What is my plate doing?

[xp964]

My camera is not the best for taking macro shots, but my plate is doing something funny...It's the one I got from you Dawn - it's big and extended and nicely colored, eating well - but it seems to be pinching off the ends of it's tentacles! :confused: I was doing a water change when I saw one floating by. It was all sealed up, like when the nepethilia pinches off babies. Between travelling for work and planning the wedding (four weeks to go!), I haven't tested the water in forever so don't ask...:o
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a120/xp964/Tentacle.jpg

Any ideas? Everything else in the tank seems fine. Only two fish, a LMB and a coral beauty, neither of which ever go anywhere near it.

[reefinghabit]

not sure bout your plate. but i have seen other lps let go of the tips of there tentacles. not sure if its a stress related thing or not. ive seen it happen to torch mostly. maybe in the wild thats how it reproduces. or maybe even this is how the colony protects itself. the tips of the tentacles contain stiniging cells called nematocysts. when the tips land, they may land on other corals and sting them. kinda like lps sweeper tentacles. these are just my thoughts im not certain though.