What's happening to my birdsnest frag?

[MikeP]

I've had this frag in the tank for 2 months. Everthing seemed to be fine and there has been some growth but when I got home from work I noticed almost one whole branch is turning white. It wasn't like that last night before bed. What's going on here?


http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q117/MikeP471612/Corals/IMG_0822.jpg

Thanks

[michika]

Looks like RTN (Rapid Tissue Necrosis). I would recommend fragging it, or you can leave it and see if it stops, its up to you.

[Jason McK]

What is that beside it on the left? Could it be stinging it?

J

[MikeP]

Green hairy mushrooms. Do they sting?

[PoonTang]

I think I read somewhere that they do sting tho im not positive.

[Chowder]

Yes all mushrooms sting and so does star polyps.

[MikeP]

Really! Well I guess I found out the hard way :( I will move the mushrooms tonight, not sure what to do about that patch of GSP though. Should I break off the birdsnest (it's glued there) and relocate? Will the RTN spread to the rest of the coral?

Thanks

[michika]

You should probably move one or the other, its up to you. I would probably select the birdsnest, mostly because GSP grows back too quick.

[Der_Iron_Chef]

I was under the impression that GSP doesn't sting, but rather engages in chemical warfare (allelopathy) and overgrows other corals.

My vote goes to the hairy mushroom. Mine have stung one of my sarcophyton.

[MikeP]

Mushrooms are moved and I was able to peel back some of the GSP. I will try to move the birdsnest on the weekend. What can I do to help the birdsnest recover?

[fishytime]

I have a ricordia yuma that has stung both my favia and a zoa frag. The favia recovered quickly but the zoas are still hurtin.

[christyf5]

Mushrooms are moved and I was able to peel back some of the GSP. I will try to move the birdsnest on the weekend. What can I do to help the birdsnest recover?

Not much, that white branch is gone, the rest should recover on its own though.

[fortheloveofcrabs]

I had a Frogspawn succumb to RTN this summer and the tip (which worker very well) was to up the flow on the coral for a while. I don't know if the same would apply for an SPS as they already need high flow...

[Snappy]

Mushrooms & gsp will sting and are both bad companions for sps. Give some distance between them. I'm pretty sure that mushrooms and other coralmorphans are actually in the anemone family and will eat your other corals.

[04scoobysti]

i have a birdsnest that is in contact with some gsp and no ill affects. They both seem to be keeping their eachother at bay, if anything the gsp has recided a bit where they contact. But ive definitly had sps stung by ricordia, and in my experience the bleaching has been localized to the contact area.

[MikeP]

Thanks for the help everyone.