cynarina damage and follow up

[Ronald]

Hello Anthony, just some follow up. My water chemistry is stable and under control. I am using the slurry method and have added a dosing pump and a stirring platform to automate the process. Since Kalk exposed to air becomes less alkaline as it reacts with CO2 I cut the cover of the bucket with the Kalk so it floats on top of the solution minimizing contact with air. This seems to be working.

Here is my question. My daughter was fooling around with my magnetic algea scrubber and slightly damaged a nice green cynarina that was doing very well. Now it has a wedge of tissue loss about 20 degrees in size that extends all the way to the oral disk. Is there anything I can do to save it? Will this damaged coral pose a risk to my other tank inhabitants? (I have another cynarina, 2 euphyllia, an alveopora, some zooanthids, some xenia, a favite, nemenzophylia and a few coralimorpharians (excuse the spelling errors please). Thanks.

Ron

 

[Anthony Calfo]

Cheers, Ron

Very good to hear about your handle on water chemistry. .. glad you are aware too of the handicap of air exposure with kalkwasser (formation of insoluble carbonates).

The damage to the Cynarina is a serious concern as it is a large/single polyp. With good water flow and especially (!) regular feeding (several times weekly at least) it can certainly heal in time (months).

Unless you see a brown jelly infection or the like on the damagd coral, I seriously doubt it will become infectious. At worst, the decaying flesh of a dying coral will be a burden on water quality.

best of luck,

Anthony

 

[Ronald]

Thanks for the reply. The process appears to have completely affected the coral at this stage, I am left with a skeleton. I will keep it in the tank so it gets covered with coraline and maybe I can attach something too it after a while. Thanks for the input.

Ron

 

[Anthony Calfo]

...and another good reason to keep the skeleton in the tank is that it may not be wholly dead. Although completely denuded of tissue, daughter colonies in this genus (anthocauli) have be known to form many months later from between the septa as ther parent decalcifies and feeds the formation of new buds. Do a keyword search for the term "anthocauli" and look in books (I have an article posted on Wetwebmedia co-authored with Steven Pro on this subject in Trachyphyllia... as well as pics in my "Book of Coral Propagation").

Best of luck!

Anthony

 

[Ronald]

Thanks, If I get anthocauli I'll photograph them and post here. I guess it could take months right?

 

[Anthony Calfo]

yes... many months, my friend. It really is a marvel of nature: a corallum (skeleton) that appears to be dead and completely denuded for even 4 or more months can suddenly sprout with life. Remarkable

Anthony