Blasto Dead?

[less than bread]

Hi,

I got a small blastomussa frag about 3 months ago and the thing has not changed one bit. Hasn’t grown, hasn’t shrunk, hasn’t changed color in any way. I got curious about this recently so I picked it up and found it is rock hard.

 

Im thinking it’s dead but just looks very much alive since the color has not changed and still glows beautifully under blue lights.

[Hazy]

Those types of coral are supposed to have a hard exoskeleton. 
If it is still glowing under green light than it is still very much alive! The neon coloring you see is the algae living inside the coral, giving it its color. 
it looks kinda retracted to me... but not dead by any means. 

[NoOneLikesADryTang]

It’s definitely alive. Blastos love to eat. The next time you feed your fish, squirt a little food on them. You can literally watch it take the food to its mouth. 

[less than bread]

Ah thank you both. Yeah I was just taken back a little and surprised it’s hard on the outside

[NoOneLikesADryTang]

10 minutes ago, less than bread said:

Ah thank you both. Yeah I was just taken back a little and surprised it’s hard on the outside

Do you have any more pictures of it? When they’re inflated (underwater) they’re fluffy. 

[Clown79]

It looks retracted. Unhappy.

 

Blasto's should be puffy. 

 

They like moderate light, low to moderate flow or they retract.

 

They like being fed and stable alk 

[gena]

It's definitely not dead.  But unhappy for sure if it always looks like that.  Since it's been 3 months, I'd try moving it to a different position.  If it's in high light, move it to a dimmer area.  If it's in high flow, move it to a lower flow area. etc.  3 months is enough time for it to have adjusted.  Looks like it just doesn't like where it is.

[DaJMasta]

You sure that's a blasto?  Looks like a favia to me, and if that's the case, it's looking only a little deflated and seems alright.

[NoOneLikesADryTang]

2 minutes ago, DaJMasta said:

You sure that's a blasto?  Looks like a favia to me, and if that's the case, it's looking only a little deflated and seems alright.

That’s exactly why I asked for another picture. I thought it looked like a favia as well, and it would explain why it felt hard when the OP touched it. 

[less than bread]

Here is another picture. I moved it down to a lower light and lower flow area so we’ll see. Thanks all

[Clown79]

30 minutes ago, less than bread said:

Here is another picture. I moved it down to a lower light and lower flow area so we’ll see. Thanks all

Looks like a retracted blasto