Help! Coral death looming???

[MechanicalEngineer]

Tank specs:

40g SPS dominant tank
20g sump with macro
2 x 150W MH lamps
Tunze 9002 skimmer
2 x Koralia 3's
1 x Koralia 4
1 x MAG 12 return pump
Alk: 6.4 dkh (I was on a business trip...I'm slowly bringing it back up)
Calcium: 400
Mag: 1450
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
pH: 8.2
Phosphates: undetectable
Temp: 80
Salinity: 1.026
Tank age: over 2 years

Problem:

I came back from a business trip (only a week long) to find the majority of my Acroporas a dull color...nearing brown. Some Montiporas were not as brightly colored. All LPS and softies seem unaffected. The main problem is this. My prized possession...my Sunset Montipora...has what seem to be fuzzy white patches covering it. Near where the patches are, the coral does not have much PE and is losing the bright orange color. These are NOT Montipora-Eating-Nudibranchs (I've had those before...these don't seem to be actual critter...they're not moving and don't have a body structure.)

The white fuzzy bits seem to be coming from the polyps...or attached to the polyps? I've tried to blow them off, but like I said, it seems to be coming out of the coral itself. The coral's condition is worsening every day. I really don't want to lose this coral.

I don't know if the browning of the other corals is related. Everything seems healthy otherwise (good PE, no white fuzzies on anything else.)

Is this maybe spawning? Is there some sort of Montipora fungus? Help!!! Thanks!

Coral before:


White fuzzies:






Any ideas???

[verper]

Without doing some online research, it sounds like spawning to me based on what I've read seen at a presentation.  The spawn does come out of the polyps.

[MechanicalEngineer]

I really hope so...I wish I had a better camera or a microscope so I could really see the makeup.  I've never heard of spawning actually hurting a coral though......

[verper]

Acro spawn

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1172784

[Revaltion131]

My Rainbow as done something similar.  I had to leave it as it is encrusted onto one of my base rocks.  It didn't seem to have any effect on other corals, and after a couple of days, it was fine.  I did increase the flow going over the coral and that seemed to help a little as well.  The affected areas had little to no PE and the white spots were most noticeable at night.  I agree that it's possible that it was spawning. I don't know what to tell you otherwise.

[lazylivin]

How are things going? Any further degeneration or are things returning to normal? Did you post on RC if so wondering what did they came up with.
I have had these similar white fuzzies over the past couple of months on some birds nest frags. I will try to get pictures next time I see it.

[MSUJenn]

It was that huge party that Will had at your house while you were out of town. Who knows what they were pouring into your aquarium  .

But seriously, let me know if you need anything. I'm sure it will bounce back with your good reefin' skills. And I've always got your back up frag in my tank if things take a turn for the worse.

[MechanicalEngineer]

Thanks everyone.  The white fuzzies appear to be gone, but where they were, the coral isn't 100%.  PE is back, but the color is a faded orangish-brown.  I don't know what it was, but everything appears to be going back to normal.  Knock on wood. 

No one on RC had anything of value to add. 

[Revaltion131]

I've found they don't often do.  I'm trying to figure out what's wrong with my Stylo, tried a few sites, and absolutely no responses.

[MechanicalEngineer]

Have you posted on here & I've just missed your thread?  If not, try posting up.