Stringy Brown Stuff Coming from Torch

[bu11itt]

I got 3 polyps of a Torch on Saturday (12/1/12) at the LFS (my first coral). It acclimated fine and opened up that same day. Here's a pic from the next day

Tonight just before lights out I came into the living room and saw one of the polyps had retracted and had a strange brown stringy thing coming out of the receded polyp. Here's a pics

As you can see the other polyps appear to be fine.

1) What is this?
2) Is this something to worry about?

Test data:
Sal: 33 ppt (slowing getting this up)
Ca: 400-420
Alk: 7-9
Mg: 1290
NO3: 20ish
PO4: 0.04

 

[skidoctor]

poop

 

[EllieSuz]

Yup, coral poop. No worries.

 

[bu11itt]

Thanks for the answers. I had the thought after I posted the question, "You know (I told myself), I wonder if that was the polyp pooping? I did get a pretty good feeding response when I feed the tank tonight."

But being new I wanted to make sure it wasn't something to worry about. Sometime I forget that each individual polyp is a living organism all unto itself. In fact, I checked under moonlights and all three polyps are fully retracted, something I haven't seen before. I guess they're all full.

Also, Ellie, I love your Starry Blenny. I picked one up on Saturday the same time as this coral and he's chilling in QT right now. I can already tell he's gonna have so much personality, especially once he gets comfortable with me and is in the DT. Already when I look at him in the QT tank he'll make sure to turn and stare right at me, as if to say, "What???"

 

[elegance coral]

That's not "poop". It's zooxanthellae. The coral is adjusting its zooxanthellae population. Your lights are probably a little stronger than the LFS lighting was. If the coral continues to do this, it will bleach. I'd keep a close eye on things, and if it doesn't stop, you can try shading the coral, or reducing the photo period.

HTH
EC

 

[bu11itt]

Elegance, thanks for the heads up. I wanted just a little more light in the tank and had increased the LED intensity by 5% a little earlier in the evening for both the RB and CW strings from 70 to 75 and 60 to 65 respectively.

Since reading your comments I adjusted them back to the original settings and will continue to monitor the torch and if it appears to be fine over the next week or so I'll slowly start bringing the lights back up to the 65/75 ratio I liked.

 

[elegance coral]

Sounds like a great plan.:thumbsup:
Glad I could help.

Peace
EC