Help! Losing my Favia! (w/ pics)

[Sitarangi]

My Favia is bleaching. Its started in the bottom corner and over the course of the past week its been losing its color and getting the strange mucus consistency before dying. Also snails and hermits have picking away at it.

Ammonia + nitrates are pristine
Temp has been running high from the summer usually in-between 79-82 degrees.
Salinity at about 1.024
PH is at 8.1 (could it be bleaching from the acidity eating away at the calcium carbonate skeleton...?)

Tomorrow hopefully I can do a hefty 30%-50% water change. Its been about 2 weeks since my last one.

 

[TurboRobert]

You probably need to frag it up or the entire coral will die.

 

[Scythanith]

I'd suggest fragmenting the coral at least 1/2" away from the infected area. I've randomly had corals do this over the past couple years and I've tried dips, etc, and found that fragging the coral away from the infected area has worked for me. Not to say it will work for you. Fragging it won't be nice and clean, chances are you won't get a nice piece after, but many smaller pieces. It never hurts to use a coral cleaner after (ie Revive or Coral Dip etc) and make sure to not include any of the infected tissue.

Put the new frags in a couple similar locations throughout the tank incase it is due to the location in the tank.

Hope this helps a little!

Good luck!

 

[Sitarangi]

Ok so how do I go about fragging it? Break out a steak knife and cut it? Also whats causing the rapid die-off?

 

[TurboRobert]

You want to break off using a tool such as a dremel or a chisel with a hammer. The die off looks as though it is rapid tissue die off that is caused by many things. Did another coral touch it? Some leathers and cucumbers can leave toxins into your tank.

 

[Sitarangi]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12963910#post12963910 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by TurboRobert
You want to break off using a tool such as a dremel or a chisel with a hammer. The die off looks as though it is rapid tissue die off that is caused by many things. Did another coral touch it? Some leathers and cucumbers can leave toxins into your tank.

Naw, I actually had to move it because it was so aggressive toward everything at night. The only thing I can think was I had a pretty hefty salinity spike (1.030) which I diluted back down to 1.025 and lower over the course of a couple days. All my xenia survived without a scratch (which is bizarre given its finicky nature) as did all of my fish. My only casualty was my pistol shrimp but I think he wasn't in great shape to begin with. This was about a month ago....

I do have a dremel but no heads. I used to use it for Warhammer 40k and its covered in paint and the whatnot . im sure me and my dad can find something to improvise

 

[Sitarangi]

So I fragged it up and did a nice 20% water change. Just wondering, you can see it in the pics, but could Aiptasia somehow sting favia? I have a couple anemones right there. I leave them alone because I got a peppermint shrimp that won't eat them because their to big but he'll rip any little ones to shreds. Their not doing any harm so were on a live and let live basis.... unless they could be whats killing the favia.

This pic is a little blurry, but I like it because my mandarin is chilling in the top right corner and usually hes not very photogenic

 

[Justin74]

It appears you left some of the infected tissue on the larger fragged piece. I agree with Scythanith's suggestion and like he have found this the most successfull method of survival, although great care is needed with any infection, sterilization is key when handling any infected coral. Very easy to inadvertantly do when fragging a large non symetrical object as most are. Which is why I make a conscious effort not to touch the infected area at all, not with my hands, and especially not my tool as either will easily cross contaminate uninfected areas. Another reason to cut at least a half inch ABOVE the infection through healthy tissue is good advice.

Aiptasia will definately cause burns, recession and/or necrosis. They unfortunately dont subscribe to the live and let live philosphy you and I do Their only purpose and goal in life is to assimilate, and God save those that stand in their way
So just make sure there is a few inches between the two, the more the better.

Good luck to you! I know how painfull STN can feel, nothing tortures both you and the animal more than watching a beautifull specimen in a slow decline

-Justin