candy coral

Why would a candy coral shed it's heads? Really it looks like it's dead.. But it was growing and the heads still open up, but now they've completely detached and are laying on the sand. Nitrates 0 Nitrites 0 PH 8.3 Ammonia 0 Salt 1.024. Recently I treated the tank with chemi-clean for red slime algae and after 48 hours did a 20% water change. Now 3 days later, headless candy coral. Only thing I could think was I shocked it with the change... Possible? I'm so confused.

 

Definitely possible with the changes, that was my thought as I was reading your post.

 

But if nothing was ever "off", why such a rapid decline? The piece only had 3 heads anyway, just recently separating for the 3rd and working on a 4th. Maybe b/c it was small?

 

Again a possibility, sometimes corals just do that also.

 

huh! never knew that... guess you learn something new everyday. ;D
I left the heads in tank as they're all still together and they're still opening, granted not to the extent they could. It's kind of like they're fine without the skeleton. No clue if this is true, or if it's just something I'm seeing today and they'll be dead soon. What do you think about that? Could they be fine, or absolutely no way.

 

haha jeez i cant even read that

 

My dad had one head fall off once and it stuck to a spot In the sand. It looked fine for a few days then died.

 

Then why respond?

 

Darn, I was so hopeful lol. Oh well, things happen.

 

Try placing them inbetween some rocks might get lucky, it is a long shot but still a possibility. This happens in nature and it is called polyp bailout.