Colt Coral Dying?????

I have a colt coral that has shrunk and changed colors over the last week it has white spots and some form of deterioration. Is it dying ? should I take it out? Or can it recover. I will post some pictures shortly, And water parameters.

 

waiting for ur input....
and hope it will be fine

 

Here's the link to the pictures
75 Gallon Reef Tank pictures by OLopezNYC - Photobucket

Aquarium Reef Tank parameters are:

Temperature: 76
Salinity: 1.023.5
Ammonia, NH4: 0
Nitrate, NO3: 5
Nitrite, NO2: 0
pH: 8.3
Alkalinity, KH: 150 ppm
Calcium, Ca: 480
Phosphate, PO4: 0

for date: May 27, 2012

 

Those are the only tests that I have so far

 

Welcome to 3reef.

If the colt in the second image from the top is the coral in question then I would move it to an area of more flow, and if it continues to stay closed then frag off the areas that do not show any sloughing or decay.

It's a pretty darn hardy coral and frags very easily.

How long have you had it?

 

I've had it about 2 weeks now the larger one is when I got it I moved it to another spot today, but I noticed that the foot of that small one on left is has a tear in the backside. So really do I just cut it out? Cause the larger foot on right seems to be doing better.

 

For now I would leave it in an area with lower lighting and mod flow while it continues to acclimate.
Should in decline further in the upcoming days, then yes you just take a sharp pair scissors and cut off the biggest branches and tie them to a piece of rubble with a rubber band, dental floss, fishing line, tooth pick take your pick. Or you can place the fragged pieces in a small saucer with some LR rubble in a low flow area and give the frags a week or two to attach.

 

Are these signs of it decaying ?

 

Hello OlopezNYC
Believe it or not I had the same problem with my colt coral. what I did was move it to the middle of the tank where I had more flow of water and now it seems to be doing fine.

For futher reference though try to buy colt, xenia, some polyps, and some leathers in smaller frags. Why!!! Because these types of coral grow fast and are not hard to maintain and cost you a lot less. although they look really nice big, if you purchase a frag for like $10- $20 It will save you $ for nicer and rare ones and in no time you will have the same big piece you got there.

Good luck and hope this works!!!!!!!

 

Here are the latest pictures, the one foot started to come apart and decaying. One side started opening up. See below its gotten lighter and polyps starting to open up. Also what is that white slimy stuff coming out of it?