Band Disease on Favia

[Myka]

Hmmm...trouble in brain land.

In November I purchased a really nice Australian Maze Brain (Platygyra sp) that had receded in the store about 50%. They had found stray voltage in the tank, and suggested that as the cause of the recession. That seemed and looked like a reasonable cause to me. I dipped the coral in Coral Rx before I introduced it to the tank. It was doing quite well right away, and did so for about a month. After a month it started receding again very quickly...gooey around the edges, and is now all gone.

At that time I also noticed my Favia appears to have Band Disease. I think the Maze brought it in. The Favia is receding in a line very slowly around the bottom edge, all the way around it. The edges of the recession are gooey, and the bits of remaining tissue on the bad side of the line is black. I believe it is band disease, but I'm not sure if it is black band disease or white band disease. The healthy parts of the Favia look great, good color, good polyp extension, produces feeder tentacles, etc. I have had this Favia for several years.

Anyone have any other ideas on disease ID or know of a reliable cure? There is little info available about this disease.

 

[Myka]

I decided to take my rotary tool to the coral with a diamond wheel on it. It cut easier than I expected, and I used a chisel to pop each cut section off. I took off the dead tissue plus about 3/8" of healthy tissue. I hope that's enough. I noticed green on the skeleton where I cut, and I worry that the problem is actually a parasitic alga. Hopefully when I come back again in two weeks I will see healthy tissue on the cut edges.

Sorry Favia, I wish I didn't have to do it to you...

 

[roblack]

Dips in Revive can help to kill off all kinds of pathogens. Beautiful colony, best of luck!!

 

[mscarpena]

I agree with what you did and a dip. Good luck its a beauty. I just bought a small frag the same as your yesterday.

 

[yduro99]

Band Disease on Favia

Hello Myka,
nice post, but would be very useful to know the outcome of your action. Did your favia survived ? I realize that this happens 4 years ago though...
Y.

 

[Myka]

Hi there,

No the Favia did not survive. I tried all sorts of dips including Erythromycin. The disease spread to several other Favia/Lobo/Favites too. Over the course of about 18 months I lost about 6 colonies to this disease. Not all my Favia/Lobo/Favites caught it, but those that did catch the disease succumbed to it.