Help needed for receding dying scoly

[pitmindi]

Hi helpers, I bought this scoly in August, 2013. It was very expensive but it was from a local reefer at a frag swap so it was very healthy. It was doing fine until about a month ago when a small part was covered by the purple mushroom that is in the pic below. I moved the scoly and noticed the part covered by the mushroom had receded. It was deteriorated this month. I feed Ultra LPS pellets but for the last 2 weeks it hasn't had any feeders out and doesn't puff out or push the food to its mouth or even consume the pellets that are near its mouth. The other scolys are doing fine. Please suggest ways to save this beautiful expensive coral.

 

[MechEng99]

Judging by the cyano on the coral itself and the rocks in the upper right corner, it looks like you may have a nutrient issue. Scoly's are usually fine with a nutrient issue, but one that is already stressed will have a harder time coping with less-than-optimal water parameters. Corals that were stable and were stung by another coral usually recover without intervention unless the sting was fatal or the water conditions aren't optimal. So...what are your water parameters?

If the coral is not accepting food, then do not try to force feed it. But, do try to feed it a few hours after the lights go off. It may accept food then.

Keep the skeleton as free of algae/detritus/cyano as possible. That'll help it recover.

 

[pitmindi]

 

[pitmindi]

Before I read your reply I moved the scoly into the plastic container and squirted some Azox coral food into the container and left it that way overnight, hoping at some point the coral ate. It looks just as bad today but I will try the Azox again. Maybe Revive. I have it and many on the internet have said they dipped their dying coral and it improved after. My water is high in nutrients, some corals thrive, others die. I wouldn't even try to save this coral except that the other 2 scolymia corals are doing well, and it was doing well for 6 months, until the mushroom coral incident

 

[Reef Frog]

I would make sure that it is getting some gentle water flow through that container somehow. Maybe a perforated container? I would also get that cyano off of the skeleton by gently brushing it for example. Also, I would try feeding it meaty foods like Misys shrimp when the tentacles are out. The coral rescue thread here in this forum also may provide you some good information and inspiration. Good luck.

 

[MechEng99]

I'm sorry, but I see no evidence of any digestive system left in the scoly - it looks like its mesenterial filaments have deteriorated away. I've never seen a coral come back if this is the case. The tissue may stay for some time, but it will eventually decay away.

 

[Reef Frog]

I'm sorry, but I see no evidence of any digestive system left in the scoly - it looks like its mesenterial filaments have deteriorated away. I've never seen a coral come back if this is the case. The tissue may stay for some time, but it will eventually decay away.

So you're talking about the "open hole" where the "mouth" is/was? A few more details would be great....

 

[MechEng99]

So you're talking about the "open hole" where the "mouth" is/was? A few more details would be great....

Yes - I don't see any signs of internals. That may not be the case, but I don't see it from the photo. If the internals are gone and the coral is not reacting to any stimuli, then's there's not really any hope. It can't eat...and it is already decomposing internally.