaps frag the arm that is shading the area? As long as this is normal behavior, I could also glue a piece of rubble to the front (over the epoxy mount) so it looks more natural on the rock.

Importantly, the other side of the monti does get light at the base, and it has stared encrusting out. This is really hard to photograph in my tank, but I’ve tried.

If this isn’t normal, is there anything I can do to not lose the coral, assuming this is spreading? The growth has recently been great and I’d hate to lose it!

 

[bluemon]

This happens with Montis, at least in my experience.

You CAN frag it, but you have no guarantee that it won’t grow and shade itself again.

I’d just let it grow as it would and it will fill itself out

 

[386reeftrader]

Only thing you can do to combat this is add a light with better spread. It's a common issue with most LEDs.. either need more for better coverage or supplement with T5s which provide a much more even spread and will get enough light to those shaded areas.

 

[puckstopshere]

Thank you both! This is very helpful.

 

[puckstopshere]

Only thing you can do to combat this is add a light with better spread. It's a common issue with most LEDs.. either need more for better coverage or supplement with T5s which provide a much more even spread and will get enough light to those shaded areas.

I ordered a new light with much greater spread that should help with the shadows. It’ll be here Friday thought I’ll be away for business and it’ll probably be another week before I can get it set up. The monti has really accelerated its polyp loss in the shaded spots in just the past few days. The picture below exaggerates how bad it is because the lights are off and it closed up a bit for the night, but it’s still receding fast anywhere it gets shade.

Once I get the new light in and take care of the shadows, is it capable of growing back over itself or will these areas stay white?

If I have an unused plant grow light, can I use that on the tank as a stop gap measure or will it be useless? It’s full spectrum but the par levels are more than what we need in a reef tank and the spread is excellent.

 

[puckstopshere]

 

[puckstopshere]

Here’s a new photo of the monti after my new light has been in place for a few weeks. Since my last post, algae has take to the dead skeleton, a feather duster moved in, and hermit crabs pick at the algae areas. Now that light hits these spots, can the monti grow back in or will the dead areas stay this way? Will it damage the living areas to have the skeleton growing algae? Wondering if I should frag the whole thing up, cut out the dead areas, and start it again. Any thoughts?

 

[Red_Beard]

It looks like that light is going to help a ton! Sps will not return to life in places that are dead. It will grow overtop of them though if there is sufficient light and conditions to do so. That there is enough light for algae is a good sign there may be enough for it to reclaim some of those areas.

 

[Klem]

I agree with Bluemon and 386reeftrader. Pretty normal and spread of LED is key. This is why I’ve added spotlight LED lights to illuminate pesky areas. Even with that tho some corals just grow to the point where they shade themselves out. For example, birds nest coral. Just let it do its thing. You’ll be fine and so will the coral.

 

[puckstopshere]

Thanks for the replies!