Quote:
Originally posted by netafish
...I can see the disc coral skeleton just in the center from one side to the other, the coral is still inflating and deflating so I am confused is the coral multiplying or do I have a problem. the skeliton is about 6" wide so is it old age?
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These Fungiids have no real "old age", but can starve to death, even though they have adequate light and low to moderate current. They have very high carbon requirements, as they produce copious amounts of mucus that in some aquarium conditions cannot be meth by photosynthesis alone. They require moderate feeding to thrive, and one of the first signs of such starvation is tissue recession, possibly followed by zooxanthellae expulsion and polyp decline. Make sure that your polyp is located on an appropriate sediment, some species require sand, others rubble. Excessive fine sediment in some species will require a large energy expenditure to remove the sediment, which may lead to the starvation syndrome in specimens that might otherwise be under ideal conditions. This is especially true if the location is in an anoxic low-current area or if you have excessive sediment-producing fish (wrasses, for example, or nesting Clownfishes). Although an irritating neighbor is a possibility,
most Fungiids will be the survivor of interspecies conflict, with 90% to 95% of the other corals receiving unilateral damage due to the deposition of thick cytotoxic mucus by the Fungiid.
Most spp. feed nocturnally, although they can be trained to take food at the end or just after the photoperiod ends. During the day, they most often retract and may resemble the condition you have described as well. If you don't feed your Fungiids, this may be a sign that they are starting to feel the pain, otherwise, it may just be part of their normal diurnal cycle. Check to see that they don't have a bubble of air under the aboral surface, as this may lead to their ultimate demise as well. Keep in mind always that the septa may very easily cut through the tissue of the polyp when it is expanded, handling the specimen while expanded should be discouraged, as should exposing the specimen to air at any time.
Hope this helps, very kewl critters.
