Plate Coral Help!

[MrKris]

I bought a beautiful plate coral 2 days ago and I have noticed that the color is not staying as beautiful as it once was. I have googled around and some people say that the brown patches is it regrowing the zooxanthellae while others say that it's losing its color. Personally I believe that it is losing its color instead.

Should I move it higher if that is the case? I thought they preferred the sand bed. I'm using radions 1st gen so I assumed there should be enough light, but there is roughly 30 inches or so from the lights to the coral with some light being lost to the acrylic that is holding up the radions (they aren't hanged, but placed above an acrylic box like structure).

Thanks!

 

[E Rosewater]

It's very retracted. The ridges are it's skeleton. I wouldn't think it's from too little light. Too much flow perhaps?

 

[MrKris]

Well the area I placed it has extremely little flow and the flow isn't direct, but pointed at the glass displaced. You can see the detritus build up at the back of the rock. I always thought it would be too little flow if anything.

Also when I bought the plate the ridges were like that so I assumed it was normal o.o? The coral itself hasnt retracted yet though so its still 100% covered by flesh.


P.S I just took a look at it again and it's puffed up a bit, I took the picture when I was dosing and feeding

P.S.S Actually I retook a picture and it still showed something similar to the above. Thus, it probably is my phone camera that is taking misleading photos. To clear up some misunderstanding: the white you see is actually pinkish orangeish. The ridges you see is actually the camera somehow taking a picture of the skeleton instead of the flesh above. Here is the updated picture which looks decently different than looking at it with your own eyes. Sadly I'm not really sure why these pictures looks so different <--- camera nub.

 

[boostd2valve]

It looks healthier in the 2nd pic. I would just keep a eye on it.

 

[E Rosewater]

This is mine, sorry it's not a very good pic, it's close the glass so I don't have a good angle on it.

 

[MrKris]

Can't see yours rose.

Only thing I'm concerned about is the browning of it... it was a very beautiful and bright orange. Now its got patchy manure splotches

Hmmm I saw yours rose; it looks very bubbly... not sure why mine isnt as puffed up as that...

 

[aromano]

give it time two days isn't very long for it to adapt to its new home. Nothing in a reef done fast turns out well except for water changes.

 

[MrKris]

Yes, but usually when corals come back they don't show such a drastic change as to start growing brown patches. Also usually the brown patches that grow stay... that's what I don't want if I can help it

P.S I've lost track of the days it could have been a week or more lol

 

[E Rosewater]

I always give a coral 2-3 days and if they look unhappy I move them.

 

[pugman]

I have five plates just like that with first Gen Radions about 30" from the light at 100%. They keep their color.

 

[MrKris]

Does mine look like its colors are fading though pugman?

 

[pugman]

I looks a little faded. I would not worry about it too much. It will come back. I'm not sure what caused the sand all over it but that might irritate it.

 

[MrKris]

Mmm... faded? The quality of the camera that took the shot isnt too great, but the supposed white you see is peachish orangeish which was the initial color. What I'm worrying about are the darker spots; the camera doesn't stress the severity of the dark spots - they are brownish. It used to be a very light orange color so the brown spots are worrying me. Also I think the sand that you see is from either fish stirring up sand or the powerhead picking up some sand.