ID and help

[vanwassup]

I just picked up this coral last night...



She (it looks female to me) has some damage to her and I wonder if time will allow healing of the larger polyp or if the damage is permanent. I paid $45 for it and I didn't know there was damage...just saw white/pink color and thought that was how the coral was supposed to look. Did I pay too much per the damage or is it possible to bring her back to health?

Thanks! Oh, and if you could tell me what kind of coral this is that would be fantastic! This pink color is amazing!

Vanessa

 

[inkmates]

from what i have been told the damage is is there to stay (you would have to cut it off if you didn't want to look at it) but the healthy part would continue to grow. Personally I probably wouldn't pay that much for it but then again I don't know the exacts as far as that coral is concerned. I guess the ? to ask your self is how much would it have cost without the damage and how much you saved by purchasing it damaged and the final ? would have to be can you nurse it back to health. Good luck with the new girl of yours happy reefing

 

[ElDiabloPollo]

Looks like you paid too much to me, but that is just an opinion. My LFS sells half dead coral for $15.

Oh, it looks like a Lobo to me.

 

[vanwassup]

So, how do I go about breaking off the 'dead' part? chisel? will it cause the other half to shock if it is broken off? Is this light pink color normal, or is it an unhealthy color? The healthy side doesn't seem to expand at all, but I just added it to the tank so it might take a while to settle in? Or, is it just a few months from being dead too?

Ugh, I was hoping you all would say it could be nursed back to health. I suppose they were laughing as I paid for this coral. I am surprised they even sold it.

Vanessa

 

[ElDiabloPollo]

Use a tile saw, or dremel with diamond wheel to cut off the dead piece. Usually a red lobo will bleach to hot pink before dieing. Not sure from the pic if it was originally red or not. I would say to not give-up on the living half. It might turn around. Unfortunately Lobo's do not ship as well as some coral, I think almost half die.

 

[vanwassup]

Should I remove the dead piece...I'm wondering if it would stress the living half if I do that.

 

[ElDiabloPollo]

Cutting off the dead piece is probably less stress than the dieing flesh right next to it.

Can you get a better pic of it?

 

[seapug]

You definitely paid too much, but it may recover. I wouldn't cut off the dead part of the skeleton as they will sometimes fill it back in when it regrows. Just make sure to siphon off any rotting tissue and keep it in good light and gentle flow.

 

[jero1]

leave it in tack...it will grow back. I had a lobo that was just a mouth,about 1/4 it big and it grew to about 6 of your one full polyp. pink is good too imo.

 

[jadeguppy]

Removing the exposed portion will not help it, so I would concentrate on bringing it back to vibrant life first. Have you tried feeding it? BTW, you might want to get a second opinion on anything you are told at that store. For what it is worth, it is a great color. Good luck.

 

[sunfish11]

It looks like you have a lobo in bad shape. If you don't have any decaying tissue then feed it every day and otherwise leave it alone. It may regrow over the dead skeleton once it starts to recover. If you still have some decaying tissue/recession than I would give it a lugols/iodine dip as well. I personally wouldn't have paid $45 for it but if it was healthy it would have probably cost a lot more because of its color, so don't be too upset about that.

Lisa