Flesh EATING bacteria/organism???

[Basssa]

Heres an interesting one... there is something EATING at my BEAUTIFUL Toadstool. It is green/yellowish, and is only in a few spots. It looks like it it leaving an underwater scab. I tried to scrape it off, then I used my finger. When I did so, I realized that there is missing , or damaged or even eaten flesh. This is definitely not damage by another coral or fish. It isnt effecting ANYTHING else in the tank. I can say that my phosphates are still a challenge, but can that be it? I thought that the toadstool is VERY HARDY? ANY advice?
THANK YOU !!!!

 

[liquid]

If you could post some additional information about your tank that'd be great. Lighting, salinity, size tank, etc. This will help us deduce the problem better.

Shane

 

[Basssa]

OF course, how silly of me to not include specifics.

My tank is a 150G, Sal 1.023, I have a phosphate sponge in the Sump, it is a Wet/dry (w/ bio-balls) system, Skimmer, Lighting...I have 6PC, 2 Actinic 4 Daylight all total 576W. Good circulation with 4 powerheads, U.V. as well.
Do you think it could be burning too close to the lights? It is Rather high in the tank, maybe 10 inches from the source.

MANY THANKS!

 

[liquid]

Ah, you mentioned you're running a phosphate sponge. These can irritate leathers severely in some cases. Did the leather start to go down hill when you started using this product?

Shane

 

[Basssa]

About the sponge...Not really, it has been in the sump for about 3 weeks now, I have changed it twice. The toadstool had really been suffering for about 5 days now. It is funny to see it with its "tentacles" outstreached except for small spots where it is being ATTACKED. is there a better way to deal with the phosphates, i am considering phosguard. I DONT use RO/DI water, I use the $40 water filter. I live in NJ, and I KNOW this will have to be dealt with, the water here is TERRIBLY hard, and I dont think I can avoid an RO/DI unit.
Thanks for your thoughts

 

[tinyreef]

i don't think it's the lights. toadstools can either retract, slowly grow away or even bend if the lights are too oppressive (unless the lights are a very recent upgrade?).

how's your water flow on the toadstool? maybe a little extra current will help keep down the 'infection'. you have a uv so that's a plus too.

if you must wc try distilled for a week or so. otherwise invest into the ro/di imo or even go without for a while (if your system's water quality permits).

lastly, do you dose iodine? if so, maybe a slight increase (10~25%). if not, i would start, at least until the infection is gone for a couple of weeks. i religiously dose :roll: as much for the antiseptic qualities as the oxidation (or is it reductive?) properties. the uv is a 'passive' antiseptic for the organisms (direct for the water).

 

[wade1]

Another, although remote, possibility is that you have a true "fire" bristleworm in your tank which is preying on the soft coral. Its not terribly likely, but its possible. Do the damaged areas go through the coral at all or is it only superficial?

I'd second what liquid said too, watch out for the phosphate sponges, they should be run for a few hours at a time and no more.

Wade