plate corals behavior

[BryanM]

So I have a few plates, and when removed from the bags, dipped, and placed in to the tank they were clearly hard/firm discs.

How they have longer flowy tentacles, they clearly conform to the sandbed, and one of them on occassion puffs up dramatically (they are always puffier than when they are touched, adn they really look squishy to me, but one was about 3/4" thick one day fully puffed up).

I'm just curious whats happening, and I'm assuming it is normal.

This is the one that can get really inflated, and is a pretty good pick of it inflated here. It is also already grown about 3/4" in diameter since it was purchased 4 months ago or so.

 

[Tahoe61]

It could be a feeding response or an attempt to move to a new location. By expanding and then expelling the plate can move around the sand bed. I have also seen them noticeably swell up after I introduced coral foods.

 

[Science/G]

Yes, as just mentioned then can move...crazy

 

[BriDroid]

One of mine puffs up like that when there is food in the water or it just ate some mysis.

 

[thamnasteroid]

That tends to happen in captivity. My guess is a response to lower lighting.