Elegance is leaving the skeleton

[Escapeher]

Hi,

I have had my tank established for 2 years and it has done relatively well, a few losses here and there but nothing major. This last week, my elegance came off the exoskeleton, it seems to be attached on the two ends still. Possibly caused by some chemistry issues that have since been corrected. What else could cause this? Can I save it? Should I frag it, and if so how? I have fragged some of the harder corals, but not anything like this. I imagine it is going to die if I don't do anything with it. Thanks!

 

[blaxsun]

That's really weird.

 

[Lyss]

That looks also bleached, so there might be other issues, but if I’m reading what’s happening correctly I’ve had it happen to an acan, and one head of a Duncan. Like polyp bail out? I had a salinity swing that caused it.

If so what I did was wait and let it bail on its own, then take the polyp and put it in an acclimation box. I lost the acan b/c it wandered out of the box and landed on the Duncan. That was a nasty battle and Duncan won, but one head bailed, and now that’s in the acclimation box. I feed it now and then but mostly just let it be while it regrows its skeleton.

 

[Escapeher]

That looks also bleached, so there might be other issues, but if I’m reading what’s happening correctly I’ve had it happen to an acan, and one head of a Duncan. Like polyp bail out? I had a salinity swing that caused it.

If so what I did was wait and let it bail on its own, then take the polyp and put it in an acclimation box. I lost the acan b/c it wandered out of the box and landed on the Duncan. That was a nasty battle and Duncan won, but one head bailed, and now that’s in the acclimation box. I feed it now and then but mostly just let it be while it regrows its skeleton.

Our main issue was salinity. New salt that everyone recommended, the last 2 weeks it got crazy high. After several months have finally gotten the salinity right. I feel stupid asking, but I’ve never had to do this… do I put the whole thing in a box and try to let it regrow? Do I cut the dead skeleton off?

 

[Lyss]

Our main issue was salinity. New salt that everyone recommended, the last 2 weeks it got crazy high. After several months have finally gotten the salinity right. I feel stupid asking, but I’ve never had to do this… do I put the whole thing in a box and try to let it regrow? Do I cut the dead skeleton off?

Let the polyp bail from the skeleton on its own — it will eventually just detach. You could put the whole thing in a box now to avoid it bailing when you’re not around and getting tangled w/another coral. Then just let the polyp be off it’s skeleton after it bails. If it survives it’ll start to regrow skeleton. Eventually it will grow enough skeleton to be removed from the box and placed back in its spot.

Edit: also make sure you have a lid on the acclimation box — that was my dumb move w/my acan. If I’d just had a lid on the box I’d still have that acan polyp and a fully intact Duncan with 3 heads.

 

[JumboShrimp]

I had one that same size that bailed. It’s survived in the tank on the sand, looking just beautiful for quite a while, but then slowly atrophied and died.

 

[MaxTremors]

That looks also bleached, so there might be other issues, but if I’m reading what’s happening correctly I’ve had it happen to an acan, and one head of a Duncan. Like polyp bail out? I had a salinity swing that caused it.

If so what I did was wait and let it bail on its own, then take the polyp and put it in an acclimation box. I lost the acan b/c it wandered out of the box and landed on the Duncan. That was a nasty battle and Duncan won, but one head bailed, and now that’s in the acclimation box. I feed it now and then but mostly just let it be while it regrows its skeleton.

It won’t regrow its skeleton. I suppose there’s a minuscule chance it could, but many people, myself included have left bailed out polyps in cups/baskets for months and even years, and they just don’t regrow skeleton. The polyp can live indefinitely if kept in a protected area, but it’ll never attach to anything or regrow a skeleton, at least IME, and I don’t think anyone else here has successfully had one regrow a skeleton either.

 

[Lyss]

It won’t regrow its skeleton. I suppose there’s a minuscule chance it could, but many people, myself included have left bailed out polyps in cups/baskets for months and even years, and they just don’t regrow skeleton. The polyp can live indefinitely if kept in a protected area, but it’ll never attach to anything or regrow a skeleton, at least IME, and I don’t think anyone else here has successfully had one regrow a skeleton either.

My acan was starting to before I made the mistake of forgetting the lid. The Duncan is still just a polyp so still not sure if that’s ever gonna do anything. I have read at least one story where it did regrow skeleton for someone six months later. My point w/this tho is really just don’t frag it, let it bail and give it a try. If it’s bleached it’s prob already too far gone but no harm in trying.

 

[Coinzmans Reef]

Sad, I had an Elegance long ago did the same thing after years of keeping him. When I got back into the hobby 1/2020
I was told to stay away but I love them and bought one anyway. I have him almost two years and he has grown to nearly the size of a soccer ball. I have noticed he shrivels up tight and looks unhappy even though I feed him four times a week with various food. So I get fresh shrimp and he gets a half in about four pieces 1/4" each, two days later he if fully elegant. Not sure what it is with the shrimp but it works every time. I see so many with short polyp tendrils and wonder if hey had a shrimp cocktail would they look like this? Best of luck.