Elegance splitting?

[Doberman13]

I have been gone for a week staying at Emory with a family member, my wife has been topping off my ATO but the door to my office was closed and ph lowered to 7. Without manual dosing and a skipped WC my alk was down to 6. When I got a chance to come home my Aussie Elegance wasn't looking good, It was not opening up very much (1.5" wide). Today it is more open than it has ever been(6" wide)and it looks as if it has a second mouth forming. I'm trying to be optimistic but do y'all think this is anything besides it splitting?

 

[jcook54]

Man, I wish I could help. I don't have experience with elegance corals but it was my understanding that they don't "split" and actually need t be cut apart to make more. Again, I don't know for certain but I have sent a link to @percula for his opinion. He's got a ton of experience with them and has the biggest one I've ever seen.

 

[ActiveAngel]

I suspect that it is simply growing a new mouth. As @jcook54 mentioned, they dont split in the same way as other corals do; namely branching euphyllias, duncans, trumpets, etc. But they should gain new mouths as they grow similar to how lobophyllia will.

 

[jcook54]

Plus, take comfort in the fact that it doesn't look bad, just a little odd in the mouth. Our reef tank are not nearly as dependent on exact specifications as we sometimes like to think they are. A pH of 7 and an alk of 6 isn't good and things won't thrive but if they were lowered over the course of 1 week+ it's not nearly as problematic as the same swing happening in a few hours. My honest guess is that you got worried about the depressed levels and have been really, really looking at the tank. That and the tank swap have your "what could possible be wrong" radar on high alert.

I'm sorry about your family member btw. I'm assuming you're were at Emory Hospital and not with a cousin that's a Freshman in the dorms.