Fungia plate dying

[David cornelius]

I purchased this orange fungia plate about 3 weeks ago at my lfs. It had a bad spot on it when I purchased it, but the bad spot was just black and I assumed I could give it time to heal. I got home and dipped, acclimated it, and threw it into my display. It has since lost all color in that spot and it is just skeleton. The rest of the coral is healthy and polyps are usually extended, but I just done a water change. Anyone have any advice to what is going on and if there is anything I can do? The first pic is after I bought it and the other two are now

 

[David cornelius]

btw i have a fluval 13.5
calcium-400
alk-10
ph-7.8
salinity-1.025
tds-0
phosphate- undectectable with api kit

 

[Brian1f1]

btw i have a fluval 13.5
calcium-400
alk-10
ph-7.8
salinity-1.025
tds-0
phosphate- undectectable with api kit

Black tissue was probably necrotic and dead. I haven’t dealt with a plate for a decade, so this might be outdated, but I’ve not had any long term success with damaged ones. I think it can be done, probably? Anyway, while we wait for someone that knows to chime in, I’d make sure no algae sets in on the dead spot.

 

[David cornelius]

Black tissue was probably necrotic and dead. I haven’t dealt with a plate for a decade, so this might be outdated, but I’ve not had any long term success with damaged ones. I think it can be done, probably? Anyway, while we wait for someone that knows to chime in, I’d make sure no algae sets in on the dead spot.

I have a mild case of cyano and it tries to set in on the dead tissue so I'm blowing it off every day

 

[cristata.reef]

What about nitrate and ammonia parameters? Magnesium is important as well? Also they are notorious for getting infections and withering away

 

[Brian1f1]

What about nitrate and ammonia parameters? Magnesium is important as well? Also they are notorious for getting infections and withering away

That notoriety is what I was referring to...

 

[Brian1f1]

I have a mild case of cyano and it tries to set in on the dead tissue so I'm blowing it off every day

That’s not ideal, but yes, definitely keep it clear. If more tissue is dying off, consider a dip, but I would only do it if it’s definitely still losing it. If it’s stable, I’d keep it low flow, low light, stable parameters, target feed it something like roids, and watch is very closely (because if it’s starts going, it might be fast). Going to be touchy. Let us know.

 

[Brian1f1]

It looks like a chunk was already cut out of it?

 

[Brian1f1]

Also, if it’s infected, and spreading, you could consider cutting it outside the margins of infection as a last resort.

 

[David cornelius]

What about nitrate and ammonia parameters? Magnesium is important as well? Also they are notorious for getting infections and withering away

mg 1130
0 detectable ammonia, nitrates with api (i know is not a reliable test kit but i havent seen anything for ammonia worth the money) if ammonia becomes detectable w/ api i will dose seachem). the tank is fairly new, almost at a 2 month mark so nitrates are still at 0 as of now

 

[David cornelius]

It looks like a chunk was already cut out of it?

i got it at the lfs like that but the tissue was healthy around the chunk cut out, but it had a bad spot on the side that is now dead. im going to leave it be for now and see if the tissue will recover over the bad spot and if worse comes to worse ill cut it. ive also heard that as a last effort to survive they will pop out a baby. if so i do not know for sure if i would want to slice the dead spot off

 

[David cornelius]

That’s not ideal, but yes, definitely keep it clear. If more tissue is dying off, consider a dip, but I would only do it if it’s definitely still losing it. If it’s stable, I’d keep it low flow, low light, stable parameters, target feed it something like roids, and watch is very closely (because if it’s starts going, it might be fast). Going to be touchy. Let us know.

the only problem with low light, is i do not have a shaded place for it, as it is in a 13.5gallon. it is in the lowest light as possible, on the sandbed

 

[Katrina71]

I had a gorilla crab eat a hunk out of mine. Took a few months, but it grew back in just fine.

 

[David cornelius]

the only problem with low light, is i do not have a shaded place for it, as it is in a 13.5gallon. it is in the lowest light as possible, on the sandbed

this is the spot it is in. the acan frags were put in that spot the first day they arrived, but were moved the nest day after. im thinking its not very likely but could the acan have stung the fungia? keep in mind it was only there for about 15 hours and it was the acans first day into the tank.

 

[KrisReef]

I've taken home arrived "dead" retracted bare skeletal looking specimens from the lfs, and had them pop back to life fairly quick with good conditions. Once they start to go like yours, they are hit or miss if they are going to come back. That you are reporting good polyp opening gives it hope because as noted above these can heal/regenerate. Some stores cut them in pieces and sell them as frags successfully, but those generally are not already suffering when they are cut. If it continues to spread, I'd cut off the good half and take my chances.
Mine also like to eat plankton, if yours hasn't seen food it could be hungry.

They also do better imo if they are on top of a rock instead of sand.
Good luck with the challenge piece.

 

[Katrina71]

I have only had success with mine on the sandbed. BTW, my orange one was the biggest mover I had. I'd target feed him and be patient.

 

[David cornelius]

My plate has now developed a bubble on one of its sides. I have noticed it bubbles up when my lights go off but I have never noticed this when the lights are on

 

[David cornelius]

My plate is still rapidly losing tissue. I have been gently blowing to algae off the skeleton, and the tissue has now begin to blow away as I get the algae off.

 

[Katrina71]

It doesn't look good at all.

 

[WillB]

Mine HATES being moved. Much more than any other coral I’ve ever owned. If I move it it will lose all extension and look bare skeleton dead for the next month until the flesh starts to extend even a little bit