Scoly showing skeleton help

[thisguy1]

Hi. So I had this scoly for about almost a month now and it’s been doing pretty good until now. My tank is still relatively new meaning I started it in July. It’s going through the ugly phase now with diatoms and green algae. But I noticed the scoly has a small patch of skeleton showing. Literally 1-2 days ago it was fine but I have noticed my red legged hermit crab would hang around it/be on top. It are the smal patch of I think hair algae on the base but it’ll still walk on top of it. My parameters are ok I need to buy a ca,mag, and phos test. Which I will get tomorrow. Could the culprit be the hermit of just my “new” tank?

 

[AstroCoral]

It is very hard to say without knowing lighting, flow, full tank image, or any parameters. It’s definitely an unusual place for the skeleton to show though, almost looks like something was eating through it. It looks to be inflated elsewhere to some degree, I personally would just watch it to see if it gets worse over the next few days then take action (as long as tank chemistry, flow, and lighting are in check).

 

[thisguy1]

It is very hard to say without knowing lighting, flow, full tank image, or any parameters. It’s definitely an unusual place for the skeleton to show though, almost looks like something was eating through it. It looks to be inflated elsewhere to some degree, I personally would just watch it to see if it gets worse over the next few days then take action (as long as tank chemistry, flow, and lighting are in check).

Sorry about that. Yea when I picked up the coral to examine it it was like you said inflated a bit so I was honestly confused. I feed reef foods once a week it’ll eat and at night the feeding tentacles are out. But I noticed after light are off late night my hermit is near or on top. I plan on getting iodine dip and cal/mag/phos test kit tomorrow since I plan on a water change. I’m using the stock pump which is 130gph until I upgrade but it’s getting low flow. Also placed the scoly partially under the top rock for shade. But here’s a pic on my tank with the lights on it’s an ai prime with a diffuser and parameters right now.

• Alk 8-9 dKH
• PH 7.6-8
• Nitrate 0
• Nitrite 0
• Ammonia 0
• Salinity 1.025
• Temp 77-78

 

[AstroCoral]

I would just watch it and figure out what the rest of your parameters are before taking any drastic action. I have learned the more I mess with something in my tank, the worse the outcome generally is (for the most part at least). The water change is a good idea as well.

 

[tdog]

Phosphate levels?

 

[Lebowski_]

Buying expensive coral before you even have all your test kits. That what this hobby has become, people with money to burn and rotting animals The euphyllia look bleached as well.

Slow down, get the fundamentals worked out.

 

[thisguy1]

Phosphate levels?

Sorry for late reply just tested today the cal and mag was redsea test kit and phos was a Hanna checker

• Cal 420
• Mag 1,600-1,700
• Phos 0.00

 

[tdog]

Sorry for late reply just tested today the cal and mag was redsea test kit and phos was a Hanna checker

• Cal 420
• Mag 1,600-1,700
• Phos 0.00

You want phosphate pretty low, but you don’t want ABSOLUTE ZERO. Maybe like 0.01.
If I were you, I would move the Scoly to the lowest flow and lowest light area in your tank. If the flow is too high, the flesh of the coral can be damaged from its own spiky skeleton underneath and prevent it from healing. Which I’m referring to the perimeter recession.

As for the hole, if you have any invertebrates, they can pick food from their mouth and accidentally damage it. That would be my guess, an invert damaging the tissue

 

[thisguy1]

You want phosphate pretty low, but you don’t want ABSOLUTE ZERO. Maybe like 0.01.
If I were you, I would move the Scoly to the lowest flow and lowest light area in your tank. If the flow is too high, the flesh of the coral can be damaged from its own spiky skeleton underneath and prevent it from healing. Which I’m referring to the perimeter recession.

As for the hole, if you have any invertebrates, they can pick food from their mouth and accidentally damage it. That would be my guess, an invert damaging the tissue

Is there a safe way to raise phosphates? Never had to raise them before. Yesterday I decided to move the scoly more under the rock to where it’s pretty much almost completely shaded. But my ai prime is pretty bright but I noticed earlier today it was fuller/more inflated than it had been. As for flow it’s pretty much always low since the stock pump is bad on the tank . But good news I can barely noticed the hole now. I’ve been debating on buying an3d printed cage just for it since my hermit crab is always around it or on top of it.

 

[thisguy1]

Thought I’d post an updated pic of the scoly since moving it. The hole is still there but hasn’t grown now it’s is always inflated and even more feeding tentacles at night.

 

[droblack]

I agree with previous poster, and if you have shrimp or crabs, be on the outlook for them attacking the injured scoly. They usually hit at night, and when corals are feeding. That's often how it starts; shrimp chases after food in a corals tentacles. Rips it away, and feeds. Eventually, it gets some of the coral flesh, and develops a taste for coral.

 

[Pistondog]

Zero nitrates and phosphate are a problem.
No need to dip at this point, it only causes addtional stress.

 

[thisguy1]

I agree with previous poster, and if you have shrimp or crabs, be on the outlook for them attacking the injured scoly. They usually hit at night, and when corals are feeding. That's often how it starts; shrimp chases after food in a corals tentacles. Rips it away, and feeds. Eventually, it gets some of the coral flesh, and develops a taste for coral.

Yea I plan on getting a 3D printed coral cage for it hoping it’ll help. I noticed whenever I feed reef roofs my hermit will go straight to the scoly

 

[thisguy1]

Zero nitrates and phosphate are a problem.
No need to dip at this point, it only causes addtional stress.

Yea I actually started a new thread talking about how to increase them since I’ve never had to before. Thinking about removing my chemipure elite and just feeding a little more

 

[nano reef]

I have a scoly that lost almost all of its tissue except the very center. Its been like that for a few weeks now. It dosnt respond to feeing or anything either Is there a chance it could come back?

I do see some red (possibly cyano) on the skeleton though and that really worries me. I have brushed it with a tooth brush a few times! My ac went out for a day and like a dummy I didn't float any ice or anything! UGH.

I only lost a fat head dendro besides the scoly so I guess I am lucky and lost nothing in the other tank, except a huge holy grail acan but I think it fell on my lobo! Oh, I did lose a fish as well

 

[OctaviusBrine]

What all clean up crew do you have? I had a tuxedo urchan and an emerald crab that would eat my corals they have been moved to my other tank.