Fungia Plate Coral Question (Pix)

[carfac]

Hi:

I have a fungia, got it about a week and a half or so ago. Seemed healthy when I got it, as best as I can tell- color was strong, and tentacles extended pretty good.

Anyway, I have noticed the flesh seeming to "recede" on part of it, exposing the "skeleton". Or, at least that is how it looks to me. I am new to reefing, and even newer to this coral, so I do not know what to expect.

I posted this in the newbie forum (my home away from home!), and got just a bit of help- they suggested I try here. The one thing they said was to look at it at night.

I did, I did not see any more substantial tentacle extension (they seem about 1/4 inch out), but I saw a LOT more.

Of the fleshy area, it did seem to extent more; if, in this picture, about 1/3 shows receding, at night, I saw flesh around the whole thing.

So, I would like to know if his is normal. Is there anything I can do to help? I gave him a good shot of oyster eggs last night.

Params are all good and stable- CA 400-425, alk 3, sg 1.026, no phos, anm or nits...

Thanks!

Dave

http://www.animatedword.com/fungia.jpg

[carfac]

SOrry, I forgot. This is in a Nano Cube, under regular PC's. I have had this tank since June, so I do not think the lights need to be replaced yet. This morning, it looks receded again. Obviously, it is placed low, on the sand, with a rock beneath to keep it from sinking into the sand.

As is my schedule, I did a 5 gal water change last night- I do this every Thursday (one of the reasons the tank is stable, I think). All other corals are doing great; I have a problem with coraline- Too Much! Zoos are spreading like crazy, Xenia does as expected- it is a weed. Frogspawn is massing, my brain has it moments, but when fully out, it is amazing- all indicators are the tank is healthy, and the corals like it there.

For what it's worth, the receded area seems to be the area that is close to the glass- it is in the front right corner. Does the glass (acrylic) or daylight effect it? Or, manybe as my picture suggests- it could be traffic around the area- see that Turbo squeezing by?

Dave

[blange3]

Be patient and keep the water quality high. I keep mine directly on the sand.

Feed close to lights out or after. Try a chunk of krill or something meaty after you get him to open his mouth with the oyster eggs.

I find when they are disturbed by moving them to a new location, thy recede for a couple of days. Good water conditions and feeding will get him opening up more soon.

[tibbs2]

I have an orange fungia very similar to yours. Sometimes the skeleton does look like it's showing. I've noticed this when I haven't fed it in awhile.

One thing I would do is to feed it directly. These things have a big mouth and can eat a lot of food.

When I feed my fish, every evening, I drop some pellets on it. It will then drag all the pellets into it's mouth.

[MoCha920]

have you tested your magnesium? go have it tested you might be low on some of your parameters

[TOURKID]

mine gets mysis. its sweet watching the shrimp move toward the mouth like an escalader

[carfac]

Thanks everyone! I got home and it was lights out... looked to be out more that the picture shows. So I fed some Mysis. I will report back tomorrow and see how it does at light on...

I feel better knowing some of you see this. I did not think it was doing badly- it looks good, and just my feelings- but always better to check.

[carfac]

Here is a picture from tonight- AFTER lights out... and after a few mysis...

http://www.animatedword.com/fungia2.jpg

seems a LOT better!

[reelfreak]

It looks just fine, as it settles in you should see it expand substantialy at night time.

I never target feed mine, although it does occasionally grab some food on its own. Be careful not to import too many nutrients in the tank by target feeding corals that don't have to be fed.

Regular water changes will keep most things in your tank in check like Ca, Mg and help you keep your nutrients low.

Nice coral, Enjoy!

[carfac]

Update- again this morning, it was receding... so I guess this is just what I should expect from this one right now. I recently had another coral (an elegance) that started receding and never came back- so I am a but jumpy on these, especially when it is new. SO I will just go forward on this one!

Thank you all for your feedback and help.

Dave

[carfac]

Reef Freak:

I do a 5 gal change a week (on a 24 gal total nano) with Topic Marin, so I think with that I am replacing enough minerals weekly. I do not have a Mg or I test, but I do test for Ca, alk, and all the NOs... I can have my LFS test Mg and I...

How is a good way to know if you are keeping your Nutrients low? I do not have much of an algea problem- I do have to clean the glass once a week or so, and I have no real algea problem- I am assuming I am doing OK....

D

[reelfreak]

Sounds good to me, with that kind of regimine on water changes your elements should be fine.

As for the low nutrients, algae growing is a great indicator.....almost as good as testing for them since the algae binds them up and the tests won't register them anyways.

While many corals will benefit from target feeding, most do not REQUIRE it. If you were to target feed it constantly I think you might wind up w/ a nutrient issue in time. So unless the corals really need it I recommend shying away from it.

I'm pretty sure elegance corals are a little more difficult to keep, even for those more experienced so I would chalk that up to experience!

Good luck and happy reefing.

[carfac]

Reef Freak:

Thanks. I have done some reading since that post. Most significantly, I read something you wrote over in the Zoa thread. I think I am understanding a bit more of your "theory" or approach.

As I am reading it, you suggest NOT target feeding because then the corals reply on that. Then, later on when I get bored of target feeding, the corals suffer. I can get this, it makes sense.

So, better to "feed the tank" and let what will get to the corals get to them? Typically, I feed about 1/2 a typical frozen cube in the morning (mysis usually) and a similar amount of Reef Recipe at night- my RR is scallops, clams, Mysis, oyster eggs, Reef chili, etc all mixed up. I have 4 fish- a pair of Clowns, Purple Firefish and a Six Line. I have felt I was over feeding- seems like I do compared to some feeding regimines I have read about, as a lot of people seem to feed once a day, or once every two days. My clowns are always hungry it seems. But I think two small feedings is better than one larger one- seems to me more will be eaten.

Thanks for your advice!

Dave

[FEEDERFISH]

Looks very healthy to me, I also have a plate that you can sometimes see the skeleton, but then at night the body inflates and looks like yours

[reelfreak]

Carfac- Not sure I remember writing that over there, (my screen name is REEL , There is a REEF freak too :) but it could have been me?!). But I do agree w/ the concept in a way.....Simple fact is that most corals are going to get what they need from the water column in the form of fish waste as well as through proper lighting. They will also grab food as it passes by.....

My reasoning for not "target feeding" corals that don't need it ( i.e.- Healthy corals) is the tendency to overfeed the entire tank by feeding each coral. When you feed the entire tank, including your fish, you will likely feed less. I guess what I was trying to say was to be careful to not overfeed just because you are trying to feed each coral. I do shoot some food towards particular corals that are feeding, but it's food for the whole tank really and what they get, is what they get.

It's a beautiful coral and it's behavior sounds like it's healthy, so enjoy.....keep up on the H20 changes and watch your corals, they can be great indicators of your tanks overall health!

[carfac]

Thanks everyone for the help!

[dvmsn]

Your plate is not receeding, it is simply closed up. From what I can tell no part of the skeleton is exposed. This is how many plates naturally appear during the day in the wild. Over time, it should begin to open up well during the day.

[tibbs2]

Keep feeding it. I don't think magnesium has anything to do with it. At night they will puff up. That is how they move around the tank.

Chris