Bubble Coral Turning Brown

[nanoShearer]

Hi, All!

I bought my bubble coral a few months ago from my local fish store. It had been in the store for months without an issue, but now I've noticed that parts of it are turning brown. It started out as a few spots, and I was hoping it was just stress from adjusting to a new tank. But it has been slowly spreading, and I'm starting to get concerned. Any idea what this might be/how to treat it?

 

[P-Dub]

Often, corals will "brown" for a number of reasons. Not enough nutrients and not enough light are the two primary reasons that I have found with my tank. This is not necessarily "bad" but a response to the conditions. As long as the coral is extending well and growing, color is secondary, particularly for Plerogyra. Do you feed her? This may help.

What are your parameters and lighting as well as placement in your system? Whole tank shots help here too.

 

[Reefer40b]

its probably just gaining the color its suppose to have and was just bleached... looks ok and healthy otherwise to me

 

[reef lover]

I think hes just repopulating his zooanthelane. He shouldnt be so white..

 

[nanoShearer]

Often, corals will "brown" for a number of reasons. Not enough nutrients and not enough light are the two primary reasons that I have found with my tank. This is not necessarily "bad" but a response to the conditions. As long as the coral is extending well and growing, color is secondary, particularly for Plerogyra. Do you feed her? This may help.

What are your parameters and lighting as well as placement in your system? Whole tank shots help here too.

My parameters are:
ph: 8.2
Nitrites: 0
Nitrates: 5
Ammonia: 0

I have two 4ft Current Loop Lights

And here is a full tank picture:

 

[nanoShearer]

I think hes just repopulating his zooanthelane. He shouldnt be so white..

That makes sense... he went from being under two kessils to two current loop lights. Maybe he was just bleached in the store.

 

[P-Dub]

I've seen them white, brown and green in the wild. Like I said, not unusual for it to respond to the lighting you have and it looks as though it is doing just that. When they are a creamy white, that is not necessarily "bleaching" but a color morph. Not to say they can't or don't bleach, though. A good read... https://www.advancedaquarist.com/2010/4/corals

 

[Bpfor3]

Mine is doing the exact same thing. this is a pic first thing in the am with natural light. how is yours doing?

 

[Louiemiller9]

great looking coral

 

[uhgster1]

Mine went from white to brown to this. I feed it twice a week

 

[Bpfor3]

Mine is now brown and doing very well, so it was likely algae repopulating it.

 

[Voypok]

Hi, All!

I bought my bubble coral a few months ago from my local fish store. It had been in the store for months without an issue, but now I've noticed that parts of it are turning brown. It started out as a few spots, and I was hoping it was just stress from adjusting to a new tank. But it has been slowly spreading, and I'm starting to get concerned. Any idea what this might be/how to treat it?

Mine is doing the

same thing...

 

[Bpfor3]

HA! Not to worry. The brown will fill in. Mine is at least twice as big now. I think it is just the coral adapting to the light and repopulating zooxanthellae.

 

[Jeffo.it]

Normal dynamic of zooxantellae recolonization. Sometimes can be avoided in high light-intensity aquarium

 

[Voypok]

I was almost sure about it, after reading multiple posts... and completely agree, thank you. BTW I didn't think that bubble coral can be so aggressive... I had a hammer near it and one eve cached him(bubble) stick one of the tentacles attached to the hammer... After moving the hammer I found several holes in it on the side that was closer to the bubble coral...