Encrusting acros touching

[Lavey29]

may be one shading over the other or one trying to encrust over the other.

No they are side by side 5 inches apart on the same rock with like 8 other frags.

 

[acesfull44]

Any pics? Following along to learn.

 

[Reefbuds]

Pics?

 

[HudsonReefer2.0]

I had acro that got knocked into another and there is always a loser whether it’s a toasted tip or bleached patch on a branch. Happens on the base too. They heal eventually but how much damage is done is based on the duration of their contact.

 

[Lavey29]

Any pics? Following along to learn.

Here is one. Middle right side you can see a small white line of death as those 2 acros encrusted bases touch.

 

[Lavey29]

Any pics? Following along to learn.

Here it is under flash

 

[Reefbuds]

Oh yea looks like the one on the right is getting toasted?

 

[Reefbuds]

Might be able to break a frag off and move it somewhere else before it completely dies off. Just keep an eye on it

 

[Lavey29]

Oh yea looks like the one on the right is getting toasted?

Yes, if it's just the edge like that I'm not concerned but don't want the attack to envelop the whole frag

 

[Reefbuds]

Yea definitely, I'd watch it closely over the next few days/weeks

 

[acesfull44]

I would love to hear the best/healthiest remedy, but if breaking it off and relocating saves both in the end, maybe that's the thing to do.

 

[Lavey29]

Might be able to break a frag off and move it somewhere else before it completely dies off. Just keep an eye on it

Since I'm new to SPS I'm kind of using this as a test project and seeking input from more experienced SPS keepers. Both corals are pretty solidly encrusted.

 

[HudsonReefer2.0]

If u can move it that would b ideal.

 

[vetteguy53081]

No they are side by side 5 inches apart on the same rock with like 8 other frags.

In that case may be STN.
Two common issues for all coral diseases are stress from external factors or changes in water parameters leading to fungus or bacteria.
Some causes are :
Some possible triggers of infection are:
- Alkalinity spike
- Temperature spike
- Salinity spike
- Low dissolved oxygen
- Poor water quality related with phosphate levels up to 5 ppm
- Change in water flow
- Additions of sand
- Changes in brand of salt
- Bad test kits giving faulty results
- Levels of minor elements such as Iodine, Potassium, Strontium
- Light intensity
- - Changes in water flow
- Addition of new corals
- - Pesticides
- Airborne Contaminants or sprays

 

[Lavey29]

In that case may be STN.
Two common issues for all coral diseases are stress from external factors or changes in water parameters leading to fungus or bacteria.
Some causes are :
Some possible triggers of infection are:
- Alkalinity spike
- Temperature spike
- Salinity spike
- Low dissolved oxygen
- Poor water quality related with phosphate levels up to 5 ppm
- Change in water flow
- Additions of sand
- Changes in brand of salt
- Bad test kits giving faulty results
- Levels of minor elements such as Iodine, Potassium, Strontium
- Light intensity
- - Changes in water flow
- Addition of new corals
- - Pesticides
- Airborne Contaminants or sprays

No it's only where the corals are touching so it's acro warfare

 

[Lavey29]

If u can move it that would b ideal.

It's pretty well encrusted. I'm kind of interested in letting reef politics take its own direction and see what happens so I can better understand the coral dynamics. I see these beautiful SPS tanks with huge colonies all over each other but are there no coral warfare battles going on below the branches where they encrust next to each other?

 

[Bribo12]

The one coral is stinging the other and killing it. Acros should always be given at least 5-6” between frags.
I think a lot of those tanks the acros are spaced out and then shade out portions of the bottom prohibiting growth. The bases may be close or touching but there isn’t a lot more base growing, it’s mostly vertical growth then.

 

[Lavey29]

The one coral is stinging the other and killing it. Acros should always be given at least 5-6” between frags.
I think a lot of those tanks the acros are spaced out and then shade out portions of the bottom prohibiting growth. The bases may be close or touching but there isn’t a lot more base growing, it’s mostly vertical growth then.

It's hard to tell but I placed the garf frag in the middle of the rock about 5 inches away from the other acro which I put on the outside edge of the rock so it would grow out horizontal and not make contact with the garf. I didn't expect the encrusted portions to battle. They always list acros as peaceful corals too.

 

[ClownSchool]

Yes, if it's just the edge like that I'm not concerned but don't want the attack to envelop the whole frag

It may a good idea to frag the losing coral and relocate before STN starts to spread.

 

[Lavey29]

It may a good idea to frag the losing coral and relocate before STN starts to spread.

This is the confusing part to me. Will the other acros sting only affect the area they are currently touching or will it envelop the whole other acro with STN?