Help - Large soft coral dieing - parasites?

coryclay · 12/19/2013, 01:49 PM

I have a very large piece of soft coral that has not looked good for about 2 weeks. I have several cuttings from this piece in the same tank that look great. Today I looked at it more closely and saw some purple looking spots on the underside of it. There are also a bunch of starfish on it that I then removed.
The purple stuff almost looks like a sponge. It was difficult to pick off like it had roots. This piece is usually covered in fuzzy polyps but has not extended any for 2 weeks. I have seen it go through a phase before where it is not extending and is almost shiny, then it sheds a film or skin and returns to normal. This time is different. Anyone got any ideas? Everything else in the tanks is healthy. Photos will follow.

coryclay · 12/19/2013, 09:30 PM

No one? Is this thing dying of old age? Ha.

Timfish · 12/19/2013, 09:52 PM

Do those dark spots move day to day or more frequently? This is a guess but maybe flatworms?

MrKris · 12/19/2013, 11:04 PM

The dark spots just look like sponges to me. I had a leather that was dying too, it ended up splitting and then looking like it would die. A few months later it drastically reduced in size but at least its still living. Maybe check your water quality?

coryclay · 12/20/2013, 07:17 AM

I think I will change the carbon and sediment filters and do some water changes. What I don't understand is why other pieces look great.

coryclay · 01/14/2014, 06:02 AM

Fyi. Dipped in sea chem reef dip and it looks to be recovering.

12/19/2013, 01:49 PM	#1
coryclay Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Orlando Posts: 25	Help - Large soft coral dieing - parasites? I have a very large piece of soft coral that has not looked good for about 2 weeks. I have several cuttings from this piece in the same tank that look great. Today I looked at it more closely and saw some purple looking spots on the underside of it. There are also a bunch of starfish on it that I then removed. The purple stuff almost looks like a sponge. It was difficult to pick off like it had roots. This piece is usually covered in fuzzy polyps but has not extended any for 2 weeks. I have seen it go through a phase before where it is not extending and is almost shiny, then it sheds a film or skin and returns to normal. This time is different. Anyone got any ideas? Everything else in the tanks is healthy. Photos will follow. Last edited by coryclay; 12/19/2013 at 02:10 PM.

12/19/2013, 09:52 PM	#3
Timfish Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 1,985	Do those dark spots move day to day or more frequently? This is a guess but maybe flatworms? __________________ "Our crystal clear aquaria come nowhere close to the nutrient loads that swirl around natural reefs" Charles Delbeek

12/19/2013, 09:30 PM	#2
coryclay Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Orlando Posts: 25	No one? Is this thing dying of old age? Ha.

12/19/2013, 11:04 PM	#4
MrKris Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Posts: 179	The dark spots just look like sponges to me. I had a leather that was dying too, it ended up splitting and then looking like it would die. A few months later it drastically reduced in size but at least its still living. Maybe check your water quality?

12/20/2013, 07:17 AM	#5
coryclay Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Orlando Posts: 25	I think I will change the carbon and sediment filters and do some water changes. What I don't understand is why other pieces look great.

01/14/2014, 06:02 AM	#6
coryclay Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Orlando Posts: 25	Fyi. Dipped in sea chem reef dip and it looks to be recovering.