Something took a bite out of my Scoymia!

[flyboywbl]

So I woke up to this, this morning.

It looks like something took a bite out of my Scolymia. We don't have any fish that would do this. We have two clowns, a sail-fin tang, and a hippo tang.

It is sitting about five inches away from a brain coral. Could it be stinging it?

Any idea about what could do this?

thanks!

-Matt

 

[Northstar24]

I have heard of at least one report where a Sailfin started going after corals when under fed. Is the sailfin getting enough algae?

It could potentially be the brain, I believe that they have a pretty potent sting

 

[flyboywbl]

I feed about a two square inch sheet of green or red algae every day. could it be our long spine urchin? it's about the size of a basket ball. This same thing happened to our Blasto. It was a large bite over night and all the flesh was gone as well.

sorry for the bad picture

I'm pissed, that Scolymia was like 300 bucks!

 

[Smitty]

Wow...do you have any corals around it that may have stinging tentacles, it could have been burned also probably.

 

[flyboywbl]

Wow...do you have any corals around it that may have stinging tentacles, it could have been burned also probably.

Yeah we were thinking about it and we remembered we moved our brain coral some. It might of been enough to be in range. They were still about 5 inches apart but i've seen those tentacles and they do get long! The Scalymia is now a good foot from the brain coral, so we'll see if the problem persists.

Thanks!


-Matt

 

[Smitty]

It should recover...good luck.

 

[flyboywbl]

It should recover...good luck.

Thanks! I posted a video on my build thread.

-Matt

 

[flyboywbl]

Well I found the culprit. It was the Urchin. We woke up this morning to him munching on the Scolymia. He ate another good 1/2 inch section off. I'm PISSED.

We had one heck of a battle getting him out. His spines went right through my heavy rubber gloves. OUCH! I then dropped him on the step ladder (thank god it was there because my bare foot was right underneath it). He then tried to run away.He is chilling down in the refuge til the LFS opens today.

I don't know if I want to get another one but I think he has just gotten too big and there is not enough food for him. It's a good foot in diameter now.

Case closed

-Matt