How long can a toadstool stay closed?

[TimmyG]

I've got a toadstool leather that has been closed for about 2 months.
It is still responsive (shrinks when toutched) but has had no PE.
It has done this in the past but only for a few days.
Any idea on how long it can go like this without dieing?

[FastFish720]

I assume we are talking about the coral on the right? If so, it may not recover. It looks like it's in pretty rough shape right now. Probably not what you wanted to hear.

[TimmyG]

Yes it is the one on the right
No that is not what I wanted to hear.
The sad part is that when it was happy it is almost a foot across.
What could cause this and not bother the one beside it?
It does respond and changes shape form day to day but as I said no PE

[tdwyatt]

let me make sure I understand correcty,

it has been like this for 2 months? 60 days?

[phiberop840]

I have never seen one do that before.

Mike

[tdwyatt]

Try using a soft piece of terrycloth cut to a small patch to wipe off the algae on the surface of the coral, then do a BRIEF (NOT >5 OR SO SECONDS) fresh water dip with swishing. Isolate the specimen from the other corals if possible, as it may just be a victim or coral aggression, but you'll need to isolate it anyway if you found parasites. Prophylactically treat the rest of your sarco's, maybe even enpty your system if it is BB and rinse the entire tank with FW (but I would only do this if the system was BB and I found parasites for sure). It may be a combintion of the algae and a small flatworm infestation specific to the Sarcophyton spp., but then I would think that you would see it in all your Toadstool corals. There is a specie of boring worm that can feed on sarcophytons bu boring through the column of the colony. These usually leave a small hole at the base of the specimen affected by this parasite, however, this is not diagnostic for these worms. Use a magnifyihg glass to look carefully for flatworms that are either translucent or the same color as the coral. If you see these, definitely isolate and creat the specimen in question. You may want to cut the specimen in half and look for a worm if there is no recovery after a week or so of the FW dip. If you cut the capitulum off and there is no worm, do head and do an iodine bath for 5 minutes and attach the capitulum to a piece of rubble with a rubberband, and let the stalk grow into a new specimen (the cap will regrow).2 months is too long if it has not expanded at all during this time, something is either affecting or feeding on the specimen, or it is being stung continuously by something else in the tank. I don't believe that it is a water0borne issue or a water parameter pro9blem, as the other Sarcophytn appear to be normal.


HTH

[R3]

Yeah she looks in pretty rough shape. Never heard of one going for two months! Take advice from Tom. He always seems to have the answers. Smart guy!! Later Ryan

[TimmyG]

Thanks Tom,
Yes it has been as you see it in the pic. for at least 60 days and I'm thinking more.
I have removed it several times and inspected and cleaned it.
tried changing the water flow around it and no change. It does not like to be messed with as when I do it shrinks up then expands back but still no PE.
The only thing I've added to this tank in the last year, since we moved up here, is 2 or 3 sps fraggs. Unlike most of my corals, it survived the move along with the other toadstools and seemed to be doing fine.
I've had this one longer than anything in my tank, about 3-4 years, it was the size of a quarter when I got it, and when it was happy was about a foot across. There hasn't been anything close to it that I would think would harm it but you never know with these things.
I'll do a FW dip and see what happens and give it a few days before fragging it.
This tank does have the little red flatworms, that we all love so, and I plan on doing a FWexit treatment as well as intreceptor for redbugs before switching everything over to the 180.

THanks again, Timmy

[xtopher]

sorry to see/read about your perdicament, hope everything works out for ya.

[TimmyG]

Hey Tom,
Maybe I'll run it over to the "Walnut Grove Seaquarium" for diagnosis and observation

[TimmyG]

Originally Posted by xtopher

sorry to see/read about your perdicament, hope everything works out for ya.

THanks, I'm trying to get away from softies in my new setup,
but I hate to see this what was huge toadstool like this