Plate Coral Concern - Please help!

Mordir · 03/30/2013, 03:57 PM

Today my plate coral is doing something I have never seen before. One side started having a stringy mucus and inflating. The inflation spread over the course of 30 minutes and it is inflating more. The tentacles are also shrinking and stuck right against the coral while the base is inflating. Is this normal? Should I be greatly concerned? What should I do?

5 minutes later

25 minutes later (day lights went out as I was taking the pic)

2 minutes later

Very nervous

powdertang05 · 03/30/2013, 07:29 PM

How long have you had it? If not long I would continue to monitor it and see how it progresses. Flow maybe a problem since I did notice your sand is covered in a film. But if the plate is inflating then I think all is well. If it continues to deflate and become very stringy then I would be concerned. Whats your water parameters?

Mordir · 03/30/2013, 11:52 PM

I have only had it 2 weeks. I will test my water again tomorrow. Nothing seemed off but will check again and post results tomorrow.

Sk8r · 03/31/2013, 10:41 AM

They do this. It may be moving. They can travel across a tank in one night, if they set their 'mind' to it.

Mikefallen13 · 03/31/2013, 12:34 PM

It's trying to move, mine did this for about 2 weeks until it found a spot it liked. It will also occasionally inflate like this if you feed it large chunks of food. I wouldn't be concerned about it yet, but if it does this for more than a few weeks something with your tank may be causing it to keep moving.

03/30/2013, 03:57 PM	#1
Mordir Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Posts: 87	Plate Coral Concern - Please help! Today my plate coral is doing something I have never seen before. One side started having a stringy mucus and inflating. The inflation spread over the course of 30 minutes and it is inflating more. The tentacles are also shrinking and stuck right against the coral while the base is inflating. Is this normal? Should I be greatly concerned? What should I do? 5 minutes later 25 minutes later (day lights went out as I was taking the pic) 2 minutes later Very nervous

03/31/2013, 10:41 AM	#4
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	They do this. It may be moving. They can travel across a tank in one night, if they set their 'mind' to it. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

03/31/2013, 12:34 PM	#5
Mikefallen13 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 150	It's trying to move, mine did this for about 2 weeks until it found a spot it liked. It will also occasionally inflate like this if you feed it large chunks of food. I wouldn't be concerned about it yet, but if it does this for more than a few weeks something with your tank may be causing it to keep moving. __________________ Thank you! Michael Fallen Current Tank Info: 55 Gallon Gorgonian/Softie Reef, 14 Gallon BioCube

03/30/2013, 07:29 PM	#2
powdertang05 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Hayward, CA Posts: 613	How long have you had it? If not long I would continue to monitor it and see how it progresses. Flow maybe a problem since I did notice your sand is covered in a film. But if the plate is inflating then I think all is well. If it continues to deflate and become very stringy then I would be concerned. Whats your water parameters?

03/30/2013, 11:52 PM	#3
Mordir Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Posts: 87	I have only had it 2 weeks. I will test my water again tomorrow. Nothing seemed off but will check again and post results tomorrow.