Scroll sick

[Fishheaven123]

All,

Could someone help me determine what is happening to my scroll? It appears like it is dying from the center out.

 

[Sniperhank]

Have there been any changes recently? How long have you had it? How is it positioned in the tank? It might simply be how it is positioned and the lack of or too much flow to those areas leading to tissue recession.

 

[Fishheaven123]

There have been no changes. I’ve had it for about two years in the same position. The dark spots are fluttering in the flow. It looks somewhat like cyano.

 

[Sniperhank]

Most likely is that or a filament algae growing on the skeleton. It happens when I have die off. It’s almost always brown.
Most likely not the cause and just nature doing what it does.
What are the tank parameters? Have the powerheads been cleaned or need cleaned?

 

[Fishheaven123]

Why would the powerheads have anything to do with it?

 

[Sniperhank]

Flow is everything.
This is what can make many corals like this one tricky for some. Poor flow can lead to gunk gathering in the ‘cup’ or other areas that form a ‘cup’ and basically can suffocate the coral of light.
This can happen when first placed or after many years of growth. A coral can easily grow on such a manner that it restricts flow to the rest of it.
This is most easily seen in spiny pectinia. Due to its growth pattern it is extremely difficult to keep proper flow to the entire colony.