Rapid loss of Fungia coral

[mtfish]

I had this coral for about two months. Was doing fine. Did not expand much during the day but did at night. I would feed it mysid and brine shrimp, it would eat like a pig. Looked last night, looked ok. Today there is just a skeleton. Still has its color, but it just a skeleton. Water parameters: Ca = 440; NH3 = 0; NO2 = 0; NO3 = 0; pH = 8.0; KH = 8; PO4 = 0 to 0.25? API test kit hard to read. Salinity = 36 temp = 81. I have T5 lights. All other corals are fine. Fish are fine. The Fungia was on a crushed coral substrate. Could this have done it in over time? I am just suprised at how rapid this happened. Any thoughts?
Thanks,
Mike

[StevenSeas]

sounds like the flesh was eaten to me...

[mtfish]

I added a Linckia star fish last week. Only thing different. They don't eat coral do they? I have a yellow tang. starry blenny, midas blenny, black-capped basslet, tomato clown fish and two skunk cleaner fish. Oh, I also added a Trachyphyllia with the starfish, but it is far away from the plate coral.

[StevenSeas]

no linkias tend to be reef safe. any worms or crabs?

[mtfish]

I can see no crabs when I look in there at night. I do have some very small snails but they don't seem to bother anything. None of the other corals seem to be bothered, but only the open brain is on the substrate. All the worms I have are micro in size and strictly detritovores. Do have amphipods, but that still doesn't make sense to me.

[StevenSeas]

only thing i can think of then is starry blenny or tang, maybe somebody else will chime in here

[mtfish]

Thanks for the suggestions. I am still new to this so I am trying to learn. This is the first coral I have lost though, so I would like to know why before I add anything else to the system.

[Randy@pollyspets]

I would guess also that either the starry blenny or tang...although that would be out of character for both. Look later at night to see if there is a large invert crawling around. If the tomato was trying to host in the plate that may have contributed as well...they can be a bit rough!

[Still Learning]

If you have a good clean-up crew and any part of that coral started to die, they might have just cleaned it up for ya. I would doubt any fish you have ate the coral....but snails and crabs can make a quick meal of something that is dying.

[Aqua-Dome]

It cannot be a skeleton if it still has its color...

[clone]

Im thinking PH swing. Have you had any other rapid losses?

[mtfish]

I was wondering the same thing about there still being color, but I held it in my hand and it sure looked just like a skeleton. Got home today and there is still some life in there. As the evening went on, there was a very slow, and very little swelling of the tenticles (? if this is the right word). The lights just went out for the night, so I will take a look in a little while. Still looks really bad, but now I have hope it can somehow recover. Not sure about pH. I don't have a meter, so only can take instant reading with a test kit, and do not do that routinely. I thought Fungia was supposed to be an easy or beginner coral. Any ideas why this one would take a hit and other corals look good? Here's keeping my fingers crossed that it will bounce back.

[Jarob]

I was thinking maybe the blenny nipped at it.. how long has it been receeded? Maybe there was food on it and the blenny went for it and got some tissue too, thats happened to my fungia a few time actually, it will look poor for a day or two.

[mtfish]

Jarob, this went from looking normal two days ago to looking bad yesterday. That's what freaked me out is how fast it happened. Most of the fish seem to sleep when the lights go out. Now the cleaner shrimp are another thing. They are always pestering my corals when I feed them, even though I try to give them some food first to keep them occupied. Thanks to everyone that has posted.

[Still Learning]

Glad to hear there is still some tissue and some hope!! Here's to a quick recovery!