so, two dead torch, coral heads. :(

[Ballyhoo]

my tank seems to be doing really well although it's just about a year old 42 gallon tank with a 10 gallon sump oh it's primarily a euphila tank with mix. but I just noticed my New York Nix torch coral has two dead polyps and I'm wondering is this the sort of thing that is gonna happen sometimes, torch coral just die and there's nothing that can be done about it? or should torch coral rarely ever die and this implies something wrong about my system? I think I did notice monitoring this specific torch that it was lacking some white flesh band though the remaining two heads do seem to have nice meaty flesh band. I've got another torch, coral little colony and some of the heads are lacking bands, and I'm wondering if they're gonna die. In the past it seems like whenever I had a torch coral that didn't have the white fluffy band that eventually would die, but I'm wondering does having a white fluffy band mean the chances are very strong the torch is gonna live?

note in the top picture, you can see in the background the torch coral with a two dead polyps on the left. In the bottom picture I have this torch coral, which is unnamed, but it's lacking fleshy bands.
thank you for any insight

 

[Tahoe61]

@VintageReefer

 

[VintageReefer]

They can survive with small or no flesh bands but it’s a highly sensitive scenario. The flesh band is a seal, that keeps bacteria and debris from entering the inside of the torch. If situations are perfect, the torch will survive, and they can regrow flesh band. While waiting for that to happen, they are easily prone to infection and injury.

 

[Rocks reef]

I'd start by testing to see what your parameters are.
Next, what lights are you using?
Are you dosing anything?
Do you have any thing in your tank that may be nipping?

 

[Ballyhoo]

I'd start by testing to see what your parameters are.
Next, what lights are you using?
Are you dosing anything?
Do you have any thing in your tank that may be nipping?

well, I use the Red Sea LED 90.. Only thing which could be nipping are in inverts or peppermint shrimp.

 

[VintageReefer]

well, I use the Red Sea LED 90.. Only thing which could be nipping are in inverts or peppermint shrimp.

Peppermint shrimp are known lps irritants. Not everyone has negative experiences with them. But they are a risk and it works out for some people and others end up with nippers.

Shrimp have incredibly strong senses for food. Once they figure out that corals eat food, and there is food “inside” the coral (the stomach) they use the little pincher claws to pry open the coral mouth and then reach in trying to steal the food out.

Not saying yours are doing this. Just something to watch for