HELP!!! Frogspawn Heads are falling off

rboutin111 · Oct 20, 2015

I have had my frogspawn for over 2 year. Today I have noticed two of it's head have fallen off. The heads are now in the sand bed and look to be healthy. Does anyone know why they have fallen off and can the heads that have fallen off be treated as a frag? If it can what should I do to mount it?

BfishLpond78 · Oct 20, 2015

It's called "polyp bail out". It usually and indication of bad water chemistry. If I'm not mistaken it's usually caused by high nitrates but I may be wrong. The frogspawn polyp's are trying to find a new home before they die. Last ditch effort to survive.

Mike in CT · Oct 20, 2015

I have also had this happened when my nitrates spiked. Check for nitrates and be ready for some water changed if you need to bring them down.

Shep · Oct 20, 2015

Also please post a pic, they always help us a lot but I would agree its a water issue

WetWhistle · Oct 20, 2015

Another reason is asexual reproduction in some species of coral. I have not seen frogspawn do this so it is not as likely as high nutrients as the cause. On rare occasions it is also induced by chemicals warfare from a coral the is in close proximity. (Like a soft coral) If i let my colony get really big i have seen it let go pieces of polyps into the water but not the entire head.

rboutin111 · Oct 21, 2015

Thanks everyone. I do believe it's due to high nitrates. I'll be checking this morning.

I did recently move the frogspawn closer to a hammer, but I don't see any aggression. I'll also get some pictures.

rboutin111 · Oct 21, 2015

This morning I tested my water. The results are as follows

Nitrates 4 (Red Sea)
Alk 8.288 (Hanna)
Calc 400 (Red Sea)
Mag 1280 (Red Sea)
Salinity 1.025

I wasn't able to test phosphates because I'm out of reagent.

To my surprise my nitrates are not high. I really was expecting to see them in the 30-40 range. As you can see my frogspawn is touching my hammer. I did just move the frogspawn to the spot 2 weeks ago. Could this be the issue?

I do have a lot of Green Wiry algee (Cladophorophsis) growing on that rock.

I've also notice all of my montipora are losing color and dying.

I've been on the Triton method sense June. I have not sent my water in yet to get it tested

You can see one of the head letting go.

Here's a head floating in the bottom. I believe it has lost three heads and I see one more letting go.

WetWhistle · Oct 21, 2015

That second last picture looks like a bacterial infection or it could be being stung by that hammer. I would cut the dead parts out to try and stop it from spreading to the other heads just in case. Normally when I have seen brown jelly the tissue dies and not just falls off like that, same with it being stung. Shut your water off when you take it out to cut the dead spots off. It will help minimize the spread of any infected tissue.
Is that effected section close to the hammer side? If so another possible reason it it is being stung by sweeper tentacles.

rboutin111 · Oct 31, 2015

Update: I have moved the frogspawn away from the hammer. Heads are still falling off. About half the heads are off now. I have kept the head I've found in a glass jar. They seem to be doing well. I also have issues with my acans. On of my colonies is also losing heads. One head did fall off and there are several more that are hardly holding on. With my two other acans colonies the heads are receding. Tomorrow I will be doing a 40% water change. I have to believe that one of my levels are high due to the Triton dosing. It's the only thing I can think of. Everything else seems to be doing just find. Anymore thoughts or advice I'll take it.

rboutin111 · Nov 3, 2015

hi everyone. I am not have an issue with my torch coral. I made a new link for that one. Please help.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/urgent-torch-coral-dying.220309/

An update on the frogspawn. I did a 40% water change two days ago. Heads seem to stop falling off. I will be removing the dead skeleton soon to try to save the couple of heads that are remaining.