Sick Scolly

[gort]

Bought a war paint. Has been doing really good. But i noticed today its loosing flesh and leaving the bony structure exposed.

I noticed a emerald crab acting like he was eating something off the bony exposed part.

What should I do????????

 

[jmike50]

Get rid of the emerald crab...not reef safe....and get some coral dip and dip the coral by the recommended amount of time.

 

[jimmystephens]

Is there alage on the skeleton parts?

 

[rdnelson]

I am no expert but I have never seen an emerald eat anything but bubble algae. I could be wrong but some pretty smart people have told me they are completely reef safe.


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[jimmystephens]

+1. He will eat the alage off it. But not eat the "meat"

 

[ff337]

I have had crabs kill scollies and acans. Ripping flesh off.

 

[ralph atl]

This might be the wrong forum, but I've had crabs eat all kinds of things!

 

[jdavid]

most things in nature will eat something once its dying... nature's way of recycling energy

 

[jennm]

Crabs are opportunists. If a meaty meal presents itself, they'll eat it.

Having said that, the question is, is the emerald cleaning up the dead, or causing the death?

Is anything stinging/irritating the Scolymia? Are you feeding it?

Sounds like the crab is a victim of circumstance - something else is likely causing the problem, he's just the one who picked up the smoking gun.

Jenn

 

[mcphock]

I'm having the same problem with a prized scolly.... Flesh has retreated from around the mouth showing the skeleton beneath. I do not feed it, but I've had it for years without feeding it. I tried feeding it a few days ago, but the 4 shrimp in the tank, kept stealing the food out of its tentacles.

So, in short, following along here.

 

[darren24]

Check your mag levels. LPS (chalices, scolys) will recede if the mag level gets too low.

 

[gort]

I haven't been feeding it. I was planning to but never got around to it.... I know thats bad. I have put a plastic cup in the back of my tank out of a lot of flow and light, still gets light but a little dimmer than where it was up front. I sat the scolly up on that cup, hoping the crab cant get up there.

There doesnt seem to be any algea on the exposed bony structure so I think the crab was just getting dead tissue. But i want him to leave it alone.

The cup is pretty high and anchored down so i dont think he can make it up there.

I am going to give it a few days then try feeding, its mouth was open tonight but closed up later on. I am going to check my Mag levels as suggested.

Jenn.. he was kind of near a wall hammer ... not too close but the closest thing to him.

Thanks for the help. Will keep you posted.

 

[jennm]

Got a photo? Was the hammer "upstream" from it? Euphyllias don't have to touch their neighbour to put a hurt on it. If the current is blowing toward the neighbouring coral, that can be enough for the hammer to put a whammy on the Scolymia.