Might have bought a big mistake (Elegance)
- Thread starter iwishtofish
- Start date
iwishtofish
Active member
The coral has not been opening very much for the past couple of days, ever since I fed it. Every once in a while, I see it close up a bit, very rapidly, as if it thinks there is a threat. Although I haven't seen my tang picking at it since the day it was expelling zooxanthellae, I suspect the fish might be a problem.
iwishtofish
Active member
Day 12
I'm afraid things might be taking a sour turn. Coral still isn't opening much, and I think I can see the beginning of tissue recession at the top edge of the skeleton. Go figure.
I'm afraid things might be taking a sour turn. Coral still isn't opening much, and I think I can see the beginning of tissue recession at the top edge of the skeleton. Go figure.
iwishtofish
Active member
Have some insightful pictures of why I think this coral is ailing. In the first, the tissue recession can be seen at the top of the skeleton. The second picture shows how the mouths are staying inverted, making them look like they did when the coral was drawing food to a mouth. The third shows how the coral is extended, yet has no firmness to the polyps, allowing them tho remain folded up a bit.
It's all a learning experience. If this one goes, I don't think I'll try another.
It's all a learning experience. If this one goes, I don't think I'll try another.
iwishtofish
Active member
Thanks, but it's holding on! My tang is, believe it or not, a real annoyance. It was hovering over the coral just a little while ago, searching for something in the polyps. Then it did a quick peck, and moved on. The coral wasn't too pleased, of course. The tang seems to just love hanging out around the coral, pecking the glass and all. Acting like a clownfish. Jerk.
Anyway, a couple pictures from today. The elegance looks a lot better than I expected (first photo), although it closed up a bit after the tang annoyed it. The second picture shows the area with tissue necrosis. I was certain that was going to run rampant, and take this coral down much quicker.
iwishtofish
Active member
Definitely have some polyp bailout underway. Maybe if I can improve conditions (Ca a little low, I think - Alk steady around 9), things can turn around. I actually got the coral to take a little mysis today, although the tentacles don't seem as "sticky" as they were the last time I fed it.
Tang has enjoyed picking at dead tissue, unfortunately. Nothing I can do about that.
Tang has enjoyed picking at dead tissue, unfortunately. Nothing I can do about that.
Jhsellers2
New member
i hope your piece is still ok, it is a nice one. unfortunately i was in a lfs and they had a few of these and i asked about it and he maid it seem like it was an easier type coral to take care being a salesman. well i wish i would of done some research first witch is my fault. i have been learning a lot now that i have it i just hope i can keep it alive. it eats but seems to spit it back up, but after reading on here maybe the pieces were to big. they are a beautiful coral. what temp are you keeping your tank that's something i haven't been able to find out ecactlly i guess some are collected from deeper depths and they might like a cooler temp and lower light depending where they came from. any ways i wish you the best and hope it is doing better
ldallen95219
New member
Just for your info, I have this great book by Eric Borneman, you may have it also. Anyway, this is what he says about Elegance coral (Catalaphyllia jardinel).
Natural Location: Elegance bury their base in soft substrate, and their hugely inflated polyps and tentacles wave on the bottom, making them all but indistinguishable from an anemone. Like open brain coral, Elegance are often temporarily attached to substrate while young, but break away to become free-living when mature. Elegance are common in lagoonal areas with soft or muddy bottoms (though they may be found in other areas),and in inter-reef areas where they commonly share space with fungiids, seagrasses, and other lagoonal flora and fauna.
Captive care: They prefer a gentle current that does not lift them out of the substrate. Specimens are best placed on soft bottoms, since the dramatic tissue expansion can cause abrasion to the polyp if placed among live rock. Such abrasion can lead to recession or brown jelly infections. These corals can occasionally "bail out" of their skeletons, and may do so in response to poor water parameters or sudden changes in lighting and water quality. This is not a normal form of reproduction, but seems to be an escape reaction. The polyp will fortunately begin to calcify again, if conditions are appropriate. Small buds, similar to those of frog spawn, anchor, etc. are commonly produced in captive specimens with surprising regularity. They seem to possess a willingness to "swap" zooanthellae in response to changed lighting, leading to the presumption of maladjustment, disease, or impending death. Remaining contracted, sometimes for months, they may suddenly "snap out of it" and again expand normally with subtle to dramatic color differences. They are sensitive to the presence of many soft corals, and may even be adversely affected by Caulerpa algae. They succumb to infection easily, are prone to bristleworm irritation, can be easily punctured or torn when inflated, may recede in aquariums with significant filamentous algae growth, and may require dietary supplementation to maintain long-term health. In short, they are quite frequently problematic. Many years ago Elegance were among the easiest corals to maintain, but the majority today are not surviving. They adopt an abnormal appearance, with an initially swollen polyp body and shriveled tentacles. Eventually, the polyp shrinks tight against the skeleton and succumbs by recession or opportunistic invasion. No environmental or treatment protocol seems to help.
