Question for advanced SPS keepers

[ozmonster]

I've got a Montipora Digitata frag that fell over (or got knocked over by snail) into an Acropora frag last night. I pulled it off this morning and saw tissue "strands" in between two tips as they came apart.

Now the Monti seems to be RTNing at point of contact approx .5 cm from tip. It seems to be getting worse but may have stopped losing tissue (hard to tell). The acro shows no signs of distress at all.

My question is whether I should cut off the affected tip or see if it will grow back. I'd hate to lose the whole frag to RTN.

Thanks,
oz

 

[big o]

yes,yes,yes,it happened to me

 

[ScottC]

Cut it or dremel it, and if you can, dip it. Montipora can be saved, just as long as you cut it back slightly past the RTN.

 

[reefland]

I agree with ScottC, follow his advice.

 

[esmithiii]

I am not sure that it is RTN. My understanding is that RTN is an infection, not damage caused by stress or coming into contact with another coral. IME Montipora is quite hearty and should recover on its own. Fragging it with pliers is an option, but to me it sounds extreme unless the dead area is spreading. Keep in mind that RTN takes only a day to kill the entire colony. Every time I have accidentally damaged montipora digitata it recovers and regrows over the damaged portion.

Just my opinion.

Ernie

 

[Newts]

I've had the same thing happen to me.I just reached in and broke off the dead area and the M. digitada recovered just fine.I didn't really have to break it,because it was fine with it there but it looks better to the eye not to have to see the dead part.I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[Minh Nguyen]

Just leave it and the polyps will re-cover the dead part in a short time (if the coral is doing well in your tank)
Minh Nugyen

 

[ozmonster]

Thanks for all your replies.

I ended up cutting off the affected tip with wire cutters. Although many of you may have been correct about it regrowing, it looked like the "RTN" or tissue loss had pregressed slightly from when I first noticed it. This coupled with the fact that if it spread more I'd have to cut the entire frag in half (as the affected tip was a tiny offshute of the main stalk) led me to cut it.

Thanks for all your help

oz

 

[CraigLampe]

I agree that the whitening you see initially here is NOT RTN, it is simply a sting of the acropora coral.

The scary things is that this sting can sometimes CAUSE RTN to occur!! I have had this happen, but it is usually when RTN is happening to other corals in this tank...

I have often noticed that my acropora corals will be able to sting other frags, including montipora and others!!

The solution in my mind for RTN is ONE AND ONLY ONE -- BREAK IT APART!! I have never found dipping to be beneficial... You also have to leave a LARGE MARGIN between the RTN area and the fresh coral because there is 1/2"-1" of coral in between which is DYING (NOT YET DEAD AND WHITE!) so make sure to just break it all apart!! I am quite sure you have already done this and the crisis is either catastrophic or you have saved this guy by now!!

 

[wasabi]

its been my experience that montipora ussually gets the best of acropora. but i leave them alone after a battle or accident and they have always recovered on there own