Frogspawn lost it's head

[Boatwizard]

My frogspawn frag that has been growing great until now. Looked fine last night just before the lights went out. This morning one of the heads is gone, it's stuck on a rock near the sand. Later another head fell off. The other LPS look fine, 2 hammers and 2 frogspawns. It wasn't near anything that might have stung it and there's nothing in the tank that's ever bothered it. All other corals look unaffected. water parameters are the same as levels for the last 6 months. PH runs 8.3, calc 425, alk 11.
The tank is a 90 RR with 5 inches LS, 150 Lbs LR, 3 leathers, 3 froggies, 2 hammers, xenia, 2 colts, star polyps, mushrooms, richordias, button polyps, torch, six line, YT, small false perc, 2 chromis, few scarlet crabs, 12 inch serpent star and large skunk cleaner.

This froggie was a tiny frag 6 months ago, it has quadrupled in size and basically came apart in one night. I've been about half sick for a week and stuff like this makes you want to punt!

What causes this? Anyone else had it happen?

 

[Boatwizard]

Anyone?

 

[vessxpress1]

It couldn't have got any vibration from anything? I had one get knocked back against a water pump during the day one day and the vibration did one of the small heads in. Don't know what could have happened. You shouldn't post stuff like this because it scares me.

 

[Boatwizard]

You and me both. I have 5 more in there. It looks like whatever holds it in the stalk just turned loose and it slid out. I'm sick, it was my favorite frag.

 

[NbMaxx13]

Sorry to hear about this ... My frogspawn is my fav frag as well ... Any new news? Everything doing well ?

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

are the heads still alive?

This is a way of LPS to asexually reproduce, called "budding" or "dropping buds".

 

[Hingeback]

Hi

I posted same question last week. I caught my shed heads and are in a trap and appear fine and healthy.

No real answers from post.

Done a little more research and quite a few times that the heads have dropped it appears there has been quite a sudden drop in the ph and dkh. There has been no reason given for these drops in the ph and dkh.

I know for a fact that this was not a reason for mine as I tested straight away. Came to the conclusion that it was a way of propagation but still erring on the side that there was something amiss with my water to cause this. I think if something is amiss with the water it is quite possible that it throws the head so it can drift in the current to hopefully find better conditions where it can start a new colony.

All the best, sorry I know what it feels like.