Plate coral HELP

[Jordan_Oreo]

Hey, I recently added some plate coral in my tank. Its green with little pink/purple tip tentacles. For the first week and half it was doing great. Then I started to notice the tentacles start to shrivle up then reinflate. Then today I did a water change and most of the tentacles look shrivled up and looks like its cracking down the middel. I moved it off the sand so i could clean the sand and when I did I thought I saw 2 very very very tiny creatures run from under it and under a piece of live rock. Iam not shure what it was or what it looked like way to fast for me. But does anyone know what is happing to my plate coral?
Thanks

J

[Jordan_Oreo]

any help ?

[Amazon4]

Have you fed it?

Inflating and shrinking are normal cycles as is expels and takes in water.

I've found critters under mine, too. I don't think they are a problem.

A pic would help if possible

[discocarp]

Picture please, especially of the "crack"!

[aastretch64]

The critters could be pods. I had a plate coral a long time ago. They are kind of like goniopora (flowerpot coral) hard to maintain over time, very picky, and getting one that last is luck of the draw.

Nothing in your tank could physically crack the plate, however maybe it was cracked before and now that it is deflating/receding you can see the crack.

Good Luck

Alex

[discocarp]

The critters could be pods. I had a plate coral a long time ago. They are kind of like goniopora (flowerpot coral) hard to maintain over time, very picky, and getting one that last is luck of the draw.

That is only true for heliofungia (long tentacle plate). Fungia and cycloceris are very, very hardy.

[aastretch64]

Good call on that discocarp. It does state "little" pink/purple tips. Could be a short tent. plate.

Come to think about it are you sure the crack is not the plate corals mouth? Is the crack in the center?

Alex

[discocarp]

I'm not sure which the original poster has. I'd like to see a picture before making any guesses.

[Jordan_Oreo]

Here are some pics there not the best you cant really see the whole crack. It goes from one end to the other and you can see the inside. It just looks all around bad

iam still learning all about the saltwater world and i have heard the words pods before but not shure what they are, could some one explain.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a2...5/SNV80482.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a2...5/SNV80483.jpg

[discocarp]

That's a heliofungia. Read aastretch64's comments about them above. Hit or miss, even for advanced keepers. Yours doesn't look great, but may not be a gonner. Sometimes they just shrivel up for a bit.

I don't see a crack at all, but it might be a picture. Where is it? All I see is the mouth.

Have you tried feeding it?

[Jordan_Oreo]

I have tried feeding it, the crack is hard to see cause of the tentacles, but it is like beside the mouth from one side to the other

[discocarp]

If it won't take food then you don't really have a lot of options. Keep it at the bottom, make sure it is getting low (but not zero) flow, and wait it out. It will either recover or it won't.

Keep trying to feed every day (and try night too). What are you feeding it? I'd try some defrosted mysis (I like pe brand).

[aastretch64]

Stuff a piece of toast in its mouth.

Alex

[Jordan_Oreo]

I have been trying to feed it mysis but its not looking well

[MMM33732]

Originally posted by aastretch64
Stuff a piece of toast in its mouth.

Alex

With or without eggs?

Try feeding it something a little smaller like brine . That may help. Deff keep trying to feed it though. Go easy with the toast and eggs though