Glad to have you here.
Thanks for the pics. They help a lot. To be sure that we don't miss something, what are the Salinity, Temperature, Alkalinity and Calcium levels. Actual numbers, please.
Do I see a Flame Angel and a Powder Blue Tang?
Assuming those four levels are within range, and by the look of the other coral, my guess is that they are in range, it's likely that one of those fish are picking on the coral. The Angel especially spends most of the day grazing on soft algae growing on surfaces. There isn't enough of that in the tank so the Torch Coral, with it's tissue full of symbiotic Zooxanthellae algae, is a good source of nutrition.
Compare the environment there to this below where a Coral Beauty Angel has never picked at any of the coral.
What's the difference?
Algae. Yep, algae. It is allowed to grow on the glass surfaces. Also, Blade Caulerpa is available in 3 or 4 places(see it behind the Blue Damsel). The CB Angel picks on the soft algae on the glass, on the rocks, on the sand, on the Caulerpa leaves and it also eats the Caulerpa.
The Snail population is kept at a level where more soft algae is left for the CB. The side panes of glass are never scraped and the back glass is scraped only occasionally to remove Coralline so the sunlight can come through. The front glass is scraped 2-3x/week so the accumulated algae floats off in ribbons for the fish to eat.
I know this set up is not what most hobbyists like or want, but I hope the principle is clear. Provide natural algae and herbivorous fish will ignore the coral. There is also algae food available for purchase. Unfortunately, Angels don't always accept lettuce and Nori the way Tangs do, but the FA may be more likely to go for it, if it sees the Tang eating it. I also feed Emerald Entree and Bobs fish food formula that we received at the August club meeting. Both have good algae mixed in with the meaty foods.
In case you would like some, I have tons of Caulerpa here at MarksReef Coral Farm. Feel free to call and drop by to "talk fish" and get some free Caulerpa.
Aloha,
Mark
808-345-1049
750 E Lakepoint Dr. (~5550 So.) #4V Murray
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Reminds me of the floating mountains of Pandora in one of my favorite movies.
