Free Symphyllia Brain Coral - spectacular color, but not happy

[scolley]

I recently got a very expensive, spectacularly colored blue/red, Symphyllia Brain Coral from Divers Den. Shortly after it arrived it started showing tissue recession. Here's a thread with pics and a discussion about the problem.


This coral is free - if picked up at my house - to the first active club member that sends me a pm for it. And if I don't hear from any of them, then it's free to the first person that arranges pick up (again, in PM's please). But you have to be asking, why would I want a "sick" coral? Well, maybe because:

1. Most important - it's a spectacularly bright blue/red colored coral (under actinic and/or royal blues, less exciting in daylight).
2. Thus far, the tissue loss can barely be seen. At a glance, it looks awesome. Only upon close inspection can you see it.
3. It might recover, with the right care. It's loss of flesh has been so amazingly slow, maybe it's an indicator that recovery is possible.
4. In my experience any STN that brain corals get, only spreads to other brains. So if you have few/no brains, it might pose little/no risk to your livestock.

If all that's true, why don't I keep it?

Simple. Though I've seen no evidence of spreading, I've got twelve other brains in my little tank. I'm not willing to take even the remote chance that it will spread to them.

Thanks for looking.

 

[scolley]

Thus far, the tissue loss can barely be seen. At a glance, it looks awesome. Only upon close inspection can you see it.

I need to amend that. I went back to look, and the original spot of tissue loss can definitely be seen on first glance. It's the places that it's spread that are hard to detect.

PS - By mid-day Tuesday this coral will be out of my tank. So act fast if interested in playing "nurse" to a wicked nice coral.

 

[scolley]

Thanks for looking. That coral now has a new home.