Candy Corals..."melting"?

J

JMAONE

New member
Hello ReefCentral!

Some polyps of my Candy Corals,Caualstrea furcata, starting to look like they are "melting"!

What is that all about? Is it some sort of LPS disease break out? Or is it "chemical warfare"? I have had these C. furcata for about 6 years, and during this time I have split large spicements into small colonies of 10 - 50 polyps each.

Any suggestions on what causes this?

Here are some background facts;
I don´t use skimmer , UVC or Ozone since 2006.I do monthly waterchanges of 10-15% with Tropic Marine PRO salt. Weekly add Tropic Marine A- and K+ Elements, monthly add a few dropps of TM Iod/Iodine.

R/O 1ppm output.
Temp 25,4
Salinity 1.024

Salifert tests;
PH 8,00
KH 7,68
NO3 1,0
PO4 Undetected
Ca 435
Mg 1350
Sr 0-3 mg

Some other corals and animals I have;
Sinularia sp (These guys haven´t looked healthy for six months!)

Elegance Coral, Catalaphyllia jardinei
Frogspawn, Euphyllia divisa
Anchor Coral, Euphyllia ancora (newly introduced)
Torch Coral, Euphyllia glabrescens (newly introduced)
Pagoda Cup Coral, Tubinaria peltata (one newly introduced)
Slipper Coral, Polyphillia talpina
Flowerpot Coral, Goniopora stokesi (newly introduced)

Acropora (A. "valida" something)
Brain Corals, Favia/Favites

Carpet Anemone, S. haddoni
Hermit Crabs
Astrea snails
Elefant slugs, Scutus sp.
Black sea urchin, Diadema setosum
Damsells
Cleaner shrimps
Some grey unidentified crab and probably one Mantis schrimp....

(PS. I didn´t practise quarantane or any special dipps on my newly introduced corals.... And, sorry I don´t have any pics)
 
JMAONE,

It would seem you and I have the same problem. No one has answered my question about this one yet. Mine are doing the same thing.
 
My guess is that the Soft Coralls Sinularia sp are practising some chemical warfare. I thinking of removing them to day.. and I have already started to use Activated Carbon...
 
The thing is that my Candy canes have been in the same tank with Soft Coralas for years... without this "melting issue".

Could there be an Euphyllia that releases something in the water? (There are not in contact with their tentacles)
 
Last edited:
I have now removed my last Soft Corals from my tank.... Once up on a time they were quite large... wich I almost have forgotten. When I cut them of by the root, the whole tank turned cloudy.... What have I done.... hope they don't poison my whole tank now...

Making some RO water for a waterchange tomorrow just in case...
 
Your pH and dKH are both slightly low, but not so much that I would be concerned- especially if your Euphyllias are all looking alright (they tend to be more sensitive than Caulastrea to that kind of thing)

BUT- caulastrea can alsore produce that way, so its not necessarily a bad thing. It looks like the headsare going to melt right off their skeleton- if there is rockwork closely underneath the polyp, the tissue may settle out, drip down a couple ledges, and give you a cascading caulastrea colony. I had a large one do that several months ago- looked terrible for a while, and then all healed up and looked good as new (better even)
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8364720#post8364720 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Hormigaquatica
Your pH and dKH are both slightly low, but not so much that I would be concerned- especially if your Euphyllias are all looking alright (they tend to be more sensitive than Caulastrea to that kind of thing)

BUT- caulastrea can alsore produce that way, so its not necessarily a bad thing. It looks like the headsare going to melt right off their skeleton- if there is rockwork closely underneath the polyp, the tissue may settle out, drip down a couple ledges, and give you a cascading caulastrea colony. I had a large one do that several months ago- looked terrible for a while, and then all healed up and looked good as new (better even)
Click to expand...

Interesting... that would explain a whole lot!
Could this behavior be trigged by fragmating a large colony maybe... since there are so many of mine that are "melting" at this moment?
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8365774#post8365774 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by smokinprice
Interesting Hormigaquatica. I wonder if thats what is happening to mine.
Click to expand...

Of several hundred of my polypys there are about 20 that looks like this. How about yours?
 
Mine have been doing this for some time.Usually happens when there is no more room to spread out.I fragged them and when they grew back out they looked fine.Also happened to a piece that was in too much flow.I have never let them drop completely though.I usually end up trading them in or selling them.
 
Well, the face that only a relative few polyps are doing it sounds right to me- more likely that a water quality issue or something like that. Its nothing for sure, but seems fairly logical to me. If all the 'melting' polyps are grouped together, then it might be in response to outside aggression- another coral stinging them, a fish constantly picking on one area, but if theyre scattered a bit, I think thats a little less likely.

If a coral looks like its melting and sick- dont assume its reproducing- lol... but its a distinct possability IME.

As long as the tissue keeps a relativly normal color about it, I wouldnt be real concerned; if it starts to turn brown or necrotic looking, thats obviously something else altogether. Good luck with it; hope it turns out well!
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8366645#post8366645 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by JMAONE
Of several hundred of my polypys there are about 20 that looks like this. How about yours?
Click to expand...

Out of the five on one stalk, I have 2 that look like this.
 
Hey JMAONE,

Can you post any photos of yours showing what they are doing? If not check out my photos under my Trumpet/Candy Cane thread and see it thats what yours are doing. Now I am wondering whats up. Maybe mine are dying?
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8372768#post8372768 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by smokinprice
Hey JMAONE,

Can you post any photos of yours showing what they are doing? If not check out my photos under my Trumpet/Candy Cane thread and see it thats what yours are doing. Now I am wondering whats up. Maybe mine are dying?
Click to expand...

I have no camera at the time, but I promise to check out your pics and give a comment if there´s any simularity with the fellas I got.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8372950#post8372950 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ryansholl
Not to derail the thread, but what do you think of your scutus? I'm kind of interested in them
Click to expand...

I really like my Scutus... haven´t seen them even touch a coral... One time I counted over 40 of them (and I haven´t bought a single one of them... they came with the live rock you see). They are mostly active by night though....

One time I saw one fellow release hmmm *CENCUR*... in one corner of the tank... then another one in the middle.. then another in the opposite corner, and so on ... Kind of like how coral spawning. All at the same time... Ha ha!
 
Do any one have any pics or links on Candy Canes that got Brown Jelly disease? Please...

Tried Google but didn´t find any...
 
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