Toadstool won't polyp anymore, why?

[bobpiker]

Hello,
I've got a pinkish-colored toadstool about 8" tall with a cap about 6 inches across. It's been doing great for over a month and has even attached itself in a few places where it comes into contact with my rocks. Almost a week ago, after numerous shedding and polyp extensions (seeming growing, too) it suddenly won't extend its polyps any more and its cap doesn't seem to pull together a little tighter as it was doing at night. Some algae and maybe light diatom has been accumulating on the cap. I rub it off a little every couple of days since I started noticing the algae. About a week ago, my small ocelaris clown has taken a liking to it and would nestle in the middle of the cap. I thought this was fun to see but by touching it the polyps always pulled back and now they don't seem to want to come out at all. My ocellaris doesn't stay with it all the time but does go back periodically. I guess it's trying to host with my toadstool and if it's causing the trouble I'm not going to be fond of that happening and may try to chase it off and get it to stay away as much as possible. Has my ocellaris created a problem such that my toadstool may be dieing? It's not limp and doesn't seem to be problematic other than the algae and lack of polyp extension, but I emphasize that it doesn't seem to be responding anymore to touch causing its cap to deflate.

Please help!

Thanks,
Bob

 

[jwoyshnar]

Increase flow and check parameters.

 

[kingfisher62]

Increase flow and check parameters.

Good advice! and let us know what your parameters are.
I think it will be OK . Sometimes they go through a stage like that. I would not "rub" the algae off, maybe lightly blow it off with a turkey baster or powerhead.

 

[MarkusII]

Hello,

well the fish in the coral is also not the best, they should have an anemone

regards

Markus

 

[RyanSweatt2004]

Clownfish will not hurt a coral. Lots of people including myself have had them living in toadstools. I had a mated pare, one true percula and one occelaris that lived in by largest toadstool for over 2 years without problem. The coral was just as healthy as the day I bought it. It is not uncommon for clowns to host in a variety of corals. Anemones are not a requirement. I would suspect your water parameters are off. Maybe salinity or alkalinity. These both will almost always cause these symptoms your seeing with your coral.

 

[MarkusII]

Hello,

well they do not hurt corals directly, but the polyps are disturbed, so they may not expand; and anything else than an anemone is not the "natural accommodation" for anemone-fishes (guess why they are called so)

regards

Markus

 

[bobpiker]

Thanks for your advice everyone

Thanks for your advice everyone

Hello and thanks.

My salinity is 1.025 and my alkalinity is on target according to my API test kit. I've got a Salifert alk test coming soon just in case my API isn't as accurate as I hoped.

I did add a bit more flow over the top of my toadstool yesterday. I got up this morning, too a look, and although I've seen my toadstool shed skin numerous times in the past I was amazed that the entire top (very dark algae/diatom layer) was peeling off almost in a single sheet under the flow.

About an hour later, I noticed the polyps starting to poke through for the first time since this all began. Evidently, my toadstool was just going through a huge shedding period, bigger than all I have seen it go through before. It's cap is looking as good now as it was before this all began. I suspect I'll be seeing full polyp extenstion later this afteroon.

Historically, my toadstool's shedding has been thin in skin but this one was dark and thick as can be. One big layer gone and it's great now. I never cease to be amazed.

Best regards,
Bob