Damage To Soft Coral

[andre6969]

My african bush coral does not seem to have expanded to it's usual size today, and on closer inspection I found that the fleshy area at the base has split slightly. There is also some brown dicolouring on some parts of the base. I have repositioned the coral as the current seemed to be blowing it over slightly but it still seems to be wilting.

Could my hermit crabs be picking at its base?

I should also mention that I saw a small brown sea slug in my tank a few days ago. Is this a more likely culprit? If so how should I remove it?

could my bubble tip anemone be chemically attacking my coral? Help! I'm really quite stuck!

 

[k.o.d]

How close is your BTA to your bush coral, that is my first thought of why it has not opened up, but it certainly would not cause the split.
Some nudibranches eat corals, so there is more a possibility for your damage

My bush coral is never too happy in the direct stream of a powerhead ( which powerheads do you use by the way? ) so it may perk up once it has stopped being potentially battered by the flow

 

[andre6969]

How close is your BTA to your bush coral, that is my first thought of why it has not opened up, but it certainly would not cause the split.
Some nudibranches eat corals, so there is more a possibility for your damage

My bush coral is never too happy in the direct stream of a powerhead ( which powerheads do you use by the way? ) so it may perk up once it has stopped being potentially battered by the flow

Im using a koralia 1 powerhead, and to be fair I did place the coral directly between the flow of the powerhead and the inlet flow from my filter.

I placed the BTA a fair distance away from the coral (last friday). But during Friday night it moved around a good bit before settling 10cm below the bush coral. I have now moved the coral to a well away from the BTA and out of direct flow

I should also add that the coral appears to be wilting, that is struggling to hold itself upright? Has it just been subjected to too strong a flow?

Looks like the BTA is staking its claim for the prime spot in terms of water flow?

If so will the coral recover?

 

[k.o.d]

My BTA has the same tendencies.

Just as a thought, what are your water params for iodine, strontium, molybdenum, calcium and pH?

Iodine may well help perk it up if you are lacking but at 10% weekly changes I doubt it is that. pH may have a bearing my xenia are the first things to wilt if the pH is starting to drop

Steve

 

[andre6969]

Ph is at 8.3 by lights out but drops to 7.9 by morning due to lack of sump/refuge

Calcium is at 340ppm, low I know but it has barely dropped at all since I added the coral 10 days ago

I am not yet testing for iodine, strontium et al.

I have been doing 10 %changes once a week.

Should i do anything to try and aid it's recovery?

 

[Musho3210]

no, dont touch or move it unless it is in immediate danger. The more you intervene, the worse the coral can get IME.

 

[andre6969]

any idea how much distance there should ideally be between the BTA and the coral?

 

[k.o.d]

I do agree with Musho, they don't like being messed around, which is why the water specs are needed to see if anything is out.
Can you get a pic of the coral?

Cheers
Steve

 

[andre6969]

The coral is very much improved since being repositioned. This despite the fact that the BTA also repositioned itself within 20cm of it.
magnesium 1000 ppm
calcium 330 ppm
nitrate 0
phosphate 0

 

[andre6969]

I woke up this morning to find the BTA virtually on top of the coral, and so I have had to reposition it again. Also Im a little concerned that the BTA is inching closer to the powerhead. Any ideas on how to stop it from wandering?