Favia vs Sun Coral

[Reef Pilot]

Sun Coral won...

Had a really nice ice blue favia that was not far from where I place my sun coral. I feed my sun coral by placing a cut off plastic bottle top over it (to keep the mysis from being stolen by the fish and shrimp). I guess yesterday evening, when removing it, I jostled the sun coral a bit and it ended up being a little closer to the favia than usual.

So this morning, this is what I saw. Favia all white on that side, even the live rock in that area all white. The sun coral must have been stinging the crap out of it, or maybe even trying to eat it. The sun coral heads can extend an inch or more at times, and I guess it was just too close.

Sorry for the bad pic (don't have a proper camera yet for taking tank pics), but you can see the favia on the left, not looking too good.

[daniella3d]

It maybe also also that you harmed the flavia with the bottle and then the coral got infected with bacteria and protozoares.

Your pic is very bad but it seems that there is some brown jelly all over it, which would indicate a disease rather than a coral war.

[Reef Pilot]

Originally Posted by daniella3d

It maybe also also that you harmed the flavia with the bottle and then the coral got infected with bacteria and protozoares.

Your pic is very bad but it seems that there is some brown jelly all over it, which would indicate a disease rather than a coral war.

No, I didn't have the bottle on overnight. That is just for feeding. But when I removed the bottle, I jostled the sun coral (not glued down) and it was too close to the favia. This morning, the favia was all white, and showing some skeleton on that side. The sun coral heads were extended and touching the favia, almost like it was trying to eat it.

On the far side of the favia, there are a couple polyp sections that are still alive, and even some blue showing, so maybe they will survive. But 80% of it is dead. The sun coral must have a very powerful sting to have it happen that fast. I noticed all the live rock around that area turned white, too.

This all happened overnight. The favia was fine yesterday evening.

Was trying to take the pic with my iPad, but it has a very narrow depth of field with the auto focus, and hard to get it just right. Need to get a proper camera,... one of these years....

[Bblinks]

You need to take that favia out and dip it, try to cut off the dead part where the brown jelly is forming. If you don't, it will take out the whole colony.

[Reef Pilot]

Originally Posted by Bblinks

You need to take that favia out and dip it, try to cut off the dead part where the brown jelly is forming. If you don't, it will take out the whole colony.

There isn't much live part left of the favia, so I suspect I am too late already. It is epoxied down on the live rock, so if I tried to remove it, I would probably damage it further. So I think I will just leave it, and see if any part survives.

Meanwhile the sun coral is still extending its heads on that side, even though I moved it away a couple inches. Almost seems like it enjoyed its meal and trying to get more.

I should have clued in earlier. I have seen the favia a few times before in the morning, with fine thread tentacles waving out on that side. I guess it was trying to defend itself. But it was always healthy, and didn't show any any signs of being stung. If anything, I thought it was the aggressor, and would keep the sun coral heads away on that side. Obviously, I was wrong.

[reefwars]

Originally Posted by Reef Pilot

There isn't much live part left of the favia, so I suspect I am too late already. It is epoxied down on the live rock, so if I tried to remove it, I would probably damage it further. So I think I will just leave it, and see if any part survives.

Meanwhile the sun coral is still extending its heads on that side, even though I moved it away a couple inches. Almost seems like it enjoyed its meal and trying to get more.

I should have clued in earlier. I have seen the favia a few times before in the morning, with fine thread tentacles waving out on that side. I guess it was trying to defend itself. But it was always healthy, and didn't show any any signs of being stung. If anything, I thought it was the aggressor, and would keep the sun coral heads away on that side. Obviously, I was wrong.

you only need a skinflap with a piece of mouth and the favia can come back if conditions are right, 99% of the favia can be gone and it can still come back.


suncorals can be very aggessive

good luck