Torch coral help

[naybedg]

i bought this black with orange tip torch coral and it has this little tentical like thing on it or a tiny tiny starfish kind that is in between the two heads but I don’t n ow what it really is and if anyone can help me out and help me find out what it is and if I should remove it immediately or if it could damage the torch coral.

 

[crazyfishmom]

The little tentacle thing might be a barnacle, not a big deal. The torch itself has very little tissue, the skeleton looks like it’s receding. How long have you had it?

 

[naybedg]

The little tentacle thing might be a barnacle, not a big deal. The torch itself has very little tissue, the skeleton looks like it’s receding. How long have you had it?

Not even a day I just got it cuz it was my last coral and I didn’t want to get any more

 

[naybedg]

The little tentacle thing might be a barnacle, not a big deal. The torch itself has very little tissue, the skeleton looks like it’s receding. How long have you had it?

Is receding bad??

 

[crazyfishmom]

Is receding bad??

Unfortunately yes. It means the torch is losing my tissue. If your parameters are good there’s a shot it will recover. Just annoying that your LFS sold your. Torch that’s not healthy.

 

[naybedg]

Noo I want to cry it cost me over 100

 

[CrimsonTide]

Oh the thing in-between the heads in a micro brittle starfish I think and it's reef safe. It shouldn't bother the torch. At least I am fairly certain someone else might also chime in. I have a couple on my tank and they are cool. I didn't know what it was at first in mine either I had to ask and now I've seen a few.

 

[lil sumpin]

It looks like a brittle starfish

 

[naybedg]

It looks like a brittle starfish

Are they bad??

 

[CrimsonTide]

Are they bad??

Nope. They will help clean your tank. Totally fine.

 

[lil sumpin]

A good indication of a healthy torch coral is a thick white band around its edge. It’s unfortunate the LFS sold you one that appears to be struggling. Maybe see if you can return or exchange it? Otherwise it’s an uphill battle, you will have to stay on top of your parameters and make sure it doesn’t get worse.

 

[naybedg]

Nope. They will help clean your tank. Totally fine.

What can I do about my torch coral receding?? Please anything can help. I don’t want it to die its probably too late to go to my local Petco to get food for it or anything that will help. What can I do about it receding!?

 

[VintageReefer]

What can I do about my torch coral receding?? Please anything can help. I don’t want it to die its probably too late to go to my local Petco to get food for it or anything that will help. What can I do about it receding!?

What food do you have ?

I’ve been here. Flesh band recovery takes weeks if your lucky and conditions are excellent

Unfortunately, with severe recession, your coral is also in a very fragile frail state. So. It’s in bad condition and will be for a while, which makes recovery challenging because any small issue in the tank or flow can make things worse, and you have little buffer / wiggle room for issues of any kind

 

[CrimsonTide]

What can I do about my torch coral receding?? Please anything can help. I don’t want it to die its probably too late to go to my local Petco to get food for it or anything that will help. What can I do about it receding!?

You should let us know what the parameters are in your tank so we can at least tell you if you're going in the right direction.

 

[VintageReefer]

My torches eat almost anything. I use flake or pellet food a lot of time out of convenience.

Just make sure to soak it in tank water, for 5-10 min, and then turn off flow and gently put some towards the mouth with a baster or syringe. You should see the arms curl up and help hold the food whole it ingests it

 

[VintageReefer]

Just a fyi with torches
The flesh band is an indicator of health. You can have a open torch that’s not healthy

Take one mine for example in recovery


The yellow tip torch in the middle. Looks good. Would sell easily in a store if price is right. Open and good colors and looks in good shape. It’s not. It was severely neglected in another tank and has no flesh band. The head is at risk of detaching if it’s stressed. Look close in the next picture of the trunk. Where the coral meets the skeleton there is no flesh band


If this head was severely annoyed and retracted fully it looks like this and you can see what i mean


A healthy torch has a band of flesh around the top edge of the skeleton where it meets the head. Like this


This isn’t the only indicator of health. But. No flesh band = neglect / prolonged period of heavy stress, to the point that the coral is attempting to abandon its skeleton or it is involuntarily losing the ability to hold onto its skeleton.

It can recover but it’s several weeks at least and needs good conditions, lower flow, and regular feeding

 

[naybedg]

A good indication of a healthy torch coral is a thick white band around its edge. It’s unfortunate the LFS sold you one that appears to be struggling. Maybe see if you can return or exchange it? Otherwise it’s an uphill battle, you will have to stay on top of your parameters and make sure it doesn’t get worse.

Where I got it, they can’t do exchanges or returns.

 

[VintageReefer]

You got it yesterday ?

 

[naybedg]

That is how the torch coral looks like right now and one of the Duncan coral heads is closed off. They were healthy and looked good right before I purchased them

 

[VintageReefer]

Can you post a pic closer like this?
It didn’t matter if it closes it actually makes it easier to see and photograph


Then put It back