First Coral Crisis, Please Help

Hi,

So my tank has been running for just over a month now and I have to say, I'm really impressed. It cycled it just under 2 weeks (I tested it with 2 different kits) I'm in mid alge bloom but everything seemed to be going great, until I added some neon trumpet coral.

I have noticed that on one of the heads the 'flesh' is going leaving a skeleton structure behind, I have fed it some reef roids but it wasn't eating, is there anything I can do?. It's a 2 headed frag and the other head looks fine, it's inflating and eating.
I have one more lps (my acan) and he looks fine.
All the soft coral is looking good too.

Ethan

 

Pics and water parameters would help. Plus a time line. How long have toy had the frag?

 

Sorry to hear that Ethan. There's not much you can do other than making sure params are good and it's getting the light and flow that it needs. Mine is low in the tank, but in direct light and moderate flow. Do you think anything is bothering it? I can't remember everything else you have in the tank.. but could another coral be stinging it? Or, could a crab be bothering it?

 

Ah, sounds like polyp bailout. So what are your params? What were they for the last say 5 days?

 

Hi,

I'll get the peramiters in a bit, I do test but I'll test again to see if anything has changed.

Would my hermet grab be be hurting it?

Sorry to hear that Ethan. There's not much you can do other than making sure params are good and it's getting the light and flow that it needs. Mine is low in the tank, but in direct light and moderate flow. Do you think anything is bothering it? I can't remember everything else you have in the tank.. but could another coral be stinging it? Or, could a crab be bothering it?

The acan is the closest (about an inch away) could that be the culprit?

Ok,
So the peramiters are:

pH:8.0
Ammonia:0ppm
Nitrite:0ppm
Nitrate:5.0ppm
Kh:9°dkh / 161.1ppm
Phosphate: 0.25ppm
Calcium: 440ppm


And as for stocking I have a hermet crab and one sand sifting snail.

Pics:
(It's the polyp on the left)









Edit: the peramiters haven't changed much, calcium had been slowly declining but has stayed around 440 for a few days now.

 

Not all hermits will mess with corals. If you haven't seen yours picking at corals ten I wouldn't blame him for this. That acan is a little close though, and the damage to you trumpet is in the area nearest to the acan. I would move someone.

 

Not all hermits will mess with corals. If you haven't seen yours picking at corals ten I wouldn't blame him for this. That acan is a little close though, and the damage to you trumpet is in the area nearest to the acan. I would move someone.

Ok,
I was wondering if it was when I had put the coral in the tank, the rock I attached it to fell and the coral was trapped under there for a few hours until I found it, this was about a week ago?

Edit: how long are the sweeper tenticals!?

Also if I do move the acan, will the neon trupet recover?

 

Too much light. Move them to where your mushrooms are, and left a little.

 

Pics and water parameters would help. Plus a time line. How long have toy had the frag?

I've had it about a week

 

I would also agree with moving the trumpet rather than the acan. They don't need the strongest light. Mine is also low in my tank and is doing well.

I don't know how long the tentacles are on your frag, but I've seen a larger colony acans with tentacles around 6 - 8 inches. They will go where the flow takes them though, and are likely much shorter on a small frag. Just give it a little room down flow. You can see the tentacles for yourself at night. You can see all sorts of stuff on your reef at night. I'd recommend buying a red light, like a flashlight that shines red. You can use it to look at the tank in the dark.

 

I would also agree with moving the trumpet rather than the acan. They don't need the strongest light. Mine is also low in my tank and is doing well.

I don't know how long the tentacles are on your frag, but I've seen a larger colony acans with tentacles around 6 - 8 inches. They will go where the flow takes them though, and are likely much shorter on a small frag. Just give it a little room down flow. You can see the tentacles for yourself at night. You can see all sorts of stuff on your reef at night. I'd recommend buying a red light, like a flashlight that shines red. You can use it to look at the tank in the dark.

