Seriatopora with stn'd tiny branch. Cut?

KonradTO · Dec 22, 2022

Hi all,
A small portion of my (otherwise healthy) seriatopora is showing the skeleton. I think there are not polyps, so is not only bleached but the tissue somehow peeled off. Recently I had to move it to another spot so I might have rubbed this part to a rock or something. Do you think it is likely to spread or not? I don't want to risk the whole thing but I also would rather avoid to touch it as much as I can..

Gumbies R Us · Dec 22, 2022

VSVP bet · Dec 22, 2022

Its such a small portion. I'd just remove that small branch to be safe. If it spreads to the colony, you would either have to dip it or check water chemistry to determine what would cause recession or RTN.

Corals can get infections, and I have had colonies experience necrosis, i'd either dip them in hydrogen peroxide (a specific ratio) or use a seachem dip. Sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't. Not saying that is your case, but it does happen.

Removing the nub would be a good start.

Would it have gotten stung or picked at? This would be different than RTN.

KonradTO · Dec 22, 2022

VSVP bet said:
Its such a small portion. I'd just remove that small branch to be safe. If it spreads to the colony, you would either have to dip it or check water chemistry to determine what would cause recession or RTN.

Corals can get infections, and I have had colonies experience necrosis, i'd either dip them in hydrogen peroxide (a specific ratio) or use a seachem dip. Sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't. Not saying that is your case, but it does happen.

Removing the nub would be a good start.

Would it have gotten stung or picked at? This would be different than RTN.

Yes I recently glued it to the rock and it fell on an hammer coral for few seconds. Maybe it was stung. Other more sensitive corals are fine so I would exclude rtn due to params..thanks for the suggestions, I will cut this small piece just in case

VSVP bet · Dec 22, 2022

RTN not caused by water quality issues can sometimes only affect one colony, i.e. some type of infection.

If it was by a hammer that fell, I would guess it was stung. SPS and seriatopora specifically do not like LPS stings.

KonradTO · Jan 21, 2023

Hey, just as an update. I cut 1 mo ago the STNd portion and the seriatopora is doing great so far, cutting the white portion stopped completely the necrosis.
Thanks for the suggestions!