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12/19/2013, 01:49 PM | #1 |
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Orlando
Posts: 25
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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, 09:30 PM | #2 |
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Orlando
Posts: 25
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No one? Is this thing dying of old age? Ha.
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12/19/2013, 09:52 PM | #3 |
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Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 1,985
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Do those dark spots move day to day or more frequently? This is a guess but maybe flatworms?
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"Our crystal clear aquaria come nowhere close to the nutrient loads that swirl around natural reefs" Charles Delbeek |
12/19/2013, 11:04 PM | #4 |
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Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 179
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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?
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12/20/2013, 07:17 AM | #5 |
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Orlando
Posts: 25
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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.
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01/14/2014, 06:02 AM | #6 |
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Orlando
Posts: 25
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Fyi. Dipped in sea chem reef dip and it looks to be recovering.
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Tags |
coral, disease, parasites |
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