HELP! Something on my Grafted Cap!

[Raindog3030]

OK, I am not crazy, there seems to be some sort of necrosis on our Montipora Capricornus, and it seems like it might be growing or spreading...she's too young to die!

We've had this beautiful piece since early February, and it has done nothing but grow and be happy!

We have pretty darn good flow, albeit not alternating. 2 koralia nanos plus flow from an AQ70 HOB.
Parameters:
Salinity 1.026
Temp 77F
Calcium 420
Alk 10
Ph 8.2

You can see a white substance or possibly dead tissue on the left hand side of the cap, on the green half. If I prod the substance, there is no physical response. What is weird, is the cap has been growing noticeably and, despite the current state (it wasn't too happy when I turned the lights up for the photo op) the PE has been more than satisfactory. I haven't spotted any nudis, and hadn't added anything in over a month, well I did last week, but not before this started. I wonder if maybe it got damaged from the dino breakout we had a few weeks ago, I want to say that is when I first noticed it. But we have been rid of said dino for about a month now. And this white/clear area seems like it may be growing! The last photo is from 4 days ago...definitely growing/spreading...

Any and all help is super appreciated!

 

[P-Dub]

A wider shot would be helpful. What are the neighboring corals that you have or what is the closest neighbors? Hence, a wider shot would help.

 

[ritter6788]

Any corals near it that could have stung it?

 

[DQM5]

coral looks healthy, probably got stung +1 ^

 

[Raindog3030]

Wider shot here, nothing close enough to bother it! Maybe the acan? but I don't think he is close enough...

Nothing was happy about the lights coming back on!

 

[Raindog3030]

Is it possible this is from a rogue hermit crab enjoying a very expensive meal? We have a couple blue legs that have grown way too big to be normal blue legs...

 

[Velcro]

Kinda looks like monti nudi damage to me. Ask me how I know

 

[Raindog3030]

Kinda looks like monti nudi damage to me. Ask me how I know

Not what I wanted to hear How did you beat the buggers?

 

[Velcro]

Not what I wanted to hear How did you beat the buggers?

Wrasses. Leopard wrasses and melanarus wrasse keep them completely in check for me.

 

[Raindog3030]

Only have 20 gallons here...I guess my Springer's Damsel didn't find them tasty :/

Some folks were saying six lines may be efficient hunters of these pests, any first-hand experience?

 

[Velcro]

Only have 20 gallons here...I guess my Springer's Damsel didn't find them tasty :/

Some folks were saying six lines may be efficient hunters of these pests, any first-hand experience?

I hear they are good at them as well. I don't like them because they don't get along with other wrasses, but you don't have to worry about that with your tank since there aren't really any other wrasses that should be placed in it.

 

[Raindog3030]

So much for not putting any more fish in my reef...lol...I'll be checking with a flash light periodically tonight to catch the buggers red-handed before I decide to put more filthy vertebrates in my reef! Still praying it's just a hermit crab with a flashy appetite...

 

[P-Dub]

Acanthastrea can have some mad long streamers. try and look at night. It is hit and miss though. I had a slow battle going on between a pocilloporid and some Acans before as well as a Monti. Both the Pocillipora and the Monti never had a chance where the sweepers hit in that long distant battle. Could never figure out what was happening till I stayed up one night when the moonlights were on and the mystery was solved. Could be Nudis as well...

 

[Sierra_Bravo]

Question: With monti-eating nudi's and the frag being small enough, would removing it and giving a Bayer dip solve the problem? Or will the nudibranchs also move off the monti and inhabit other areas as well?

 

[Velcro]

Question: With monti-eating nudi's and the frag being small enough, would removing it and giving a Bayer dip solve the problem? Or will the nudibranchs also move off the monti and inhabit other areas as well?

You'd have to dip all Montis every few days for a few weeks to break the egg cycle.

 

[29bonsaireef]

Do you have emerald crabs? I've seen them chew off the edges of corals and look similar to this.

 

[HB AL]

Dip it in an iodine coral dip asap and double the dose, check the underside for nudis.

 

[Raindog3030]

OK, progress report...after a few days now, we have not found any nudis and the affected area does not appear to grow or worsen! I believe this poor guy just got burned by a rogue Torch tip floating around. We have noticed this little devil letting off a tip here and there over the past few days, not sure why as it looks super healthy, but, in any case...we are hoping that's all it was! Thanks again to everyone who commented and presented theories during this dark hour!

 

[Raindog3030]

OK, final update! I am now certain that this poor fellow got burned by someone, since he seems to be recovering nicely! Thanks again to everyone who put in there .02 to help me figure out this dilemma!