Ricordea & Heliofungia coral warfare

DangerDave · Feb 26, 2018

So this is the first battle that’s happened in my tank. I had a dime sized ricordea that let go of the rock he was on. He was blown into my Heliofungia. I saw him land there, and was able to get him off within a minute. The ricordea died quickly. The Heliofungia seemed fine. That was last Wednesday.

This is the Heliofungia prior to this.

This is what he looks like as of last night.

It has been opening every day, and the tissue dying seems to have stopped (as of last night anyway). It’s right up to the mouth, I’m assuming if the mouth melts it’s over.

I know to leave it in the tank even if it dies, since they can pop off babies as a last chance go at survival.

This was one of my favorite corals, any opinions on its chances of survival?

leahfiish · Feb 26, 2018

Wow I would not have expected that. If the tissue is not receding anymore I think it should recover. You could also try dipping it, or fragging it if you have a saw.

DangerDave · Feb 26, 2018

leahfiish said:
Wow I would not have expected that. If the tissue is not receding anymore I think it should recover. You could also try dipping it, or fragging it if you have a saw.

I dipped it, and moved it to my frag tank where the second pic was taken. I'm leaving the office now, I hope it hasn't progressed any further today.

Dave

DangerDave · Feb 27, 2018

It did lose some additional flesh, but very little, maybe 5% more since I first posted. Anyone have any ideas?

Brian1f1 · Aug 14, 2018

What was the outcome?

timrocks311 · Aug 16, 2018

man, neither one made out too good in that fight. hopefully the plate hung in there and recovered.

DangerDave · Aug 16, 2018

Unfortunately there were no survivors in that battle. It was a slow decline for plate u til about 50% was gone. After that it melted fast. I love the way those look, but I’ve killed two now (three if you count the baby that popped up), and can’t bring myself to get another one...

Brian1f1 · Aug 16, 2018

Thanks for answering. I just got a heliofungia today... for some reason had it in my head they were the same difficulty as short tentacles. Got me worried, hard to believe that happened!

DangerDave · Aug 16, 2018

Well it was doing great before it crossed path with the ricordea. I think parameter stability is the key.

DSC reef · Aug 17, 2018

Ricordea mushrooms can cause some damage. If you try another heliofungia and you get recession like this from a sting, etc, try an iodine based coral dip. It has worked for us in the past but not a guarantee.

DarthSimon · Aug 17, 2018

I had a Ricordea sting my Miami Hurricane chalice a few weeks back. Chalice was encrusted, nothing much I could do. But the chalice made it... Small piece died away, but it was bottom edge of chalice, and it's already healed up, and grown in the sting spot.

Brian1f1 · Aug 17, 2018

I got my plate yesterday. It didn’t open much, but it did eat. This morning I read you have to flip them to release trapped air, so I did and it was pretty full of bubbles. Hopefully having the trapped air for 24 hours doesn’t wipe the thing out before we even get started... Ah reefing

timrocks311 · Aug 17, 2018

Brian1f1 said:
I got my plate yesterday. It didn’t open much, but it did eat. This morning I read you have to flip them to release trapped air, so I did and it was pretty full of bubbles. Hopefully having the trapped air for 24 hours doesn’t wipe the thing out before we even get started... Ah reefing

that's new to me. I've never heard they trap air. I've also never had a plate though.

Brian1f1 · Aug 17, 2018

timrocks311 said:
that's new to me. I've never heard they trap air. I've also never had a plate though.

Yes, there is so much focus on not tearing them or dropping them, so I gingerly and carefully held it upright and lowered it down. When you do that the underside traps air like a bell, which apparently can kill them even though you can’t see it. Special. Ha

timrocks311 · Aug 17, 2018

Brian1f1 said:
Yes, there is so much focus on not tearing them or dropping them, so I gingerly and carefully held it upright and lowered it down. When you do that the underside traps air like a bell, which apparently can kill them even though you can’t see it. Special. Ha

oh ok. That makes sense. I was thinking you meant they trap air inside some how.