I have two groups of anthelia ('waving hand coral') in my 65gal reef tank for several months now which have been thriving except for an approx 4-day stint a couple of weeks ago.
The 'stalks' of one group (which normally extend about 7" in the waterflow) retracted to 3" or less and all were completely limp (the 2nd group of anthelia, directly adjacent to this group on a separate rock, remained fully extended as normal; no other coral in the tank exhibited similar behavior). All of the effected athelia were attached to the same encrusting mat.
After about 3 days a few limp 'stalks' detached from the main colony and drifted to other parts of the tank. And within two days the original group was back to normal, as were the 'relocated' anthelia stalks, and have been fine ever since, as if nothing happened (the 'recovery' occurred a couple of weeks ago).
Is this 'normal' behavior which anthelia employs to spread around the tank in addition to its encrusting method? (the plan was to restrict the anthelia to just those two rocks ); or does it appear to be a reaction to something adverse?
Basic consistent tank specs: SG 1.027, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and phospates all undetectable, pH 8.4, KH 8dkh, temp 81F (w/288watts of PC lighting over the tank).
The 'stalks' of one group (which normally extend about 7" in the waterflow) retracted to 3" or less and all were completely limp (the 2nd group of anthelia, directly adjacent to this group on a separate rock, remained fully extended as normal; no other coral in the tank exhibited similar behavior). All of the effected athelia were attached to the same encrusting mat.
After about 3 days a few limp 'stalks' detached from the main colony and drifted to other parts of the tank. And within two days the original group was back to normal, as were the 'relocated' anthelia stalks, and have been fine ever since, as if nothing happened (the 'recovery' occurred a couple of weeks ago).
Is this 'normal' behavior which anthelia employs to spread around the tank in addition to its encrusting method? (the plan was to restrict the anthelia to just those two rocks ); or does it appear to be a reaction to something adverse?
Basic consistent tank specs: SG 1.027, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and phospates all undetectable, pH 8.4, KH 8dkh, temp 81F (w/288watts of PC lighting over the tank).