Need Help

[me & my baby]

My plate coral died in a tank crash I had . Now the old skeleton had these popping up all over it . They are no where else in the tank but on this . Could it be the plate coral coming back ?

 

[MaiReef]

following

 

[XNavyDiver]

It's a good possibility. I've seen them come back from what looks like a bare skeleton.

 

[me & my baby]

Should I cut the individual ones off or let it go the way it is .

 

[XNavyDiver]

I'd just leave it be and observe.

 

[TopShelfAquatics Verified Sponsor]

Yes, those are all babies of the same plate coral. If you leave them on there, you can start popping them off once they are about nickel size.

When a plate coral undergoes tremendous stress (like a tank crash) its last line of defense is to release tons of little offspring which end up attached to the skeleton once the tissue melts away. The little spores will then start to grow once parameters have returned to normal ranges again. You'll have quite the mini colony before too long!

 

[me & my baby]

That’s cool and thank you guys for your response

 

[jsker]

That is a good come back!. I have had corals that I thought were goners after my crash. I left them in place and they came back to my amazement.

 

[me & my baby]

I am still just shocked it is coming back . I had that coral for 4 years when the crash happens and it’s been 14 mths since the crash . It just really sucked watching everything you had in your yank die . I almost gave up and quit the hobby after that crash

 

[ReefJake123]

That’s amazing

 

[vpoiu1263]

That's all your baby of plate coral.
Take care of them.
Nice.!!

 

[me & my baby]

Oh I am and it’s really cool

 

[AlexG]

I have seen plate and bubble corals have this behavior which is why I never remove the skeleton of these corals as they might come back. It is really amazing to see this behavior in corals. As stated above once the babies get bigger they can be popped off. I am sure if they are left in place they should eventually remove themselves from the parent skeleton.

 

[me & my baby]

Here is a close up of one of the babies

 

[timrocks311]

that is really cool. I've seen this before but not this many babies.

 

[Tautog]

Very cool