What is happening to my chalice, it's receding fast

Colts2Broncos · 07/09/2013, 09:28 AM

We have had this coral for at least 3 months and it has been doing great. Suddenly within the last week one side of it has started receding quickly. Parameters are good, salinity is 1.024. The only change is we swapped out one light from a standard hood light to a 10,000 K full spectrum coral light. We also have the blue actinic but that is not new, it's been on for months. It has a strange growth popping out the center as well that is brown and kind of pointy... I'm a bit worried about what is happening to this once very healthy coral as it was growing nicely and opened up every day perfectly. I have attached pics, you will see where it is receding, just a week ago the green covered the entire coral. Any thoughts?

jcdeng · 07/09/2013, 09:35 AM

i believe its light shock.

HV1990 · 07/09/2013, 09:58 AM

I would try a dip and then move it over to a lower light area if possible.

franklypre · 07/09/2013, 11:32 AM

I don't think that is a chalice, I'd keep an eye on that shrimp and other inverts, looks like a hydnophora IMO.

Colts2Broncos · 07/09/2013, 02:20 PM

Will it bounce back from light shock once it adjusts? The shrimp are cleaner shrimps. They are typically on the backsides of the coral. I have seen a blue or red legged crab on there a couple times, I didn't think they'd bother it...

We are new at this, we were told it is a chalice coral but it don't look like any chalice I've ever seen so it could be something entirely different. It does look more like the hydnophora that you mentioned.

Acronic · 07/09/2013, 05:05 PM

Looks like some maze brain... Chalice are very suseptible to temp swings (especially if collected from colder waters) as mentioned, it preferes dim light. IME high flow helps chalice if the flesh is peeling off fast.

Good luck!

Colts2Broncos · 07/09/2013, 05:45 PM

I really wish I could nail down what it is... when we bought it, it was at the top of the tank with the proper coral lighting which is quite intense. We've had it at the top of the tank since we bought it and it's been fine until a week ago. I'm wondering now, if the frogspawn that are on the side that's receding could maybe be responsible....

franklypre · 07/09/2013, 06:02 PM

Hydnophora exesa is my guess, lighting wouldn't be as much of my worry as too much flow or critters picking at it.

07/09/2013, 09:28 AM	#1
Colts2Broncos Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Posts: 114	What is happening to my chalice, it's receding fast We have had this coral for at least 3 months and it has been doing great. Suddenly within the last week one side of it has started receding quickly. Parameters are good, salinity is 1.024. The only change is we swapped out one light from a standard hood light to a 10,000 K full spectrum coral light. We also have the blue actinic but that is not new, it's been on for months. It has a strange growth popping out the center as well that is brown and kind of pointy... I'm a bit worried about what is happening to this once very healthy coral as it was growing nicely and opened up every day perfectly. I have attached pics, you will see where it is receding, just a week ago the green covered the entire coral. Any thoughts? __________________ 65G, Reef and Fish, 2 Magnum HOT 250's, Salinity 1.025, MarineLand 125 Skimmer.

07/09/2013, 09:58 AM	#3
HV1990 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Sacramento CA Posts: 1,964	I would try a dip and then move it over to a lower light area if possible. __________________ 120g AGA Tank, 2 Lumenarc Mini w/ 250w Radiums on select-a-watt ballast 2 t5 actinics. Lighting controlled via Apex Jr controller. Carbon and GFO in TLF reactors, 7 gallon Refugium, Cooling by 8 1 Current Tank Info: 120g Mixed reef tank

07/09/2013, 02:20 PM	#5
Colts2Broncos Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Posts: 114	Will it bounce back from light shock once it adjusts? The shrimp are cleaner shrimps. They are typically on the backsides of the coral. I have seen a blue or red legged crab on there a couple times, I didn't think they'd bother it... We are new at this, we were told it is a chalice coral but it don't look like any chalice I've ever seen so it could be something entirely different. It does look more like the hydnophora that you mentioned. __________________ 65G, Reef and Fish, 2 Magnum HOT 250's, Salinity 1.025, MarineLand 125 Skimmer. Last edited by Colts2Broncos; 07/09/2013 at 02:31 PM.

07/09/2013, 05:05 PM	#6
Acronic The Fifth Master Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Ottawa, Canada Posts: 1,813	Looks like some maze brain... Chalice are very suseptible to temp swings (especially if collected from colder waters) as mentioned, it preferes dim light. IME high flow helps chalice if the flesh is peeling off fast. Good luck! __________________ Kevin I have lost all concept of reality and live in an SPS world now.

07/09/2013, 05:45 PM	#7
Colts2Broncos Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Posts: 114	I really wish I could nail down what it is... when we bought it, it was at the top of the tank with the proper coral lighting which is quite intense. We've had it at the top of the tank since we bought it and it's been fine until a week ago. I'm wondering now, if the frogspawn that are on the side that's receding could maybe be responsible.... __________________ 65G, Reef and Fish, 2 Magnum HOT 250's, Salinity 1.025, MarineLand 125 Skimmer.

07/09/2013, 09:35 AM	#2
jcdeng Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: NYC Posts: 208	i believe its light shock.

07/09/2013, 11:32 AM	#4
franklypre Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: texarkana Posts: 703	I don't think that is a chalice, I'd keep an eye on that shrimp and other inverts, looks like a hydnophora IMO.

07/09/2013, 06:02 PM	#8
franklypre Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: texarkana Posts: 703	Hydnophora exesa is my guess, lighting wouldn't be as much of my worry as too much flow or critters picking at it.