[Saltwaterhobby]

Hi guys, I have a torch coral (light green) and it has some brown stuff on some of its heads. Seem to be on those portion of heads that are in lower light. I don't know if it is brown jelly or what. I believe it is in the inside of the tenacles because some tenacles are light brown. If you guys have any information or tips about curing this type of diease please let me know. No tissue recession yet, when the tenacles retract, I can see that toward the edge of the head is brown, little brown. Again, I not sure if this is considered brown jelly diease.
Here is a picture.
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h2...4/DSCN2700.jpg

[sihaya]

I can't tell anything from that picture, sorry. But if it is brown jelly, the tissue under it would be dying. So you'd start seeing coral skeleton under the jelly.

[kevinpo]

Hello,
It's difficult to even tell if it is a torch coral from the picture. From what I can see it looks bleached and in poor condition. The tentacles should be extended 3-6". They like moderate flow and light. If using metal halide lighting be sure to keep the coral towards the bottom of the tank (or 24"-30" below the bulb)

Brown jelly looks just like large masses of jelly on the tissue of the coral and often proggreses very rapidly consuming an entire head in a day. Coral dips are quite effective at stopping the spread. Seachem makes one as does Kent Marine.

Here are some pictures of healthy ones.


HTH,
Kevin

[Saltwaterhobby]

Sorry about the picture I took it right after I turned on the light so the tenacles are not fully inflated yet. I think that this coloration is suppose to be its natural color, greenish transparent. I don't really know if it is brown jelly infection or not, maybe it is the begining because I have a arrow head crab that keeps on crawling on top of the heads. This might had stress the torch coral. Here is another pic when it is fully inflated.
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h2...4/DSCN2582.jpg

my light is kind of bias I believed. If it turn out to be brown jelly, I heard that idoine solution or fw dip will help stop it. Can you guys give me the name of the idoine solution so I could prepare in case it turn out to be brown jelly.

[kevinpo]

The second picture shows no infection. If the coral looks like that now it has no brown jelly infection. It has only lost most of its zooxanthellae (bleached). The natural color for your coral is brown, green, tan, not clear or transparent. They expel their zooxanthellae from shock of transport, poor water quality/chemistry or sudden increases in lighting intensity. Zooxanthellae are coffee brown and as a coral allows their numbers to multiply the coral becomes browner. The coral receives much of its nutrition from these algae and regulates their numbers. The coral itself is not photosynthetic but rather uses proteins and amino acids produced by the zooxanthellae to meet its nutritional needs. The stinging polyp tips act as a backup or supplemental feeding mechanism to capture meaty feeds similar to an anemone.

Regards,
Kevin

[Ninong]

Originally Posted by Saltwaterhobby

If it turn out to be brown jelly, I heard that idoine solution or fw dip will help stop it. Can you guys give me the name of the idoine solution so I could prepare in case it turn out to be brown jelly.

I wouldn't dip corals in freshwater for any reason. If you want to do an iodine bath/dip, you can use regular iodine that is sold at the drugstore. Use 20 drops (~1/4 tsp) per liter of tankwater. This needs to be done in a separate container and you should try to provide some sort of gentle water circulation during the 10-15 minutes the coral will be in the bath. That's the strongest I would go on the iodine. Iodine is a powerful antiseptic.

You could always experiment with half that strength first if you are concerned. You can expect most corals to slime when you treat them like this. And never treat soft corals with an iodine bath. In fact, I have only used this on SPS myself.

P.S. -- I'm not suggesting that you should dip the coral in question, I'm just telling you how to prepare an iodine bath/dip.

P.P.S. -- If you use Lugol's solution, cut the numbers in half because it's stronger than regular tincture of iodine.

[Saltwaterhobby]

Are you guys sure my torch is bleached other than some kind of variation of the torch family? Anyways, thanks for the advices/tips you guys gave me. There are no tissue recession or anything like that, in fact the coral looks healthy, its teancles are fully expand, just the bottom of the head that is light brown. I might do a fw dip.

[kevinpo]

My guess is that the brown portion is where the coral is beginning to regain its zooxanthellae. I have never seen a healthy Euphyllia coral be clear or transparent, but I have only been keeping them for 11 years or so. Maybe Eric B. will comment.

Regards,
Kevin
PS: I would not recommend a FW dip for a coral that is already stressed but recovering.

[Saltwaterhobby]

Hey kevin I think your right, but I did saw a similiar picture of my torch coral on one of the forum somewhere on the net. I bought it because I thought it is a cool color without the thought of the coral being bleach.


Anybody else viewing this forum ever saw a greenish transparent torch coral before????