Ok,
Moving the trumpets might be an issue..

After it fell, I glued the frag to the rock, and the rock to the rest of the Scape.

I think ill order a red light as everyone said it's cool what's there at night.

 

Just take your time and be careful. You can do it Ethan!

I was terrified one of the first times I was removing a coral from a plug. It had been glued to the thinnest sliver of rock, and that sliver glued to the plug. As I was working a razor between the rock and plug, the sliver broke in half, separating my newly acquired tiny colony of Blue Sympodium Polyps. What could I do but glue the two pieces next to each other on my rock and hope for the best. That was about a month ago. They are beautiful, bigger, and look like one colony today.

 

Just take your time and be careful. You can do it Ethan!

I was terrified one of the first times I was removing a coral from a plug. It had been glued to the thinnest sliver of rock, and that sliver glued to the plug. As I was working a razor between the rock and plug, the sliver broke in half, separating my newly acquired tiny colony of Blue Sympodium Polyps. What could I do but glue the two pieces next to each other on my rock and hope for the best. That was about a month ago. They are beautiful, bigger, and look like one colony today.

Ok,
I will try and move the acan first, then if the trumpet declines in health I'll move it.

At least it has 2 heads so of it dies I will still have a chance of regrowing a colony.

Edit: I doubt it but could the tube worm be hurting it?

 

Update-
I think I lost it,

Should I keep the acan where I had moved it or move it back?, Will the one head left grow more heads over time?




Also,
I've never had a coral die before and this must sound like a stupid question, but should I do a WC incase I get an ammonia spike? (I normally do WCs every Saturday).

 

Sorry to see that Ethan.

As far as your acan and keeping other corals safe from it is concerned, placement will depend on flow direction, (while also keeping light in mind.) This is something you'll have to figure out based on your knowledge of the tank. Wish I could help more. Have you reconsidered moving the trumpet so the acan can stay in its original location?

 

From my experience. Acan stingers are not that long. The most I've seen my Acans extend their stingers is about a little over 1/4" and that's from my big colony.
Also - Acans stings are pretty mild and your trumpet coral should've recovered.

Like I said, too much light. Especially if those are LED lights. LED lights are focused and the hot spots are usually right in the center. Corals will typically melt that quickly due to too much light.

What's your lights again?
I would even be hesitant putting the center zoas and acans where they are and would put them on the bottom of the tank.

 

Oops! I was getting confused then. Sorry about that Xbox62 , I thought acans had long feeders.

 

Stella - I think you were thinking of Favias and Favites. Those have really long stingers.
The brain favia that I traded off had a stinger filament of 6-8"

 

Hi,

So, I'll see if anything else dies, if it's near the acan, then it's probably the acan. If it's noware near and the peramiters are ok, I'll do a re-scape to see if it's the lights. Apparently the lights are low because the zoas were 'streached' towards them.

I also went to my LFS and picked up some water and they have the same tank as me (it's a week older) and it's overrun with alge.

Theirs:



Mine:



I was also wondering when I should put my sexy shrimp in?

Ethan

 

I am 100% sure it's not the acan that killed it.

Also - your other zoas aren't stretching. Are you sure your other "zoas" aren't palys with long stalks?

What are you LED lights?

 

I am 100% sure it's not the acan that killed it.

Also - your other zoas aren't stretching. Are you sure your other "zoas" aren't palys with long stalks?

What are you LED lights?

Hi,

I'm not 100% sure on the lights but they are buy TMC and came with the tank.

The zoas that are streaching (on the left) were sold as zoas, is there a way to tell if they are palys?

