Anthelia question (with tank parameters)

[Obi-dad]

(Previous post didn't have parameters) I have a couple colonies of anthelia that have shrunk and turned bright white.

30g tank, 200W PC bulbs (5 months old), nh3, nitrites, nitrates undectable, temp 75-78, salinity 35 ppt, ca 400, alk 8 (all lower quality test kits, I will be ordering salifert kits soon). There are hairy mushrooms, candy cane, frogspawn, a small leather, a patch of xenia, green star polyps, grape caulerpa, and a BTA in the tank, no fish, and millions of pods (because no fish I think). The only creature near the two colonies of anthelia are hairy mushrooms, but they have been that close for months.

The anthelia previously was brownish, 3-4 inches long and flexible, but now is less than an inch, bright white and rubbery. It just seems odd that everything else appears fine.

By leaving it in there am I risking it turning toxic and wiping out my tank?

[ReefDiver]

If I were you, I would read Anthony Calfo's article on Xenia in the latest issue of reefkeeping magazine. He discusses Anthalia as well. Very good info.

BTW, I don't think that they will harm your tank at all.

[Obi-dad]

I just read the article in ReefKeeping (seems similar to the info in his book on Coral Propogation), and although he mentions 'meltdown' and 'brown jelly', mine doesn't show this (yet...).

Anyone else had this happen and have their coral recover? Or had them decay and hurt the other inhabitants of the tank?

[EricHugo]

Are talking about the colony or the individual polyps? Are the polysp extending at all?

[Obi-dad]

All members of both colonies are affected, and none are extending. They are not disintegrating (yet), but I am worried. Should I remove them? My current digital camera does not have manual focus and pictures from it would not be very helpful I think.