Whitish stuff on button polyp...

[WBrian]

I recently bought some frags from the LFS. They were the first pieces of corals I placed in my tank. (It was my brithday present to myself...)
Anyway, I put in a small pulsating xenia, A piece of finger leather (sinularia), and a nice size piece of button polyp. I noticed that the polyp piece had an area where the polyps were a bluish grey color and looked a bit "mushy". I notice my flame angel and my 6line wrasse seems to be very interested in this frag. They don't seem to be eating the polyps, but are shoving their mouths between the polyps and biting stuff from between the polyps. The frag on a whole looked pretty good. But tonight before I went into work, I noticed that the top of the frag has an area that looks a little bluish, too. The polyps there initially were a purple color and were'nt opening yet. Now some have begun opening and that general area looks to have a whitish kind of film covering it.

Does any of this seem normal? Or is there some action I should be taking?

BTW, My water parameters are WNL: Ammo, Nitrate, Nitrite all 0. PH 8.3, Temp running 80.3 to 81.6 range, salinity = 1.023.

One more basic question: Does sinularia (finger leather) always have to be "in bloom", meaning that the polyps are protruding? My piece yesterday was "full bloom. Today, not "blooming". (and what's the right word??)

thanks for any guidance you can share...
Brian

 

[Anonymous]

One more basic question: Does sinularia (finger leather) always have to be "in bloom", meaning that the polyps are protruding? My piece yesterday was "full bloom. Today, not "blooming". (and what's the right word??)


Brian

No, a sinularia will not always be "in bloom." (People refer to that as "having it's polyps extended" or just "being extended" but I think "in bloom" is cute!)

Once they get nice and used to your tank it should look good most of the time, but as they are getting used to your tank it is no cause for alarm to find it kinda shrunk. Mine also tend to shrink up late at night too or if a fish swims into them they retract a bit.

I don't know what to say about your polyps, I do not have a whole lot of experience with those guys.

Oh, and happy birthday too!

 

[WBrian]

Thanks Laura,
I swung one of my power heads around to aim over the button. I figure some flow may help a little. Not too hard, just enough to mke the polyps wiggle...
Thanks!
Brian

 

[Anonymous]

That probably a good thing to try. Typically when I have a soft coral that looks like it has something "icky" on it I hit it with more current to try and wash away the irritant.

 

[WBrian]

Hi ALl,
Here's a picture of the offending schmutz. Any suggestions?

Thanks!
Brian

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

Hmm, that may that nasty zoo fungus. Beggiatoa sp. I've had that stuff wipe out a pretty large colony. Some people have had success stopping the progression by doing a peroxide dip. 10% peroxide to 90% RO/DI water. If it coninues to spread, your best bet is to frag off the healthy polyps.

 

[WBrian]

OK,
I took it in to the LFS today. (I work nights, and my wife woke me up this afternoon as it looked so bad.) The guy there said it was a sponge type growth, and the reason it was looking so bad was the sponge was getting some of the polyps to rot. So he took the "colony" apart and cleaned out as much of the black crud he co7uld scrape off. Then reglued it back together and I took it home. I then had to go to work. I'll see what it looks like in the AM.

I'll keep you posted...
Thanks!
Brian

 

[Oceans Ferevh]

geez...hope everything works out for ya

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

Wow. Sounds like he really went at it on that colony. I hope it pulls through for you.