Petrified Acan help

[aviator300]

I ordered this Acan from a yet to be revealed vendor and it was received yesterday (fairly expensive).

It looked great when it arrived and I suspected nothing at all so I visually inspected it and put it in my QT.

 

This morning it still looked great but I noticed its tentacles were not moving in the flow so I carefully examined it again and discovered this.

 

Despite the coloration and outward appearance of health, it is totally petrified. I mean not a trace of living tissue at all. The surface is colorful but dry and hard as porcelain. I didn't notice that yesterday when it came because it looked very colorful and I wanted to get it acclimated and into the tank.

 

Has anyone out there had a similar experience and how did the vendor handle it. I have an E-mail out to the vendor and shall see how they handle the situation before naming them. The photo below was taken today just after I noticed it wasn't alive.

 

 

 

 

[SarlinDescent]

Following, although I am not sure why they do this. I have one that did this (of 5-6 types) after 4 months. I have moved it to change flow and lighting with no luck.

[ReefWeeds]

Was the skeleton showing like that yesterday when you received it?

[jack1978]

Ya, that's its skeleton. If there is still flesh and its not inflated it'll feel hard. Sometimes flesh will pull away from the skeleton .....from almost a flesh mat to individual polyps......but that will recover.

[Reefer69]

Yeah usually when they are retracted like that, they feel hard as rock because the tissue is tightly against the skeleton. I would move it to low light and flow and let it recover. Was it closed when you received it? (No color showing) That means it definitely was alive and retracted to the state you see it in now. Never have seen or heard of a petrified coral except in museums lol. Best of luck with though.

[smeagol108]

Agree with everyone else it's just retracted which isn't abnormal from shipping etc. give it time. Even my healthy acan garden has some that retract randomly every couple weeks and than open huge again.

[brandon429]

All agreed. If it's dead it's white if it's got any color it can rebound in time, good feeding etc. request a discount but not full refund for the septa showing

 

Other than that g2g

[aviator300]

All agreed. If it's dead it's white if it's got any color it can rebound in time, good feeding etc. request a discount but not full refund for the septa showing

 

Other than that g2g

Great point. I will watch it a day or two. The vendor spontaneously gave me full credit on my next purchase but in good faith, i'll hang onto it and notify them if it makes a recovery in a reasonable length of time.

[brandon429]

It's so reliable that I'd buy that frag at a nice price if you were at our swaps with it, it's a costly variant where I'm from.

[tetraodon]

if you see any more skeleton exposed do an iodine mix dip, it may stop the damaged portion from getting infected and give the best chance for the surviving tissue to regenerate.