What is happening to my chalice, it's receding fast

[Colts2Broncos]

We have had this coral for at least 3 months and it has been doing great. Suddenly within the last week one side of it has started receding quickly. Parameters are good, salinity is 1.024. The only change is we swapped out one light from a standard hood light to a 10,000 K full spectrum coral light. We also have the blue actinic but that is not new, it's been on for months. It has a strange growth popping out the center as well that is brown and kind of pointy... I'm a bit worried about what is happening to this once very healthy coral as it was growing nicely and opened up every day perfectly. I have attached pics, you will see where it is receding, just a week ago the green covered the entire coral. Any thoughts?

 

[jcdeng]

i believe its light shock.

 

[HV1990]

I would try a dip and then move it over to a lower light area if possible.

 

[franklypre]

I don't think that is a chalice, I'd keep an eye on that shrimp and other inverts, looks like a hydnophora IMO.

 

[Colts2Broncos]

Will it bounce back from light shock once it adjusts? The shrimp are cleaner shrimps. They are typically on the backsides of the coral. I have seen a blue or red legged crab on there a couple times, I didn't think they'd bother it...

We are new at this, we were told it is a chalice coral but it don't look like any chalice I've ever seen so it could be something entirely different. It does look more like the hydnophora that you mentioned.

 

[Acronic]

Looks like some maze brain... Chalice are very suseptible to temp swings (especially if collected from colder waters) as mentioned, it preferes dim light. IME high flow helps chalice if the flesh is peeling off fast.

Good luck!

 

[Colts2Broncos]

I really wish I could nail down what it is... when we bought it, it was at the top of the tank with the proper coral lighting which is quite intense. We've had it at the top of the tank since we bought it and it's been fine until a week ago. I'm wondering now, if the frogspawn that are on the side that's receding could maybe be responsible....

 

[franklypre]

Hydnophora exesa is my guess, lighting wouldn't be as much of my worry as too much flow or critters picking at it.