SPS bleeching

[djmx2002]

Hi Everybody

one of my sps tipped over my birdnest couple days ago, the point where the birdnest and the other guy started to bleach out and it's expending.

What should i do?

should i just cut of the bleaching area so it won't expend or what?

Thanks
Motti

 

[Sullyman]

Cut the bleeched coral out and a bit of the living tissue too, so hopefully the stn will stop. I can't tell you how many colonies and frags I've lost to the chemical warfare but 4 large colonies in the last six months. I never loose them completely but having to start over with a frag where there was once a colony is aggravating, good luck!

 

[Reef Bass]

In my experience, birdsnests are the canary in the coal mine, or one of the first corals to go when the environment is less than ideal. I suggest you test your water.

 

[djmx2002]

Cut the bleeched coral out and a bit of the living tissue too, so hopefully the stn will stop. I can't tell you how many colonies and frags I've lost to the chemical warfare but 4 large colonies in the last six months. I never loose them completely but having to start over with a frag where there was once a colony is aggravating, good luck!

Thank you I tried cutting off the bleached out parts, one of the side stoppoed expending, nut it seems like the other part is still continue to bleach.

In my experience, birdsnests are the canary in the coal mine, or one of the first corals to go when the environment is less than ideal. I suggest you test your water.

Usually in my tanks, they were the last one to go... I guess not this time lol.

I have added some pictures, the corals are not fully extended but just to give some kind of visualization.

The victim

Attacking sps 1 ( this is the one left the bleached point visible in the picture above)

This is attacking coral number two, it tipped over from the back, the area where it touched bleached out bu after i removed it it didn't continue to die off.

 

[Reef Bass]

Thanks for the pics. I misunderstood what you were saying. My apologies. The term "chemical warfare" is generally applied to soft corals secreting toxins into the water in order to poison and kill other corals near by without any physical contact whatsoever. That is not what is happening here. Your birdsnest has been stung (badly) by the nematocysts of the acros that fell on it. I find iodine based dips can help disinfect the affected areas and prevent further tissue loss. Should you notice additional tissue recession (loss of polyps), frag off the dead areas ahead of the necrosis.

And I'd recommend attaching your corals more firmly so this type of situation (corals falling on each other) is not likely to happen.

 

[djmx2002]

Thanks,

i'll try to see how it will do today if it gets any better or worst. if it get worst i'll just frag the healthy parts off and hope they will be ok

This piece has been doing so nicely in my tank for the past month... i wish i had glued the other frags off.