Fungia damaged - anything I can do to save it?

SnoQ · Dec 5, 2012

I came home from work today and found one of my fungia plates looking like it was ripped open. Is there any chance this is going to heal and if so, is there anything I can do to make it more likely to heal?

Does anyone know if there's any type of pest that would do this? I'm thinking it was probably one of my fish or even a crab going after food that was sitting on the plate but if there's something else I should be on the lookout for, I'd love a heads up.

Tom@HaslettMI · Dec 5, 2012

I had an orange fungia develop similar tissue loss. I believe it was due to high nitrates. Lowering the nitrates and feeding helped (though the damage is still not 100% healed after more than a year. However, with the damage on yours is at the mouth so I'm not sure how you'll be able to feed it.

Good luck I hope it pulls through!
Tom

ritter6788 · Dec 5, 2012

Not likely to heal. Leave it in the tank though and the remaining skeleton could sprout babies. It's common with Fugias.

HiroPro · Dec 5, 2012

+1 on leaving in the skeleton in the tank. I had mine die and left it in the tank. Almost a year later it sprouted babies.

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Connie · Dec 6, 2012

I had one that tried to eat a baby mushroom floating by and it's mouth was damaged. I kept feeding it and it survived, but from then on, its mouth was deformed. It died later from 91 degree water from a faulty heater.

SnoQ · Dec 6, 2012

Thanks for the tips everyone. I don't think it's going to recover. I sent some mysis that way when I fed the tank last night but unless it can consume food with just that open hole, I'm assuming that's it. I'll be sure to leave the skeleton in the tank.

hardwood1 · Dec 6, 2012

nice fungia! i know the pvc thing its better for the coral, but not so natural look):

mobyreef · Dec 6, 2012

hardwood1 said:
nice fungia! i know the pvc thing its better for the coral, but not so natural look):

Why is it better for the coral? To keep it from predation? I would suspect that as it grows it may disfigure the skeletal growth?

SnoQ · Dec 6, 2012

I need to cut the PVC pipe down so they're sitting closer to the sand. No deformity to skeletons that I've seen in mine or others who do the same thing. I put them on the PVC because I have fish that kept covering them up with sand.