Question about a torch...?

Quiet Tempest

New member
Okay, I bought a 5-headed torch from Coral Reef a little over a year ago, maybe a bit longer. Anyway, after I'd had it for only a few weeks, it suddenly lost all but 2 of its heads within just a few days' time. I'm still not sure what happened to cause it. The remaining two heads have done really well despite whatever caused the loss of the others.


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My question concerns one of the two remaining heads. I've noticed that some of the tentacles have changed. A few have sprouted additional bulbs along the end portion of tentacles and some are actually forking at the ends, much like frogspawn tentacles. Is this normal?

I have an old pic of a split tentacle on the torch though the quality isn't wonderful. My camera isn't working right so I can't get a better pic at the moment.

gedc1078qs1.jpg


Oh, yeah. While I'm on the topic, I wanted to mention that I've occasionally seen mucous slough off from the aforementioned dead torch heads when I moved things around in the tank. Does this mean that there is still some life in them? I've spoken with a few other people and I've gotten different answers. A couple of people have told me that it may be possible for these dead heads to come back over time. Is this true?

Thanks, as always, for replies and answers. :)
 
More than likely if the head is truly dead (flesh has sloughed off), it will not come back... Usually what happens is that tiny new heads form along side or over top the dead one...

The only thing I can think of why you would see mucous come from or near a dead head is if you have a vermatid snail that has made a home next to the dead head... They cast a mucous net to collect food... Look to see if there is a spiral shaped tube next to the dead head... Chances are if you have one, you have twenty or so... lol They're kind of a pain at times, especially if your nutrient load is high... This might not be your problem, its just a guess...

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-01/rs/index.php
 
I have always hear that the bubbles on the end will break off float around the tank and such....Could have something to do with reproduction is what one fish nerd told me one...Would only work in the wild though I think....

I have had them for about 6 years now...My last had 14 heads...Took up one whole side of a 90 gallon tank...They are cool corals....
 
I had a ridge hammer grow back from 3 small pcs of flesh after a brown jelly infection. I would check my calc and alk as well as no3 and po4.
 
I would love to take you up on the offer, but I'm planning on hitting a reptile show or two this month and the next and I've got a really tight budget right now. I might hit you up after the shows if I have some spare cash, room in the tank, and the gas to come get it. ;)

Thanks for the responses guys. I'll look for vermatid snails and just keep watching the thing as it grows.
 
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