Torch coral gaping mouths

[Bars]

I've had this torch for about 2 months and has been doing perfectly fine. However, the last couple of days it has both its mouths gaping like crazy. He's still inflating like he used to fortunately. Last week I moved him 4 inches to the side to make room for a new torch. He's a bit lower in the tank now, so I assume he's getting a little less light than before, but nothing crazy. Flow is pretty much the same, although I did adjust my powerheads slightly, so flow has changed a bit as well. Also I've started to increase my temperature last week. Can only do 2 degrees at a time, so it went from 24/ 75 to 25/ 77.

My 2 other torches are still doing fine (toxic green, which I didn't move and a dragon soul, which I picked up last week), so are my hammers and frog/octospawns. All other corals are doing great as well (Blastos, Trachyphyllia, Acans, bunch of sps).

Parameters:
Kh had a bit of a swing: 11-26: 8.3; 12-03: 7.85; 12-05: 8.4, it's usually stable around 8.3/8.4
Calc: 430
Magnesium: ~ 1600
Nitrates: 20 - 25 (always this high)
Phosphates: 0.1 (always thigh high)
Temp: 25C/ 77F
Salinity: 1.022, just checked this one for the first time in 2 months, it's lower than usual, usually around 1.024/25. Perhaps to do with the temperature increase?

Can I assume this is a combination of moving the coral, increasing temperature/decrease in salinity and a slightly changed flow pattern? This has all happened in the same week, so it'd make sense to me. Anything I should do other than keeping thing as they are right now?

 

[Bars]

Any ideas?
Not trying to be impatient, just want to know what I should or shouldn't do right now

 

[takitaj]

I'm going out on a limb here, and I may be corrected, but you probably shouldn't do anything.

It's not pretty much the same. You moved it, changed the flow and changed the temperature. It's probably ticked off and trying to adjust. May be just one too many changes that the others didn't see. It's still inflating somewhat and doesn't look like it's receding. Leave everything be and monitor it.

Maybe someone else can answer this question, because I'm not sure how well they play with others, could the torch next to it be aggravating it as well?

 

[TJflip44]

The mouths look fine to me. When I was reading your post I was imagining a large opening at the mouth which some say is a bad sign. Those look fine to me and I wouldnt worry as long as it doesn’t start showing any other signs of stress.

 

[Bars]

I'm going out on a limb here, and I may be corrected, but you probably shouldn't do anything.

It's not pretty much the same. You moved it, changed the flow and changed the temperature. It's probably ticked off and trying to adjust. May be just one too many changes that the others didn't see. It's still inflating somewhat and doesn't look like it's receding. Leave everything be and monitor it.

Maybe someone else can answer this question, because I'm not sure how well they play with others, could the torch next to it be aggravating it as well?

Thanks!
The torch next to it doesn't seem to be touching it, neither are the hammers below it.

The mouths look fine to me. When I was reading your post I was imagining a large opening at the mouth which some say is a bad sign. Those look fine to me and I wouldnt worry as long as it doesn’t start showing any other signs of stress.

I hope you're right.
Was thinking: could it be a feeding response? I feed 3 - 4 times a day my homemade food, which has lots of small particles in it, the corals seem to catch quite a bit as well.

 

[Pkunk35]

As others said, looks ok to me I would let it stabilize. Maybe feed if it will accept something meaty Via target feed with pumps off directly into its mouth.

 

[Bars]

As others said, looks ok to me I would let it stabilize. Maybe feed if it will accept something meaty Via target feed with pumps off directly into its mouth.

Good to hear, thanks!

 

[Bars]

Mouths are still looking weird, but it seems to really like being fed. Gave it a small chunk of squid on Monday and some salmon today. Even the Trachyphyllias don't eat as fast as this one. It's also the only Euphyllia that accepts food in the tank.

So, since it eats like crazy, is it safe to assume I just have a very hungry torch? Possibly related to my heavy feedings every day? After feeding, its mouths look normal again for a few hours.