Toddv89 Posted November 20, 2018 Share Posted November 20, 2018 Hello all! I'm no coral expert and I just picked up this unnamed button coral from a Petco. Their Tanks were not looking very well and I think this coral needs some help. Polyps are all brown and my major concern is about all that green membrane looking stuff between the polyps. Any advice would be appreciated! Quote Link to comment
empresto Posted November 20, 2018 Share Posted November 20, 2018 Well, I'm no zoa or pally expert, but the 'membrane' between the coral polyps makes me think sponge. Does it break of if you pull on it? Does it feel like a sponge? Quote Link to comment
Joevember Posted November 20, 2018 Share Posted November 20, 2018 I wouldn't buy anything from Petco. Ever. Their tanks are full of pests and they don't take care of their animals. Buy from a LFS you can trust. Their prices are a but higher, but you know their products are good. 1 Quote Link to comment
Donny41 Posted November 20, 2018 Share Posted November 20, 2018 Personally I'd take it out. Not sure what that stuff is but I wouldn't take the chance introducing something that might spread around your tank. Especially with petcos reputation Quote Link to comment
RayWhisperer Posted November 20, 2018 Share Posted November 20, 2018 It's a sponge, and it's probably killing that coral. Yes, sponges can kill coral. 2 Quote Link to comment
Toddv89 Posted November 20, 2018 Author Share Posted November 20, 2018 26 minutes ago, Joevember said: Buy from a LFS you can trust. Their prices are a but higher, but you know their products are good. Completely agree. I would much rather do that except that the nearest place to purchase any live salt fish or coral is that Petco which is an hour drive one way or its 2.5 hrs one way to a very awesome LFS. Maybe I should just do my coral business online. Quote Link to comment
Toddv89 Posted November 20, 2018 Author Share Posted November 20, 2018 2 minutes ago, RayWhisperer said: It's a sponge, and it's probably killing that coral. Yes, sponges can kill coral. Wow thats crazy. Didn't know that. Any thing that can be done about it? I didn't see it until I got it home and the coral was all closed up and revealed the sponge beneath it. Quote Link to comment
WV Reefer Posted November 20, 2018 Share Posted November 20, 2018 4 hours ago, Toddv89 said: Hello all! I'm no coral expert and I just picked up this unnamed button coral from a Petco. Their Tanks were not looking very well and I think this coral needs some help. Polyps are all brown and my major concern is about all that green membrane looking stuff between the polyps. Any advice would be appreciated! It’s a sponge .......some are more aggressive than others. -just cut it off. I have bought awesome things at Petco-some are better than others. 🙂 1 Quote Link to comment
RayWhisperer Posted November 21, 2018 Share Posted November 21, 2018 I'm not sure removal is an option in your case. It looks like the sponge has encrusted that frag pretty extensively. A couple of options. First, sacrifice the coral for a nice sponge. Those are Calthrina species, as best as can be ID'd from a pic. Any definative ID would require an expert (something I'm not) to dissect and examine it. Anyhow, they are hardy, and excellent filter feeders. Next, remove the frag from the water for several minutes. This would probably kill the sponge, and do no harm to the coral. However, no guarantee some part of the sponge survives and begins to regrow. Finally, a freshwater dip would likely kill the sponge completely. It's not usually a problem for even unhealthy zoanthids to survive. Dechlorinated tap. And leave the frag in there for at least 5 minutes. 1 Quote Link to comment
BlennyBoi Posted November 22, 2018 Share Posted November 22, 2018 never, never NEVER buy ANYTHING at petco. especially saltwater animals. they dont know what theyre doing and practically everything has ich. buy from a specialty fish shop. price will be higher, but it will definitely be worth it. Quote Link to comment
BlennyBoi Posted November 22, 2018 Share Posted November 22, 2018 On 11/21/2018 at 2:13 AM, Toddv89 said: Hello all! I'm no coral expert and I just picked up this unnamed button coral from a Petco. Their Tanks were not looking very well and I think this coral needs some help. Polyps are all brown and my major concern is about all that green membrane looking stuff between the polyps. Any advice would be appreciated! dont freak out too much about them being brown. some are just like that, especially the cheap ones. Quote Link to comment
Toddv89 Posted November 22, 2018 Author Share Posted November 22, 2018 On 11/20/2018 at 6:50 PM, RayWhisperer said: Finally, a freshwater dip would likely kill the sponge completely. It's not usually a problem for even unhealthy zoanthids to survive. Dechlorinated tap. And leave the frag in there for at least 5 minutes. I think this looks like my best solution. Did a little research of my own and came to the same solution. Thank you! 9 hours ago, BlennyBoi said: dont freak out too much about them being brown. some are just like that, especially the cheap ones. Got ya! Quote Link to comment
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