Need some help with this coral please

[fullmonti]

I have had this coral for 2-3 years and a month or so back I noticed a spot where the tissue looked a little off. It didn't change for a while, then it started getting bigger. I know this is not good but can anyone tell me what this is and what I can do to save my favorite coral?

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

My 1st thought would be splitting.
Someone with more experience with a Chalice should chime in please.

 

[fullmonti]

It is actually a brain coral. Got it from LA they called it a Moon Brain

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

OK wee need someone with a brain then!
Guess I'm out-------

 

[Oldreeferman]

Interesting cool coral, kind of looks like an Acan I can see why you like it so much.
That is a weird condition it is having hope its a normal aspect of that particular coral.
Im gonna watch this event as it unfolds as ive never seen this before & ive got Chalice corals so.

 

[five.five-six]

Interesting cool coral, kind of looks like an Acan I can see why you like it so much.
That is a weird condition it is having hope its a normal aspect of that particular coral.
Im gonna watch this event as it unfolds as ive never seen this before & ive got Chalice corals so.

I thought Favia but yes, interesting coral. IME, brain corals are generally puffed up a LOT more than in the photo.

 

[mav3rick478]

Looks like Goniastrea, have you seen it's long sweepers at night. Make sure your Alk is a little on the higher side and feed it some solid foods like shrimp. At first it will eat slow but once it starts eating it'll have it's feeders out more often.

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[fullmonti]

mav3rick478 you were so right, my Alk had gotten low. I got it up to 9-9.5 and kept it there and my guy healed up. Since my mixed reef has been stable and happy.

Lately, this same coral had a new polyp come in mostly white/not as much color as normal. I thought it would color up but now it is creeping into the polyps next to it a little. Every thing else, even the sps are doing just fine. Here is a photo, it doesn't show up as well in the photo but you can still see the little mostly white polyp.

Thoughts about my lovely problem child?



I thought I might try a iodine dip but thought I'd check with others first for other ideas.

 

[mav3rick478]

What kind of lighting are you running? Is it eating ok?

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[fullmonti]

LED, might be more than it needs, thought might move to low lite level but been under same light for 1-2 years now. Eats well except the effected polyps don't open fully.

 

[mav3rick478]

Yeah move it lower for a month and see if that helps.

Hmm, they've been under the same lighting for a few years so they really shouldn't change coloring. What kind of LEDs? I once had bought a white brain coral that was amazing in the store, looked like pearls but when I brought it home it slowly changed to green and orange. Obviously because of my lighting but your corals have been under the same lighting for a long time. The only thing I can think of if the lighting is affecting it is that your lights are getting old but your other corals including the SPS are doing fine.

Are you dosing anything new or stopped dosing something recently? What do you dose?

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[fullmonti]

Smaller Kessil & 2 small ReefBrites. I feed Zeo LPS, Extra, Sponge Power & Coral Vitalizer, Acro power, and Brightwell Zooplanktos M & L and Reef Snow. Some days and some at night.

What about a iodine dip, think it might be some kind of infection?

 

[mav3rick478]

Wow, I commend you on taking the time to dose and feed all that I'm lazy lol. You can try an iodine dip just for the hell of it but an infection would usually result in lost tissue.

Any new fish or invertebrates?

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[fullmonti]

I actually have two tanks but working on one to replace both. The other tank I changed over 4 Mollies to saltwater and let me say they make tangs look lazy! It is the other tank but I don't try to keep them separate so kinda like in the same tank. That was about a month ago but pretty sure the little white polyp was already there. Both tanks are not big, one 40 gallon system the other is only 16 gallon system but with lots of media and a nice fug. I have work hard to keep them stable.

 

[Cin]

I would leave it alone.

 

[fullmonti]

I moved it to the bottom of the tank today already. Can see it better there and the skeleton is showing a little on the bottom of the little white polyp. What ever it is, it is spreading to the neighboring polyps.

 

[Oldreeferman]

You may want to seriously consider fragging away the bad area in the hope of saving the rest, then do a iodine dip to stop any infections if it keeps expanding any farther, that is what id do with it if it gets any worse before it spreads too far. I had to do that twice to SPS corals to save them and it worked out.

 

[fullmonti]

I did think the same and am going to keep a close eye on it from now on.