Scolymia dying off

[ethierwc]

Ive had a healthy scolymia for 6 months and over over the past 10 days it has been dying back. It's started to develop dark (dying) tissue around the mouth while the outer tissue remains alive. Today I noticed what seemed like white filaments all over the dying tissue. I thought they could be some type of nematode worm pest but when I would pull them off with tweezers there was no movement from these filaments. I don't know if they are indeed pests or dead tissue. I dipped the scolymia in coral RX just now and more of these filaments became visible. The filaments/worms (if they are) did not fall off the coral during the dip. Ive tried feeding the coral but I haven't observed a feeding response.

Ive been experiencing calcium and alkalinity swings over the last three weeks but have recently dialed them in the last week. Ca is around 440 ppm with All at 164 ppm. Mg is a little high at 1460 ppm.

Around the time of the die back I introduced an acro frag, and a coral banded shrimp, but before doing so, as with all my corals I dip them in coral RX.

Any ideas would be great on diagnosing this issue

 

[Crabs McJones]

Ive had a healthy scolymia for 6 months and over over the past 10 days it has been dying back. It's started to develop dark (dying) tissue around the mouth while the outer tissue remains alive. Today I noticed what seemed like white filaments all over the dying tissue. I thought they could be some type of nematode worm pest but when I would pull them off with tweezers there was no movement from these filaments. I don't know if they are indeed pests or dead tissue. I dipped the scolymia in coral RX just now and more of these filaments became visible. The filaments/worms (if they are) did not fall off the coral during the dip. Ive tried feeding the coral but I haven't observed a feeding response.

Ive been experiencing calcium and alkalinity swings over the last three weeks but have recently dialed them in the last week. Ca is around 440 ppm with All at 164 ppm. Mg is a little high at 1460 ppm.

Around the time of the die back I introduced an acro frag, and a coral banded shrimp, but before doing so, as with all my corals I dip them in coral RX.

Any ideas would be great on diagnosing this issue

Do you know what all your exact parameters are? Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate? any changes in lighting or flow? have you observed your coral banded shrimp hanging around it at all?

 

[ethierwc]

Do you know what all your exact parameters are? Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate? any changes in lighting or flow? have you observed your coral banded shrimp hanging around it at all?

Ammonia and nitrite are 0. Nitrate around 3-4 ppm. The shrimp has been picking at it. I have a blenny that has taken up residence nearby the scolymia and my girlfriend said she believed he may be picking at it. That was a couple days ago so I had since moved the coral to another area and it continued to recede

 

[ethierwc]

Ammonia and nitrite are 0. Nitrate around 3-4 ppm. The shrimp has been picking at it. I have a blenny that has taken up residence nearby the scolymia and my girlfriend said she believed he may be picking at it. That was a couple days ago so I had since moved the coral to another area and it continued to recede

Correction: the shrimp hasn't been picking at it.

 

[Crabs McJones]

Lets see if theres a scoly expert in the bunch #reefsquad

 

[redfishbluefish]

I have never seen tissue lose from the center portion while still remaining tissue on the outside rim. Typically when one of these guys are in trouble, you get retraction of the tissue inward, exposing the skeleton on the outside rim. I'm puzzled???

 

[ethierwc]

I have never seen tissue lose from the center portion while still remaining tissue on the outside rim. Typically when one of these guys are in trouble, you get retraction of the tissue inward, exposing the skeleton on the outside rim. I'm puzzled???

I'm in the same boat, man. I'm completely confused.

 

[redfishbluefish]

I am colorblind....so is what I'm seeing as gray, is that skeleton?

If so, I hate to say it, but this doesn't look promising.

 

[LetItReef]

What other livestock do you have that could possibly eat the center portion?

 

[ethierwc]

What other livestock do you have that could possibly eat the center portion?

Livestock include 2 clowns, goby and pistol shrimp, firefish and blenny.

I put a plastic cap over the scolymia with lots of holes in it. If it's being eaten by a tank member that will stop it. If it is a parasite of some sort, at least it'll be narrowed to that. The white filaments are what confuse me the most. I have no way to explain that, which is why I'm leaning to a parasite. However, I can't find anything on nematode worm consuming corals

 

[ethierwc]

I am colorblind....so is what I'm seeing as gray, is that skeleton?

If so, I hate to say it, but this doesn't look promising.

Not necessarily skeleton. There is tissue but it is deep purple colour. The grey nodules are skeleton

 

[Mal11224]

I have two scolymia corals and I noticed my purple tank nipping at it, which seemed weird but one started to recede a little and I built a cage out of egg crates to cover them and it seemed to work. Had it covered for about two months and the corals remained healthy and the tang hasn't been nipping at it since I removed the cage.
Looking at your pics, it is possible that something is nipping at it but the tissue recession is weird. Looks infected with something.

 

[ethierwc]

I have two scolymia corals and I noticed my purple tank nipping at it, which seemed weird but one started to recede a little and I built a cage out of egg crates to cover them and it seemed to work. Had it covered for about two months and the corals remained healthy and the tang hasn't been nipping at it since I removed the cage.
Looking at your pics, it is possible that something is nipping at it but the tissue recession is weird. Looks infected with something.

Ya egg crate seems like the way to go. Thing is my tailspot blenny is tiny and will probably fit through the holes if he is indeed the culprit

 

[DSC reef]

It looks like mesenterial fillaments, like it's digesting itself. It doesn't look good. The chemistry swings didn't help but I hope it turns around for you. I've never seen that before.

 

[ethierwc]

It looks like mesenterial fillaments, like it's digesting itself. It doesn't look good. The chemistry swings didn't help but I hope it turns around for you. I've never seen that before.

So I finally figured it out. I caught the Blenny in the act of eating the scolymia. He's been chomping on the soft bit only around the mouth. So now I'm faced with putting the scolymia in a cage and thinking what to do about a $20 dollar fish messing with a significantly more expensive coral....

Any thoughts?

 

[ethierwc]

So I finally figured it out. I caught the Blenny in the act of eating the scolymia. He's been chomping on the soft bit only around the mouth. So now I'm faced with putting the scolymia in a cage and thinking what to do about a $20 dollar fish messing with a significantly more expensive coral....

Any thoughts?

The plaintiff and the defendant

 

[DSC reef]

Time to find a home for the blenny.

 

[ethierwc]

Time to find a home for the blenny.

Post Blenny removal photos. The scolymia is healing nicely. It's finally feeding again !

 

[DSC reef]

Looks much better.

 

[Docdiggy]

Anyone know what causes them to die from the outter edge in? I'm losing my 2nd one to this. At night it puts out something that look like feeders, but the good won't stick.