Orange Dendrophyllia

[iReefer2]

Single Polyp.

Had him about a month, fed him every single day, mysis, brine, bloodworms etc, tentacles were always out and would always grab and swallow anything I floated its way.

About a week ago, it seemed like anything I put its way, it just couldn't hang on to, like its tentacles weren't sticky enough. and then about 5 days ago he closed up. It kinda coincided with me increasing the light intensity, it was half n half in light and dark, so I stuck another rock above him to completely shade him. that was about 2 days ago. Was hoping that would do it, but still hasn't come back out.

Last week I've been using coral food and a turkey baster to try coax him out, can see his mouth open but no tentacles.

Anyone know what is happening? or What I should try next.

Thanks

 

[sqwat]

Overfed him I heard this happens and they don't open for awhile just leave him be and see if he comes out in a week or two

 

[iReefer2]

I'm hoping that is the case. That would be best case scenario. I checked again tonight. No tentacles, but it's mouth just looks like it gaping open a bit. Is this a sign that he's still digesting the over meals.

How long do they normally stay closed of they have been overfed? Any idea?

Thanks

 

[sqwat]

I don't no overfeading does cause gutrot.but if he starts receeding keep the fray they allmost allways grow new heads on the dead corralite. Gapping mouth is a sighing of gut rot just leave him be.

 

[willietang021]

I have hundred of Dendrophullia for over 6 years. They were the corals that got me started with keeping corals. Feeding it every day is the problem. I did that at the very first when I start to keep this kind of coral. They are like goldfish. They do not know they are full, they will just keep grabing and eating whatever you give them. Then one day, all their tectacles will shrink and the mouth will gap over and die from within. The reason is overfeeding and the leftover food rot inside the polyp itself. I had lost many MANY dendros because of that. Because I always thought as long as they eats or their tectacles are sticky, they are fine. Now, I feed my dendrophyllia once a week or even 10 days depending on my schedule. But I feed them twice an hour apart on the same day. Not alot of food each time. They now all extend 5+ inches out when open, and as healthy as ever. Do not over feed is my advise, and the food that you feed them must be finely chopped for easy digest.

Also if it is dying, when the tissue starts to come off the skeleton, just use a turkey blaster suck the tissue out but leave the skeleton alone. Because in a month or so you will have many babies growing on the mother skeleton.

Good luck!

 

[iReefer2]

That is definitely where I went wrong. It's my first NPS so I was so worried about under feeding that I over fed him.

Not sure what to do now, the edges where the tentacles where appear to be folding in to the centre, it's still very colorful, not sure if this is part of the process of dying from gutrot? But you mention that once dead (if he does not make it) that if I just leave it, a new head will sprout out of the skeleton? You mention I have to turkey Baster up the goo? Can you explain more please? Do I discard the goo, and just make sure the skeleton is free of debris?

Is there any way of getting that bad food out of the head, to try save him? Maybe use a turkey Baster and suck out the inside?

Just wanting to make sure I do the right thing.

Thanks

 

[willietang021]

There's no way you can get the food out from the polyp. I think it is too late, because it is already dying. The color would remain the same even all the tissue is in pieces and just flowing in the current with barely a piece hanging on.

When you see the tissue is hanging on, (no longer in the shape of the polyp). Just use the turkey baster to suck the meat (tissue) out of the tank, so the water quality won't be affected. What I had did in the past was either use the turkey baster to suck the dingleling tissue off the skeleton. Or take the whole dendro out, put it in a container with a small powerhead in it. and just slowly remove the dead tissue. Once that's done, I will put it in low flow and low light area. In about 2 weeks or so, at night time when your tank light is off. Use a flashlight to search for new TINY baby dendro. Or TINY yellow spot on the white skeleton. You should be able to see them, once you do, feed it with TINY size meaty stuff for it to grow. in a month time, with proper feeding you will have baby dendro that you can see without really focusing and SEARCHING for it. in about 3months time, the dendro should be a good small size. and you can see new tiny skeletons of the new baby polyps growing on the old mother dendro's skeleton.

I had this experience many times, and watching it die slowly is painful, but if you take it out, smell it and it smell riot, then it is time to help it reborn. Or when the tissue starts to get loose, it is time. Because there's no turning back, once it is rioted inside, it is dead. Sorry, hope that helps. If you need more info, pm me. Faster that way. GD luck!

 

[iReefer2]

Just to give you an update.

The Dendro did in fact die, and the tissues came off like you said.

It took a long time, but checked last week, and there we have it, just like you said, there are like 4 or 5 baby heads on the old mother skeleton.

Its awesome, there still quite small but they are already grabbing food. taking it easy and making sure not to overfeed this time though.

Thanks for all your advise Willie! It really helped!!!

Question? Will a polyp ever grow back inside the old skeleton? as in, where the original polyp was?

 

[cacopepo]

i bought a piece with 25+ heads...from a fellow reefer for $10...real good deal, then again not...they never open..never seen the tentacles, their mouth will extend and open but never fully came out..blast them with mysis in a container with a turkey baste and nothing...trying to feed it every 2 to 3 days at night time..sometime stayed until 1am just to see if it came out and nothing...finally after 2 months with it, it started dying, slowly shed its skin..theres probably like 7 heads left..im bummed out

 

[petemichelle]

you know, I got a single head with a package from reef2go about 4 months ago. I put him almost at the bottom on a piece of live rock. I never saw any tentilcles or mouths, or any kind of tissue, just the head. the color is still bright orange. Is it dead? I've also heard if it dies to leave it alone and babies will grow. so I just left it thinking it will either live and come out or babies will start in a month or so. so far nothing, just like the day I got it. any ideas??? should I move him to a darker place? it is in the light but way down low. moderarte to low flow.

 

[hypostatic]

you know, I got a single head with a package from reef2go about 4 months ago. I put him almost at the bottom on a piece of live rock. I never saw any tentilcles or mouths, or any kind of tissue, just the head. the color is still bright orange. Is it dead? I've also heard if it dies to leave it alone and babies will grow. so I just left it thinking it will either live and come out or babies will start in a month or so. so far nothing, just like the day I got it. any ideas??? should I move him to a darker place? it is in the light but way down low. moderarte to low flow.

Post a pic. They're worth a thousand words.

Also, I wanted to mention that the "dendros" that R2G sells is actually Cladopsammia gracilis, a really finicky, sort of coldwater species.

"babies" will most likely not sprout from the dead coral.

 

[laga77]

I just wish Reefs2go would just go. I recieved a similar piece for my LFS as a rescue case. After the tuperware feeding failed, I took a small piece of white worm and with a tweezers very carefully inserted it into the mouth. The next day some tentacles appeared, and with some careful spot feeding I was able to save the little guy. Bottom line is, you need to get him to eat.

 

[drjohndraper]

Does anyone know of a reliable quality source of Dendros, in the Toronto area..thanks

 

[teemee]

Aquatic Kingdom always has them.

 

[Sunstar]

Coral Reef shop in Burlington has them.