whats going on with my sun coral??

[Simon]

woke up this morning to find my sun coral looking very strange,
bought this coral some months back and it has been recovering/growing back feeding really well up until now but last night looked deflated and woudn't open as usual...
this morning its mouths are all open its completely deflated and coverd in some kind of nasty dirty webbing it also looks like it may have spawned as its got yellow dust all over the place,
anyone ever seen anything like this... sorry poor pics,
http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2006Q4/sun3 (Medium).JPG
http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2006Q4/sun1 (Medium).JPG
http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2006Q4/sun2 (Medium).JPG

[Pingu]

Hmm never seen that before and hopefully Evilerin will be here soon to advise but I am pretty sure it hasn't spawned.

Did the temp rise or fall dramatically last night? Looks like it need to be blown off with a turkey baster to see if stuff comes off it.

Don't quote me though wait till an expert on sun corals gets here.

Chris

[Simon]

after quick clean with turkey baster...
http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2006Q4/DSC01355 (Medium).JPG
http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2006Q4/DSC01356 (Medium).JPG

[Pingu]

Did anything come off? was it fleshy? Do you have any other sun corals int he tank? All other corals fine?

[Simon]

Did anything come off? was it fleshy? Do you have any other sun corals int he tank? All other corals fine?

i only gave it a light blow with the baster and got a lot of dirty webbing and some yellow dust, the yellow would come off if i was a little more vigorous with the baster but dont want to go to mad on it,

I've still no idea why but about ten weeks ago after moving my display tank i lost all my sps frags and
a couple of candy canes, despite many water changes a galaxia (moon coral) has been slowly dying ever since aswell.

[Pingu]

What are your water parameters at now?

[Simon]

tested just now,
Temp 25.4
Ph: 8.09
Sg: 1.025
No2: 0
No3: 5
Nh4: <0.25
Po4: .03
I2: >0.1
Kh: 10.2
Alk: 3.66
Mg: 1350
Ca: 450

[evilervin]

Hi Simon,

IMO, What you are witnessing is not the result of the coral spawning (as Pingu said). If it has spawned the larve / eggs will by approx 1-2mm (1.6mm) in diameter, also the larve / eggs exit via the mouth not the coenaosarc.

What your seeing could be the result of a contaminant within the water...
That said, your test results look fine but could you explain what units your iodine in measured in, as Iodine should not idealy be above 0.07ppm (iirc).

The only time Ive personaly witnessed this was during a period of excesivly high PO4, luckly the event was not mortal.

If I was you, I'd do a partial water change, and refresh your carbon and add a poly filter and see how you get on. Oh and continue to fed the coral if it will still except food.

as a side note have you been using aerosols or painting etc in the same room as the tank?
Also dont forget to tell us the units for your iodine reading

Sorry not to be of much help,
Gog

[Simon]

Hi Gog thanks for the reply,
sorry typo on the I2 i've edited the post, (cant read my own notes)
have done another 20% wc today and replaced rowaphos as Po4 has just crept up abit carbon is run 24/7 and was replaced last weekend, i also run a polywool chamber in my sump 24/7 which is cleaned or changed weekly,


(as a side note have you been using aerosols or painting etc in the same room as the tank?)

HMmm...we have just (last week) had a new bathroom fitted which just happens to be right nextdoor to my sump room/cuboard, despite asking nicely the builders still managed to cover the whole place in paint/plaster dust!!
my beloved misses coverd the main and seahorse tanks but neither of us thought about the sumps...
better do a few more wc's i think...fingers crossed

[Simon]

Hi Gog thanks for the reply,
sorry typo on the I2 i've edited the post, (cant read my own notes)
have done another 20% wc today and replaced rowaphos as Po4 has just crept up abit carbon is run 24/7 and was replaced last weekend, i also run a polywool chamber in my sump 24/7 which is cleaned or changed weekly,


(as a side note have you been using aerosols or painting etc in the same room as the tank?)

HMmm...we have just (last week) had a new bathroom fitted which just happens to be right nextdoor to my sump room/cuboard, despite asking nicely the builders still managed to cover the whole place in paint/plaster dust!!
my beloved misses coverd the main and seahorse tanks but neither of us thought about the sumps...
better do a few more wc's i think...fingers crossed

[liquidlogic]

mine has been looking like this. it looks realy rough does nt it :(