bubble coral coming off it's skeleton?

Discussion in 'LPS Corals' started by bc219, Jan 5, 2009.

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  1. bc219

    bc219 Millepora

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    So I have this bubble coral that isn't too happy right now. I think it's because I've cut my lighting back so much because of my hair algae problem. Just in case you ask I have two T5 actinic's that run 12hrs and although the tank has daylight PC's I have been running them 4hrs a day at the most, some days not at all.

    A few days ago I noticed this piece of the bubble coral sort of "flapping in the breeze" and I'm not too sure what to do about it. Any suggestions?!?!

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
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  3. bc219

    bc219 Millepora

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    To answer my own question, after googling some more I can only come to one conclusion so far, that the water flow might have been a bit too hard on it causing it to pull away from the skeleton. I didn't think it was too much flow but we did just adjust a Koralia 4 not too long ago which I think affected it.

    I just moved the Koralia so it's not blowing on it as hard now and I put a rock near the coral to help shelter it from the flow.

    I'm wondering now how i get it to re-attach, or if it will on it's own as long as the flow isn't too much?
     
  4. shipbear

    shipbear Bubble Tip Anemone

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    I bought one coral that had HA. But couldn't pass it up..
    When I got home I got more hermit crabs, and a Sailfin Tang..
    I'm very happy with the job they done..
    But then again, maybe I was lucky..

    Good Luck Larry
     
  5. missionsix

    missionsix Super Moderator Staff Member

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    Keep your water quality as best you can. Any (further) injuries could lead to "brown jelly".
     
  6. GuitarMan89

    GuitarMan89 Giant Squid

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    Usually if there is too strong of a current, the bubble coral won't open up all of the way, if at all. The current could be a reason, but it could be stressed out from the lighting too. It may be experiencing rapid tissue necrosis, I think that's right. Which is when a coral sheds it's fleshy parts. Bubbles are pretty hardy, hopefully it turns out well.
     
  7. coral reefer

    coral reefer Giant Squid

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    Fortunately Bubbles(Plerogyra) are one of the more hardy hermatypic corals and reduced lighting should be handled pretty well by this type of coral. As you mentioned, water flow intensity is a key variable in maintaining a healthy specimen. This combined with the possibility of a bubble coral falling on another coral or live rock causing damage to it tissue!
    Plerogyra corals are found in shady areas of reefs and because of this will display contracted vesicles under bright light and expanded vesicles under reduced light as a way of increasing light for their host zooxanthellae, being a symbiotic coral.
    As for attaching the tissue that is separated from its calcareous skeleton, I would do nothing and hopefully it will precipitate a calcareous skeleton to attach itself again!
     
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  9. coral reefer

    coral reefer Giant Squid

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    Oh, one other important bit of info regarding plerogyra is the fact that these corals possess strong and long sweeper tentacles that can reach out and injure neighboring corals, so be aware in your placement of this coral and others you have or add down the road!
     
  10. bc219

    bc219 Millepora

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    Something has been going on with it since I got it and I'm really not sure what I'm doing wrong. I have noticed tissue necrosis, or general receding since I got it in August. I did get it a deathco and it was pretty bad off when I got it, yet it perked up very well very fast. I really don't think the waterflow was that strong on it, not much more than it has always been, that was just the only reason I could come up. I do feed it a bit of brine shrimp once MAYBE twice a month. What could I be doing wrong? I'm afraid it will eventually recede down to nothing!

    Here it is in August (if you look closely you can see the beginning of where it will eventually split in the middle)
    [​IMG]

    November
    [​IMG]

    November after I accidentially siphoned part of it, it healed well. This is not the same part that has pulled away from the skeleton.
    [​IMG]
     
  11. coral reefer

    coral reefer Giant Squid

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    Try quarantining it and give it a freshwater or iodine dip of sorts to hopefully rectify the situation.
    One thing reefers should learn from this is you HAVE to THOROUGHLY inspect your purchase before buying it as more often than not, this is the outcome!!!!
    Hopefully your Plerogyra coral will survive..it is beautiful!
     
  12. unclejed

    unclejed Whip-Lash Squid

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