Sinularia flexibis, hlth./comp.  -- 03/18/08 I added a large healthy Sinularia Flexibis (spaghetti coral) from LiveAquaria to a 90g reef tank (other coral inhabitants: brown toadstool mushroom coral (Sarcophyton sp.), green toadstool mushroom, (Sarcophyton sp.), Ricordea mushrooms, other assorted mushrooms, pipe organ coral. While the spaghetti coral is thriving, the soft leathers (Sarcophyton) are not; they have retracted their tentacles and appear 'slimy,' 'flat' and 'collapsed/closed'. <It's probably that you have too many different types of soft corals and leathers in the same tank. Exactly how many is too many? I honestly couldn't tell you. We usually don't find out until something starts suffering.> (I have rearranged so as to modify light and water flow conditions to no avail. They are additionally often covered in the sweeper tentacles that extend from the spaghetti coral at night (Very long webbed strings that can extend half the length of the tank) that have presumably broken off on it. Are such sweeper tentacles deleterious to the health of the (soft) corals <likely so, to some degree or another> - or are my concerns misguided such that I should instead be looking for some other potential problem (everything tests out fine so I am thoroughly perplexed by the change in condition). <These animals produce all kinds of chemicals and toxins, it's often impossible to predict exactly how one coral will affect all others under a given set of circumstances. But generally, this sounds like an allelopathic problem of some sort to me.> Additionally, a change in location of the leathers is not thought possible given the size of the tank and rock wall positioning - and in any event, unless perhaps placed on tank's bottom where lighting may not be sufficient, all locales likely within reach of such long string-like protrusions from the spaghetti (if that is in fact what is causing the disturbance). <This could very well be the case (especially if they are mesenterial filaments).> Note: a frogspawn introduced at same time as spaghetti also died - <LPS corals are thought to be especially vulnerable to leather coral toxins.> although I suspect the butterfly may have picked at it sufficiently (have been conscientious in selecting coral species that would not be harmed by the butterfly - <Good start, but the next step is to think more carefully about selecting corals that will not harm each other. At this point, the only advice I can give you (aside from removing the S. flexibis) is to run a lot of activated carbon.> this was a surprise to me, introduced based upon the advisement of a professional reef-keeper / maintenance person). Thanks! Mike <De nada, Sara M.>

Unwell Coral, Alcyoniid allelopathy   3/9/08 I have a soft coral in my reef tank which was absolutely flourishing until a couple of days ago when we introduced three new corals. <Oh oh... it's losing> I think it is a leather coral (soft) maybe something called Devils Finger. It retracts quickly when the lights are switched off, but in the morning comes out and is quite large with polyps extending from the fingers. We have had it for a couple of months now with a couple of other sorts and it was growing rapidly. It was a soft pink in colour. <Mmm, might be artificially dyed> This week we introduced another leather coral, a bit like a toadstool, a leather coral which is flat, and a star polyp coral. We attached these fragments to our live rock using Milliput. While doing this the Milliput seemed to leak a foggy substance (small particles) and the Devils Finger (If it is that) retracted quickly and went very mauve in colour. It has remained like that now for four days, despite water changes and a thorough clean of the external filter. We have put Poly Filter and Carbon in the external filter. <Good> Could you have any idea what has upset our coral which was so well established and doing so well. Will it recover. I shall be very glad of your advice. Byan King ( In UK) <In a word, allelopathy. Read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/cnidcompppt.htm and the linked files above... and then on to the "Compatibility" FAQs files of the Cnidarian groups present... via the index or search tool. Bob Fenner>

Yellow Leather Coloring Issue -02/21/2008 Good Morning WWM Crew, I¹m writing today to inquire more about a coral vanity question rather than its health. <Not to get too philosophical, but shouldn't these be more one in the same? How "beautiful" could any unhealthy coral be?> I got the most spectacular yellow Fiji leather a few months back. As you can see in the picture attached it is sunshine yellow. (Forgive the unhappiness of the coral, the picture was taken only moments after introduction into my tank). <Please see here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/dyedcorals.htm> I have it situated approximately 5² below the waterline under 4 54W T5 bulbs. (1 white, 2 Blue, 1 Purple). Over time it has gradually become more brown in color towards the edges of the skin and the polyps. <Hmmm, this tends to happen as dyed corals recover.> It is growing nicely and extends its polyps daily, <awesome> but it just isn¹t the same spectacular sight anymore. <Sure it is... but it's spectacular in a different color now.> Is the discoloration from lack of light or too much light? I¹ve also attached a picture of the whole tank so you can see that it is placed far enough away from any other corals that might be causing chemical warfare. <Well, as far as chemical warfare goes, I'd worry more about the leather coral(s) hurting the stony corals. Leather corals can be quite toxic to many stony corals.> I¹m interested to know your opinion and your recommendations for how to get the old color back. (Please note these are old pictures and do not accurately portray the color now) <The best advice I can give you is to care for the coral as best you can and to maybe be a bit more "flexible" in what you consider beautiful. Or, if you really must have a bright yellow coral, try to find one that's naturally that way (rather than artificially dyed that color).> Sincere Regards, Jessica L. <Best, Sara M.>

Sarcophyton elegans... or dyed? The latter. RMF.