Candy Cane with Funky White stuff

[Crazy Tiki]

Hey Guys,

 

I have had this three head piece of candy can in my tank for a couple of weeks and it has developed this white stuff just below the heads. Also it doesn't look to healthy as it doesn't get big. The pic included is how big they get in the day time, during the night they shrink up like and look anorexic.

 

 

Is it dead? What is the white stuff? Should I move it to a higher flow area? - I originally had it in a medium flow area and moved it to a low flow in the pic?

 

I have two frog spawns, 2 mushrooms, 2 zoas and a GSP and they are all doing great, the frog spawns have double to tripled in size and the zoas are looking like they are going to explode.

 

thanks for your input

[MikeTR]

Looks like a sponge to me..can you scrape it off? They are supposed to shrink up at night and extend their feeder tentacles.

[Crazy Tiki]

Is the sponge okay? I have read on other posts that they are harmless.

 

I have not seen any feeder tentacles come out at night or during the day. There are little branches that have sprouted out underneath the heads- possibly new growth? but that is it.

[dsoz]

What white stuff are you talking about?

If you are asking about the yellow, then it could be that the flesh on the skeleton dying and sloughing off. Not a good thing.

 

If you are asking about the light blue line, then it could be some sort of tube worm or sponge. If it is hard with a little feather-duster like thing sticking out of it, then tube worm. If it is soft, then sponge. Either way, it could be irritating the coral, but it should not be affecting all three heads.

 

If you are asking about the red, then I have no clue.

 

The little white circles are foraminiferans, I think. Mostly harmless unless they are sending out mucous strings that are irritating the coral.

 

Candycane seem to like low flow areas in my tank. When the lights are out for an hour or so, do feeding tentacles come out? If they do, put some food in them to see if they will eat. mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, plankton, even pellet food.

 

The skeleton sticking through the flesh is not a good sign no matter what.

 

dsoz

[MikeTR]

Does it look like the picture below? If so it's a sponge.. the candy cane doesn't look too bad.. give it a couple days in the low flow area. You have to be careful with LPS and flow, you can rip the tissue off the skeleton if the flow is too much.

 

[Crazy Tiki]

Hey Mike & DSOZ, Yes it does look like that the sponge with the mucos strings extending out . I will sit by and wait and if nothing changes I will try to scrape of the sponge. thanks for the info.

[ap123]

Is it eating? Try feeding it and see what happens.

[The Propagator]

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[Phuntoon]

You sure there's not a vermetid snail near there? Looking closely at the pic, it looks like it's "spider web" is going over the top and kind of irritating the heads, unless that is just the mucous of the coral itself. If it was me, I'd get a turkey baster and lightly blow on it just to be sure there's nothing on there buggin it.

[Crazy Tiki]

You sure there's not a near there? Looking closely at the pic, it looks like it's "spider web" is going over the top and kind of irritating the heads, unless that is just the mucous of the coral itself. If it was me, I'd get a turkey baster and lightly blow on it just to be sure there's nothing on there buggin it.

 

Yeah there is a little spider webbing going on, but I have not seen a snail of that description . I think it is just the sponge mucus

 

I think the best thing is to try to feed it directly some frozen brine shrimp or pellets and I will also try to peel off or scrape the white stuff off the heads of the candy cane. Thanks for your input