White spots on Favia.

magikof7 · #1 11-15-2012, 12:30 AM

Hi all!

My Christmas Favia has been getting these white spots on them, I am not sure what it is.
I will try to get better pics but does anyone know what this is by this pic?

Proteus · #2 11-15-2012, 01:14 AM

Name: White Pox / White Spot

Symptoms: The coral will start to show white spots at random on its surface. Over a short period of time, more and more spots will appear. Most of the time, these spots will come to form a band across the coral’s surface, but this doesn’t happen in all cases. These white spots will increase in size very quickly as the bacteria starts to consume the coral’s tissue. This is most commonly found on SPS and some LPS corals. It is very difficult to tell the difference between this disease and damage due to fish / invert bites. It has been found in both LPS and SPS corals.
Cause: It is caused by a gram negative bacteria called Serratia marcescens

Proteus · #3 11-15-2012, 01:41 AM

Just so you know the bacterium is not from the ocean but from human waste. You can try to dip in coral rx. Possibly iodine. But lots of water changes and possibly cuting the infected portions off

There are many other people on here who could probably help more. Ask myka she always seem to know lots

magikof7 · #4 11-15-2012, 01:49 AM

Thank you Titus,
maybe it would be best to remove it, I hope my other corals wont be infected by it.

magikof7 · #5 11-15-2012, 01:52 AM

I noticed one little spot after I got it home and didn't think much of it. I thought maybe a bit of damage from the store. Now I'm worried about the rest of my corals.
and human waste? that's kinda gross.

Proteus · #6 11-15-2012, 03:18 AM

It's becoming more common in the caribian sea. Elk horn which is the populated coral there is being wiped out from this

I would take it out and dip it. A uv sterilizer may help to get rid of free floating Bacteria. I read that there is benifical bacteria that will out compete this strain for resources. But it's still in the lab and the elimination process is long. You could try loading up on benifical suplemts but its a shot in the dark.

Another reason to wash our hands before dipping them in the water