Whats wrong with my Plate Coral?!-Coral Health-3reef Forums

Brandon1023 · 05-31-2006, 09:59 PM

For the past couple of days it has been 1/2 shriveled up, and seems to be getting covered in this stringy brown mucus of some kind. I think the plate itself is making the mucus....I picked it up with my tongs (as I handle all my corals that way) and shook off all the mucus stuff, but now it's back....

As you can see the L.T. Plate is the only coral that is doing poor at the moment, the rest of the corals are open for business as usual!

jonathan · 06-01-2006, 12:02 AM

i don't know what the brown mucas is but from my experience your plate coral needs to be on your substrate and not on your rockscape. secondly, are you feeding the plate coral? you need to spot feed your plate coral as you would for the proper growth and health for any lps...just a couple of suggestions. hth.

Brandon1023 · 06-01-2006, 07:09 AM

Allright. Well I have fed it pieces of silversides but it has probably been a month since it's last feeding. Also it was on the sand, and I moved it because of my anemone (dead now) and also my hammer coral as you can see is getting HUGE! It seemed to be doing better, actually, on the rocks then on the sand so I left it........I guess I can try moving it back. Anyone have any thoughts on the mucus stuff?

amcarrig · 06-01-2006, 09:23 AM

Brown mucus on an lps coral usually means brown jelly disease. Is there any flesh melting on the coral itself?

Brandon1023 · 06-01-2006, 12:11 PM

Not that I can tell...yet. It seems perked up today tho, not as much as usual but it does look better and there is a lot less mucus.......so what should I do if it's that disease??

amcarrig · 06-01-2006, 12:24 PM

The only thing that I know that helps is an iodine dip. Can you get a close up picture of the brown stuff? I can't see it in the pictures that you've posted.

Brandon1023 · 06-01-2006, 03:15 PM

Well like I said it's perked up today. I outlined the mucus in the pic so maybe that will bring it out better. I tried feeding it a piece of a silverside today, it hasn't eaten it yet, it's just sort of hanging on to it, like saving it for later or something........hmmm.

Also, how do I do an Iodine dip? Would it hurt it to do it even if it turns out maybe it didn't have this brown jelly disease?

amcarrig · 06-01-2006, 05:56 PM

OK, the area you circled just looks like receded flesh to me but it may just be the picture. Hopefully, it's not brown jelly at all but it can't hurt to dip the coral anyhow. To do this, add 25 drops of iodine to a quart of tank water and dip the coral for 25-30 minutes. If possible, add an airstone to the dipping container. The dip will not damage the coral regardless of whether or not it has brown jelly disease so no worries there.

I have never had to direct feed these kinds of corals as I have found that they catch plenty of food on their own when I fed my fish. If, however, you absolutely must spot feed it, do so with very small pieces of shrimp. Large pieces of food laying on the coral can damage the flesh as can touching the coral with your fingers or with tongs. The flesh of this coral is very sensitive and delicate so the lightest touch can tear and/or damage it.

Brandon1023 · 06-01-2006, 06:38 PM

Oh damn...tongs aren't safe either? Those are what I use whenever I have to move any of my corals. I thought that would be better then touching them with my fingers or even gloves......yikes! I will be more careful now. I will do an iodine dip as I have some Kent Marine Iodine here. I will also remove the silverside, as it hasn't eaten it yet. I have seen it eat pieces the same size that it has now, so I guess it doesn't wanna eat? Hopefully it pulls through. What would cause this brown jelly disease? Sorry I can't get a better pic, there isn't anymore mucus today, so that pic is all I have to go by.......but thanks for your help amcarrig! Karma!

Reef Lover · 06-02-2006, 04:30 AM

Tilt the plate. You want to make sure that there is no air trap in it.