Ethan

 

Post a closer picture of it when you get a chance.
grantm91 might be able to help identify and see if it's stretching for light or if it's just a long stalk specie

 

Post a closer picture of it when you get a chance.
grantm91 might be able to help identify and see if it's stretching for light or if it's just a long stalk specie

Hi,
Here are some pics:










They are the highest coral in the tank and there are zoas lower than them and they don't streach.
Ethan

 

They are 100% zoas, most just do not stretch, when I had a weak light and put zoas and palys in the tank the palys stretched over 3.5 inches, its uncommon for zoas to do the same but some do, the only way to fix that is with a brighter light, I have that light its 7 watts or something its no good, not saying your corals will die under it but they will not thrive, palys would my brown palys I'm confident would spread in darkness lol, they are resl sea weeds, If you put those zoas under a better light they would shrink down. What was the question again ?

 

They are 100% zoas, most just do not stretch, when I had a weak light and put zoas and palys in the tank the palys stretched over 3.5 inches, its uncommon for zoas to do the same but some do, the only way to fix that is with a brighter light, I have that light its 7 watts or something its no good, not saying your corals will die under it but they will not thrive, palys would my brown palys I'm confident would spread in darkness lol, they are resl sea weeds, If you put those zoas under a better light they would shrink down. What was the question again ?

Hi,

Will they shrink back down if I fed them?

I put some food on them and the green ones and they just closed up so I assumed they wernt eating, were they eating?

Also other things like my gsp are spreading and it's on the bottom.

I'll have a look around for any other lights for the tank.

Ethan

 

No they want light. I wouldnt spend much on a light as its only a tiny tank, maybe get an e27 lamp with one of those chinese bulbs.

 

So here's your problem.
I just researched your light and it appears to be adequate from what you are keeping in your tank.
I think the problem is that 1) the light you have, has a very focused concentration of light instead of a good spread. 2) with you keeping it that low, it doesn't appear to be letting the light spread.
If you notice in the pictures, it appears your zoas are trying to creep towards the center of light.

Try raising the light about 2.5" and is there a intensity dial to crank it up slightly?

 

So here's your problem.
I just researched your light and it appears to be adequate from what you are keeping in your tank.
I think the problem is that 1) the light you have, has a very focused concentration of light instead of a good spread. 2) with you keeping it that low, it doesn't appear to be letting the light spread.
If you notice in the pictures, it appears your zoas are trying to creep towards the center of light.

Try raising the light about 2.5" and is there a intensity dial to crank it up slightly?

Hi,
I've moved it up a bit, the only switch is the on/off switch. I'll see how they like it.

The tank was only £150 so I wouldn't expect a good light. I saw TMC does a range of lights so I'll look at the website to see what they have.

Edit: I think it's the iluminair light.

Edit2: would this be of use?: TMC In-Line Dimmer Control (for FlexI LED)

 

No - that'll just dI'm it haha.

Eventually, I do agree you'll want to upgrade lights.

 

No - that'll just dI'm it haha.

Eventually, I do agree you'll want to upgrade lights.

Ah, that makes sense I'll look around for lights.

Ah, that makes sense I'll look around for lights.

P.s should I get some turbo snails for the tank? If so how many?

 

Hi,

I'll get the peramiters in a bit, I do test but I'll test again to see if anything has changed.

Would my hermet grab be be hurting it?


The acan is the closest (about an inch away) could that be the culprit?

I'd move the acan several inches away and see if that helps. If you take a light to the tank a while after lights out you'll see the feeder tentacles for the acan. They can actually reach a few inches away if they want to. It's crazy!

Ok,
So the peramiters are:

pH:8.0
Ammonia:0ppm
Nitrite:0ppm
Nitrate:5.0ppm
Kh:9°dkh / 161.1ppm
Phosphate: 0.25ppm
Calcium: 440ppm


And as for stocking I have a hermet crab and one sand sifting snail.

Pics:
(It's the polyp on the left)


View attachment 359460
View attachment 359461
View attachment 359462

Edit: the peramiters haven't changed much, calcium had been slowly declining but has stayed around 440 for a few days now.

Your phosphate is super high! What are you testing with? If API just throw it out and get either the Hanna or Red Sea as they are much more sensitive. You'll want it closer to the 0.02-0.05 range.

