Torch bulging on one side

[malenia]

Hi! My torch seemed happy all week. This morning I noticed that one side is very swollen... has anyone seen this? Is it sick or could it be creating a new mouth?

 

[malenia]

bump

 

[ccole]

Did it stay inflated like that all day or did it start to look more normal? My torches look like that from time to time, but it’s usually a reaction to an environmental factor (for example, water changes, the lights coming on/turning off, feeding the tank, getting brushed by a fish). They’ll also occasionally do that to expel zooxanthellae. It usually doesn’t last all day.

From the pictures it does look like the coral could potentially have two mouths and be in the process of splitting.

Has it inflated normally?

(Added an edit): it looks like there may be other corals close by. Is it possible it’s getting stung by a sweeper tentacle?

 

[malenia]

Did it stay inflated like that all day or did it start to look more normal? My torches look like that from time to time, but it’s usually a reaction to an environmental factor (for example, water changes, the lights coming on/turning off, feeding the tank, getting brushed by a fish). They’ll also occasionally do that to expel zooxanthellae. It usually doesn’t last all day.

From the pictures it does look like the coral could potentially have two mouths and be in the process of splitting.

Has it inflated normally?

(Added an edit): it looks like there may be other corals close by. Is it possible it’s getting stung by a sweeper tentacle?

I took this pic before doing my weekly water change. Inflammation went down but the torch stayed somewhat retreated most of the day. Oddly enough my other 2 euphyllia (a hammer and a cristata torch) seemed somewhat irritated as well, parameters have been stable and seem to be in check (calcium in the 370-390 range, on the low side but stable), with nitrates in the 5-7 range, phosphate at .05 and ph at 8. One possible environmental factor is the changing of the seasons? my tank is now getting some direct sunlight coming through the window most mornings.

thanks for all the help!

 

[ccole]

I took this pic before doing my weekly water change. Inflammation went down but the torch stayed somewhat retreated most of the day. Oddly enough my other 2 euphyllia (a hammer and a cristata torch) seemed somewhat irritated as well, parameters have been stable and seem to be in check (calcium in the 370-390 range, on the low side but stable), with nitrates in the 5-7 range, phosphate at .05 and ph at 8. One possible environmental factor is the changing of the seasons? my tank is now getting some direct sunlight coming through the window most mornings.

thanks for all the help!

You could try bumping the calcium up to over 400 (maybe like 410). Do you have an alkalinity reading?

I also find that mine seem to be happier with a little higher phosphate reading, but I wouldn’t think .05 would cause problems.

Occasionally my corals have good days and bad days, but it’s not normally all euphyllia once. I do suspect that they respond to natural sunlight.

Have you checked for euphyllia eating flatworms?

 

[malenia]

You could try bumping the calcium up to over 400 (maybe like 410). Do you have an alkalinity reading?

I also find that mine seem to be happier with a little higher phosphate reading, but I wouldn’t think .05 would cause problems.

Occasionally my corals have good days and bad days, but it’s not normally all euphyllia once. I do suspect that they respond to natural sunlight.

Have you checked for euphyllia eating flatworms?

Update: I checked again this morning and I saw a second mouth on the part that was swollen yesterday! not sure if it happened overnight but the splitting process was definitely a very fast one.

Alk has been between 8 - 8.6 over the last 8 weeks (I test weekly).. I will start adding a bit of calcium slowly on my ATO.

How would I go about checking for flatworms? I glued down all my corals to the rock with epoxy/super glue, removing them would be a major project.