purple digitata bleaching

[Marcellina]

I just got a small purple digitata frag on Saturday. The bottom part (where it must have been cut) was whitish. Now the white is spreading upward and taking over the coral. It seems some of it is peeling? Is there something that I can do to stop this?

I acclimated it to the temp of my tank and then added my tank water little at a time.

I have 150W lighting, the same sunpod that the guy who gave me the frag had.

Can it already have been sick? My other corals are doing fine. I have some other sps (birdsnests, porites, pocilipora),that are ok no signs of bleaching.

 

[ZANYMASTER]

Once it's starts bleaching from the bottom up,it's pretty much much done.Where did you place it?

 

[Marcellina]

It was already white at the base b4 I put it in my tank. I thought it might have just been bc it was fragged.

I placed it midway in the tank and then I placed it up top after 36 hrs.

 

[ZANYMASTER]

Keep it on the bottom for a while and watch your parameters.See if it keeps bleaching.

 

[Marcellina]

Can I put it directly in the sand? ITs not attached to anything.

 

[daaznmofo]

you can always snip from the top

 

[ZANYMASTER]

Gluing it on something would be best,A piece of rock or a plug.

 

[nanoreefer22]

If the "skin" is peeling off it isn't bleaching, depending on how fast its peeling away its either RTN or STN.

Snip the frag about half an inch up from where the skin is peeling, glue it down and leave it. If it's RTN the coral could be gone within a few hours, if its STN it will take a little while longer.

 

[NYReef]

A quick sell on a non-healed frag will do this, I've had it happen to me too. Use crazy glue gel to seal the bottom and replace it in your rock.

 

[Marcellina]

Its only about an inch and a half frag and its 3/4 peeled away. There will only be a little nub of coral left if I snip it.

Qhat is RTN or STN? Will it affect anything else in my tank.

 

[CHEMCHEF]

I would snip the little nub off,,glue it to a rock and hope for the best

 

[nanoreefer22]

RTN = Rapid Tissue Necrosis
STN = Slow Tissue Necrosis

Both of them progressively kill the coral, the skin just peels right off the skeleton until nothing is left. If the tissue loss is continuing frag off the rest of the frag making sure you only get healthy coral after the cut. It shouldnt affect anything else in the tank, assuming this is a new frag it's probably due to stress.

 

[thesauce]

Make sure you are testing for alkalinity and calcium, probably not the cause of this particular issue, because your other sps are fine, but this will be critical for sps in the long run.

 

[Awibrandy]

Marcella, it is better to have a nub to work with then a 1.5" dead one. Nubs grow too you know. Best wishes with it.

 

[Marcellina]

I snipped the little nub off and glued them on a piece of rubble. I know the little nubs grow but its so small now like a tiny pebble I thought it might be traumatized. THe nubs arent white the disease seems to have stopped.

My alk and calcium are good. I use B Ionic 2 part to keep their levels up.

I should have snipped the bottom when I first got it and glued it down to save more of it.

 

[D1J8Z]

A quick sell on a non-healed frag will do this, I've had it happen to me too. Use crazy glue gel to seal the bottom and replace it in your rock.

SPS does not need to heal

 

[NYReef]

I understand, thanks. Sealed with crazy glue is a better answer. I know out in the ocean there is no gluing, but I have had no problems with glued frags then non-glued ones. ChiefMcfuzz answered it best.