Ok,
I was wondering if it was when I had put the coral in the tank, the rock I attached it to fell and the coral was trapped under there for a few hours until I found it, this was about a week ago?

Edit: how long are the sweeper tenticals!?

Also if I do move the acan, will the neon trupet recover?

It can totally recover but doesn't mean it will. I had one get a loose yuma mushroom dropped on it for a while before I noticed. It really damaged 2 heads to where I thought they were gunners but there was a little tissue left on each one. They are both slowly but surely coming back!

 

Not sure the acan is that much of a killer. Mine is very close to several other corals and none of my corals have died.

 

Your phosphate is super high! What are you testing with? If API just throw it out and get either the Hanna or Red Sea as they are much more sensitive. You'll want it closer to the 0.02-0.05 range.

Hi,
I do use API but also get my LFS to test it with the red sea kit.

Ethan

Edit:
How should I get them down?

Not sure the acan is that much of a killer. Mine is very close to several other corals and none of my corals have died.

View attachment 360241

Ok,
I'll see how it goes with mine.

 

LJC6780 I think we are talking about different acans here.

I know Acan Enchinatas are the ones that have long sweepers.

The ones with just short feeder tentacles at 1/4" at most are the ones below.
Acan Bowerbanki
Acanthastrea Lordhowensis
Acanthastrea Maxima

 

LJC6780 I think we are talking about different acans here.

I know Acan Enchinatas are the ones that have long sweepers.

The ones with just short feeder tentacles at 1/4" at most are the ones below.
Acan Bowerbanki
Acanthastrea Lordhowensis
Acanthastrea Maxima

Hi,
The only thing I know about my acan is that it's an acan, it's also on a piece of dead coral an I think it might have been a colony that died and one polyp survived, that was why it was so cheap.

Is there a way of telling ?

 

Pretty sure it's one of the ones I listed with no long sweeping tentacles. You can keep an eye on the acan after the lights go out at night or morning. if you see just the little sweepers, then it doesn't have a long sweeper.

Acan enchinatas look very different to the Acans we usually see in the trade.

 

Pretty sure it's one of the ones I listed with no long sweeping tentacles. You can keep an eye on the acan after the lights go out at night or morning. if you see just the little sweepers, then it doesn't have a long sweeper.

Acan enchinatas look very different to the Acans we usually see in the trade.

Hi,
At night the acan is almost 2d, it's colpleatly deflated at night and I haven't seen tenticals yet, I'll come down at midnight tommorow night and see (I'll let you know what I see)

From your suggestions I think it might be
acanthastrea maxima
Ethan

 

Yeah, my corals close up soon after lights out too. I think some may need several hours of darkness to begin feeding... I've had luck looking at them very early in the morning.

 

Yeah, my corals close up soon after lights out too. I think some may need several hours of darkness to begin feeding... I've had luck looking at them very early in the morning.

Ok,
Is it normal for them to close up about 10 muinets before lights out?
It's really weard as mine do it.

Edit: just scared my hermet crab by coming into the room and he ran into the acan and fell off onto the sand bed

I really like him, he's probably my favourite invert I've ever kept as he's so funny

 

Not sure the acan is that much of a killer. Mine is very close to several other corals and none of my corals have died.

View attachment 360241

I'm pretty sure the echinata can be. Not sure on lords. I haven't seen my lords have long ones but I also have never seen my echinatas have long ones either. Similar with my favia/favites. Often they just have the tiny feeders out, sort of in a flower pattern, but then other times they have stingers/feeders out for several inches! My bowerbankI is huge and fluffy. Lords are about an inch across or less per head and fluffy, and the echinatas are more flat and less than an inch in my case. I've also seen some that look more like a solid piece with multiple mouths rather than individual heads. Not sure how to tell specifically on echinatas. Don't know anything about Maximas.