Natural Location: Elegance bury their base in soft substrate, and their hugely inflated polyps and tentacles wave on the bottom, making them all but indistinguishable from an anemone. Like open brain coral, Elegance are often temporarily attached to substrate while young, but break away to become free-living when mature. Elegance are common in lagoonal areas with soft or muddy bottoms (though they may be found in other areas),and in inter-reef areas where they commonly share space with fungiids, seagrasses, and other lagoonal flora and fauna.
Captive care: They prefer a gentle current that does not lift them out of the substrate. Specimens are best placed on soft bottoms, since the dramatic tissue expansion can cause abrasion to the polyp if placed among live rock. Such abrasion can lead to recession or brown jelly infections. These corals can occasionally "bail out" of their skeletons, and may do so in response to poor water parameters or sudden changes in lighting and water quality. This is not a normal form of reproduction, but seems to be an escape reaction. The polyp will fortunately begin to calcify again, if conditions are appropriate. Small buds, similar to those of frog spawn, anchor, etc. are commonly produced in captive specimens with surprising regularity. They seem to possess a willingness to "swap" zooanthellae in response to changed lighting, leading to the presumption of maladjustment, disease, or impending death. Remaining contracted, sometimes for months, they may suddenly "snap out of it" and again expand normally with subtle to dramatic color differences. They are sensitive to the presence of many soft corals, and may even be adversely affected by Caulerpa algae. They succumb to infection easily, are prone to bristleworm irritation, can be easily punctured or torn when inflated, may recede in aquariums with significant filamentous algae growth, and may require dietary supplementation to maintain long-term health. In short, they are quite frequently problematic. Many years ago Elegance were among the easiest corals to maintain, but the majority today are not surviving. They adopt an abnormal appearance, with an initially swollen polyp body and shriveled tentacles. Eventually, the polyp shrinks tight against the skeleton and succumbs by recession or opportunistic invasion. No environmental or treatment protocol seems to help.
iwishtofish
Active member
Thanks for your well-wishes, Jhsellers2. Unfortunately, the coral is no longer with me. I removed it when I believed it to be at the point of no return, which, of course, I couldn't say for absolute certain. I didn't want to risk a nutrient-bomb harming the rest of the tank. Everything I read pointed to an extremely unlikely recovery once the polyps began to bail out.
Sadly, I'll just have to enjoy looking at an interesting coral skeleton in my tank, once I finish bleaching it out. I'm thinking of placing it upside down, and covering it with zoanthids.
I wish you the absolute best with your coral. Many people have long-term success, or so I hear!
I appreciate that info, ldallen95219. It sounds like a really dicey coral in which to invest one's care. I'm thinking I won't likely try again, unless it is a really inexpensive specimen, and I feel my conditions are exactly right.
Jhsellers2
New member
sorry to hear that,so far mine seems to look great when the lights are on but almost goes completely inside the skeleton when off, i know its normal to say shrink down but this seems to extreme. and thanks for the update
elegance coral
They call me EC
Did the coral get a whole lot worse than it appeared in the pic you posted? It honestly doesn't look that bad in the pic. It doesn't look like polyp bail out. It simply looks like a wound. Maybe where the tang peck it at night while it was withdrawn. I wish you would have contacted me before you threw in the towel.
Sorry for your loss
EC
Sorry for your loss
EC
iwishtofish
Active member
Yeah, mine would shrink almost all the way in every night, too. Keep us posted, please!
Yeah, I kept hoping I'd see you pop back into the thread...
It did deteriorate further. The tentacles shortened more, and the tissue started to recede further off the top of the skeleton in both directions. The tissue on the underside of the polyps also turned REALLY dark - something I took for necrosis. And the tentacles started to kind of just hang down in some places, like the coral was trying to inflate, but just not managing to do so.
Who knows if I made the right decision to take it out. It was an agonizing one, though. Kind of leaves a sour feeling about the whole thing.
Jhsellers2
New member
i sure will, i saw why the coral was tucked in further than normal after looking at it some more my emrald crab was on the back side. i ran it off and about a hr later he was on the front top kinda tucked up where the coral comes out using it as a hiding place and i could see his legs touching the flesh irritating it so i removed him and put him in my fuge. coral is now out and looking good with just the abiant light in the room.
