Torch recession or splitting or maybe just growth?

[Brian1f1]

Hi!

Have had this guy a week. Awesome and huge in the light. I’ll post it later. This shot is from underneath, it’s mounted almost horizontal. I don’t know if it was like this when I got it TBH, most probably. Thinking it could have been the way it was situated in the shop frag tank. Also wondering if it’s just normal to fade past a certain distance from the head as it grows? Main concern is how white it looks, that’s really it. Mostly want to know if it would concern anybody and if there is anything I should do proactively. My gut is get my dang hands out of the tank and watch and wait!

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

The "white" is healthy flesh. You want to see flesh as far down the skeleton/stem as possible.

 

[Brian1f1]

The "white" is healthy flesh. You want to see flesh as far down the skeleton/stem as possible.

Well, that’s what I thought when I put it in, but now I see that wavy brown line and thought the bright white was skeleton. Probably just being neurotic.

 

[Brian1f1]

Two months later and the coral has been opening and growing beautifully. It is splitting. That said I noticed a couple concerning things today. It is still opening great, I had it retract a bit for the photo.

First thing is a track of bright white on its underside flesh that almost makes it to the head but not quite. My best guess is a flow injury, as I was experimenting with higher flow over the past few days. That said it seems a strange and odd injury for flow when there is no other apparent damage at all. I’ve turned flow way down for now. Thoughts?

The other issue is less concerning but curious. A head not on the stalk with the apparent injury has a bubble in its flesh. Never seen that before either.

 

[Brian1f1]

Some better photos. Maybe it's splitting related? Hard for me to tell.

 

[Dburr1014]

You are correct

Hi!

Have had this guy a week. Awesome and huge in the light. I’ll post it later. This shot is from underneath, it’s mounted almost horizontal. I don’t know if it was like this when I got it TBH, most probably. Thinking it could have been the way it was situated in the shop frag tank. Also wondering if it’s just normal to fade past a certain distance from the head as it grows? Main concern is how white it looks, that’s really it. Mostly want to know if it would concern anybody and if there is anything I should do proactively. My gut is get my dang hands out of the tank and watch and wait!

 

[Dburr1014]

Some better photos. Maybe it's splitting related? Hard for me to tell.

These pictures tell me it's healthy except that one pic with the jagged white. That looks like an injury.

 

[Brian1f1]

You are correct

That was the photo from 2 months ago. It stabilized and was moving towards splitting but now it looks like a chunk is missing and I don't know why.

 

[Dburr1014]

That was the photo from 2 months ago. It stabilized and was moving towards splitting but now it looks like a chunk is missing and I don't know why.

Yes, I replied for that one too.

 

[Brian1f1]

These pictures tell me it's healthy except that one pic with the jagged white. That looks like an injury.

I think so too. I did try the higher Flow recently. It just really shocks me it could have done that!!! I dropped it hard. I hope it lives. Ugh

 

[Dburr1014]

I think so too. I did try the higher Flow recently. It just really shocks me it could have done that!!! I dropped it hard. I hope it lives. Ugh

It should live. Worse Case... That 1 head dies. I don't think that will be the case.

 

[Brian1f1]

It should live. Worse Case... That 1 head dies. I don't think that will be the case

Really hope so.. is a master torch, and my favorite coral. Getting the flow just right has been very tricky. Really surprised it would have done this, but that's my leading theory. Rolling with that my plan is just to go very low with it and leave it be, no need to dip and stress. Thanks for your help

 

[Brian1f1]

I wonder if it will heal or if it will just continue new growth from the damaged area.

 

[Brian1f1]

You’d never guess it’s just a few MM away from death. For posterity, in case I am wrong about the cause and we are in its last days.

 

[Dburr1014]

You’d never guess it’s just a few MM away from death. For posterity, in case I am wrong about the cause and we are in its last days.

?
What? I don't understand, that is healthy.
It's not dying.

 

[Brian1f1]

?
What? I don't understand, that is healthy.
It's not dying.

The flesh wound (or necrosis) is within a few MM of the head. If it doesn't stop it'll be a partial goner in short order.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

The flesh wound (or necrosis) is within a few MM of the head. If it doesn't stop it'll be a partial goner in short order.

Pretty strong statement about a healthy looking coral... And wound does not equal "necrosis".

 

[Brian1f1]

Pretty strong statement about a healthy looking coral... And wound does not equal "necrosis".

How is it a “strong statement?” Torches frequently “look” healthy up until they begin rapid decline. This one has a large strip that appears to be recently heavily damaged or dead that is running down almost the entire fleshband and is currently just shy of the polyp head. I don’t know for sure what caused (or is causing…) it or if it stopped spreading. If it spreads a few MM or so more it will die and it’s already probably 40 MM long. Flow wound is my leading theory, but it seems odd for that, but I cut it back, so maybe that will save it or maybe not. Maybe it’s being attacked by something, maybe something is eating it, maybe it is spreading necrotic tissue, maybe there is another cause I’m totally overlooking, in which case it’ll bite it soon.

You are correct wounds don’t equal necrosis, but where did you hear that anyway? I never said that. Regardless, the flesh in the impacted area of this coral most certainly is (or was, much has already sloughed off) necrotic.

 

[Brian1f1]

Here is how it looks one week later with a better angle. Still consistent with a flow injury? I’m still guessing/hoping but I really can’t figure out how it happened…. Still looks kind of bad to me, but on second thought maybe it’s healing.

 

[Dburr1014]

Here is how it looks one week later with a better angle. Still consistent with a flow injury? I’m still guessing/hoping but I really can’t figure out how it happened…. Still looks kind of bad to me, but on second thought maybe it’s healing.

Doesn't look like it's getting any worse. That's a good thing.