Did I kill my colt w/Phosphate Sponge?

[Gibeon]

So, I don't have a pic yet (will try to get one tonight/tomorrow morning).

I have a smallish colt coral that was doing great for the last month I've had it - fully open most of the time, day and night. I added Kent's phosphate sponge to my canister this weekend and since then it has been VERY tightly similar to how it looked when I first brought it home... however, it is getting a little brown and a little wrinkly looking around the stalk.

It sits next to some Xenia that is VERY happy - pumping all the time, but curls up for a few hours when the lights go out.

I probably did not rinse the Phosphate Sponge quite as well as I should have and a bit of a cloud came out of the return from the canister when I restarted it.

Will colt coral "melt" when it is dead? If not, does it just kind of wither away?

Thanks,
Gib

 

[Woodstock]

The 'dust' from the media may have annoyed it a tad. It should be fine. My leathers will shrivel occassionaly to shed skin. Give it a day or two

 

[BoomerD]

IIRC, the phosphate sponge is a white alumina media, which are known for irritating soft corals. Phosban is a much better product IMO.

 

[powdertang05]

that media will make them shrivel alittle but it will come back just mad right now at you. i agree on the phosban or rowaphos is good too.

 

[SoliSteve]

I'd have to weigh in and agree with all three above. The coral should come back but the product you used will have that effect on certain "softies", especially anything from the Sarcophyton group.

 

[Gibeon]

Wow, thanks for all the quick replies. I managed to get a photo this morning. It actually looked better than it did last night.

I was not aware that they shed their skins? Is it a "molting" type thing, or a stress response?

Edit: Wow my Xenia looks very "trunky" in that photo. It usually opens up a lot more, but the lights had only been on for 5-10 minutes.

 

[Woodstock]

That xenia does look 'trunkie'! Nice

My leathers seem to 'shed' rarely but when they do, I try to blow them off to speed up the process. I'm not sure if it does it in response to stress or not.

 

[Gibeon]

A quick update: The Colt opened up this morning and all is well.

Thanks for your responses!

 

[Witfull]

all soft corals are tempermental things~

 

[SoliSteve]

As are we all, huh??