Is this a coral?

[SEAF]

I hope I can figure out how to post pictures here. I took a picture of a piece of live rock with what I think is some kind of coral. If you can help me identify it, I would be grateful! It is slimy to the touch and no algae will grow on it. It conforms to the shape of the rock like coraline algae.

 

[mcoomer]

Looks like it's some sort of skeleton for sure. What's that stuff on the left side of the pic?

Mike

 

[saltwaterfishes]

orange pavona?

 

[SEAF]

It is definitely more than a skeleton. Skeletons are not slimy and will grow algae. Whatever this is... it is alive. Just to clarify, I am talking about the patch of yellowish/brownish stuff on the rock. The left side of the pic is a huge coral skeleton (about 7-8" in diameter) and I have several frags sitting on top of it, to get them close to the light. (Frogspawn, Kenya tree, and Pulsing Xenia) Perhaps I should post a picture of my tank, but I don't see a show and tell section.

 

[trido]

Looks more like a bleached out echinophilia to me. Or something in that family, commonly known as a chalice. That skeleton on the left you speak of looks like it has some life to it too me. Notice the hint of purple in some of the branches. It's some sort of acropora and needs high light, high flow and excellent water quality.

 

[IPisces]

Looks like an Acanthastrea Echinata. Definately an lps. Not dead yet! Looks like it could come around for you.


Yeah, it does look more like an echinophilia.

 

[SEAF]

I googled all of the things that have been suggested here and none of them really look like what I have. It is like a skin on the rock. It doesn't ever come off of the rock in any way. Someone suggested that it may be a sponge... Hadn't thought of that. That's a possibility.

Here's a more distant picture that may put it in perspective a bit more. It also shows the skeleton. I seriously doubt there is anything alive on that skeleton. It sat out, dry for many months... maybe even years before I added it to my tank. I think the purple color in the picture is a lighting optical illusion.

 

[trido]

Ok, I'll believe you that the acro is dead. You'll have to trust us that the living coral encrusted onto the rock is some sort of chalice. Its not very likely that you're going to find a picture of a half dead bleached out coral just like yours on the internet. Not too many people post pictures of their corals as they're dieing.

 

[SEAF]

Okay, I will move it lower in the tank... farther from the light. I don't have real strong lights on my tank. It is a 20-long tank with two full-spectrum 32watt t-8's and a 15 watt actinic. So, how do I care for this coral? I am told it is an expensive coral and I would sure hate to lose it if that's the case.

 

[trido]

Thats about it. lower light lower flow. Hope for the best.

 

[SEAF]

What if I put it in my refugium? Low light and very low flow.

 

[returnofsid]

It's definitely a bleached Echinophyllia coral, definitely alive, but bleached. Put it low in the tank, medium high flow. I wouldn't put it in your refugium. It doesn't need low flow, as higher flow will bring more food by it. It'll most likely take it awhile to put on color, but you'll find that it'll encrust over it's old dead skeleton, probably fairly quickly. Make sure, while it's on the bottom of the tank, that sand doesn't collect on it, or on it's skeleton.

 

[SEAF]

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Well, I waited until 2am and went to feed the Echinophyllia some brine shrimp... don't have any mysis on hand. I don't know if I can save it or not. There were no tentacles and the centers of the mounds were only slightly raised up. I used a syringe to place some brine shrimp right on top of the mounds. Occassionally, I would get too close and noticed that the mounds retracted just a little. This poor critter is almost gone. It will be a miracle if I can save it. A couple of the mounds had tiny nobs sticking up... probably all it can muster for tentacles in its present condition. I may have to put it in a hospital tank. The fish didn't seem to be going after the brine shrimp in the dark. If it doesn't perk up in a day or two, I will set up a ten gallon hospital tank for it.

I do add trace elements every day... a two part solution called B_Ionic. It seems to be helping the other corals, so I am hoping it will help the Echinophyllia also. I'll go get some mysis and invert food tomorrow.

 

[SEAF]

Amazing! I have already seen results! Much of the yellow color has turned to brown. I am assuming that is a good thing, caused by taking it out of the strong light. I don't know if it consumed any of the brine shrimp I put in there last night, but it seems like the skeletal bumps are less noticeable. Is it possible to split this coral into fragments? (after a full recovery, of course!)

 

[Faciosity]

It's definitely a bleached Echinophyllia coral, definitely alive, but bleached. Put it low in the tank, medium high flow. I wouldn't put it in your refugium. It doesn't need low flow, as higher flow will bring more food by it. It'll most likely take it awhile to put on color, but you'll find that it'll encrust over it's old dead skeleton, probably fairly quickly. Make sure, while it's on the bottom of the tank, that sand doesn't collect on it, or on it's skeleton.

Good call. I knew as soon as I saw the picture, but got to this post a little late. Echinophyllia have very unique skeletal structure and mouth formation. Good flow and good food, and it should be in good shape soon. (as long as the rest of the tank perameters are stable!)

 

[Faciosity]

Amazing! I have already seen results! Much of the yellow color has turned to brown. I am assuming that is a good thing, caused by taking it out of the strong light. I don't know if it consumed any of the brine shrimp I put in there last night, but it seems like the skeletal bumps are less noticeable. Is it possible to split this coral into fragments? (after a full recovery, of course!)

The bleached area will turn a more natural color after being in the correct lighting/placement for a while. The bumps are less noticable, because the flesh is plumping up as it's becoming happy! Yes you can frag echinophyllia fairly easily, but you should take good care of it for quite a while before you start thinking about that.

 

[SEAF]

I fed more brine shrimp last night (still didn't make it to the lfs for mysis)... put it right on top of the mouths. Those little nobs (tentacles) were a little longer and latched onto the shrimp immediately. I stuck around long enough to watch it consume some of the shrimp. Today, more of the skeletal bumps are covered with thicker mass and more of the yellow color has turned to brown. I was going to post some more pics, but I will wait until I have some great changes to show.

 

[SEAF]

Time for an update on my Echinophyllia. This photo was taken today (2/4/11), less than two weeks after my original post. You can see that the coral has almost completely lost its bleached out appearance and has filled out to cover most of the skeletal bumps. I am hand feeding it frozen shrimp at least every other night. You can even see some tentacles on one of the mouths (in daylight) where the black arrow is pointing.

 

[IPisces]

Very good. Looks like it will come around for you.