Caulastrea (Candy Cane) Coral Not Extending Tentacles   10/4/08 Hello Crew, <Travis> Thanks for all the dedication to answering our questions! <Welcome> We have a 15 head Candy Cane coral that we purchased from a local store a little over 1.5 months ago. During the time that we have had it in the tank, we have never observed any tentacle extension. <Mmmm, likely "the neighbours"> For the first 4 weeks, we had him on the sandy floor in a moderately high flow area by the front of the tank. We thought that the flow might have been too strong for him so 2 weeks ago we moved him to a spot in the middle of the tank with a lower flow rate, and closer to the light. He will sit with his mouths open at various times during the day and night, but never extends or shows signs of extending his tentacles. <Well... can take some time to acclimate to captive conditions... most Scleractinians period "feed" during the night... makes sense... when there's much more out to snare, collect> Today I turned off all the pumps and fed all the corals DT's Phytoplankton. He did appear to puff up a little bit, but no tentacles. Is this something that I should worry about? <Mmm, maybe... see below> Tank Details: 29 Gallon BioCube Nitrate: 0 Nitrite: 0 Ammonia: 0 Phosphate: 0.5 (and falling finally... bad water from our LFS last week. Previously this has been at 0) Temp: 77night 79day Ph: 8.4 Salinity: 1.025 Lighting: 1 Coralife 36w 10,000k white on for 10hrs, 1 Coralife 36w Actinic on for 12hrs Weekly 5 gallon water change. Occupants: 2 False Percs (2" each) 1 Yellow Tailed Damsel (1") 1 Chromis (1") 1 Lawnmower Blenny (3") 1 Fire Shrimp 3 Mexican Turbo Snails 3 Nassarius 10 Nerite 10 Cerith 8-10 Hermit crabs 1 Sand Sifting Sea Star 1 Medium size Bubble Coral 1 Medium Torch Coral 2 Large Zoa Colonies 2 Large Purple Mushrooms 1 Small Green Star Polyp 1 Red Lobo 1 Purple/Gray Brain Coral 1 Green Brain Coral 2 Montipora Attached is a photo of the tank to help identify the players. Regards, -Travis <I suspect this is a case of "allelopathy"... particularly the Euphylliid above and large Zoanthid population poisoning the newcomer... Is it/this too much? Maybe not... and perhaps all will "grow accustomed to each other over time"... But I assure you, if the Faviid was in another setting in the circumstances you describe, it would do much better. Please read here re: http://wetwebmedia.com/cnidcompppt.htm  and the linked files above. Bob Fenner>

See it here? ^

Candy Canes/Caulastrea... Allelopathy In A Nano Tank  8/5/08 Hi Crew, <Hi there, Mich here.> I have a 10 gallon that is over 5 years old. Penguin mini filter, 10 pounds live rock, less than an inch of sand and 65w PC. Over times I have had mushrooms, star polyps and candy canes. Mushrooms used to work well for me as they would multiply. As of late I can not seem to hold any mushrooms. They just whither away. <Sounds like inhospitable environmental conditions. Perhaps allelopathy from the star polyps would be my guess.> So I have gone to different colors of candy canes. My inventory is bright green (2 heads), brown with green centers (4 heads), Brown with teal centers (4 heads), tan with teal centers (8 heads), pink with white centers (10 heads) and one that looks like a Faviid <Faviid? Caulastrea are in the Family Faviidae.> of sorts with 8 heads. It is brown but has a bluish haze over it. It looks more like brown to the eye but when I take pictures it looks blue. <Sounds pretty.> Will they also battle each other? <To a degree but not as much as corals from different species would.> One that I bought recently was almost gone. It did not look as bad in the store as when I got it home. It looked like it was just skeleton. It is starting to get some meat on the bones and has a tan color that looks almost pink. The centers so far are just white. Is that normal is just a result of what this coral went through. <This is not normal. These corals do not look like your description in the wild.> Is there a chance some color will appear? <Perhaps. Your system is very small. I hope you are running carbon on the system. If not, then it is it is well past time to start. Your entire system will benefit. This will help reduce the allelopathy. Frequent water changes would also be most helpful. I am wondering if you are running a protein skimmer. You would be wise to keep a species specific tank, which it sounds like you are well on your way. Green Star polyps can be quiet toxic and you might think about removing them from your system. Caulastrea can send out stinging sweeper tentacles so nearby corals can be affected. Caulastrea benefit from feeding. I would especially encourage you to try manual feeding the one with the white center. You might try Mysis shrimp chopped finely and soaked in Selcon. Some links you might find helpful: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/scottsh2ochgart.htm http://www.wetwebmedia.com/chemFiltrMar.htm http://www.wetwebmedia.com/clavulariids.htm http://www.wetwebmedia.com/envdisphysiof.htm Good luck!
Mich>

Candy Cane Coral Problem  7/22/08 Good morning all, <Shawn> I have gone over your website trying to find something regarding my problem but could find nothing. My problem is that my Candy Cane Coral has been doing great up until the last few weeks. It has been changing colors around the edge. <Mmm, any changes to your system?> The inside has remained the same green color but the outer edge has been turning a lighter fluorescent green to almost yellow. All else seems to be ok with them except that color change. All water checks were very good with the exception of ph was a little low, 8.0. I do 15% water changes every 2 weeks. Might this be a normal color change or could it be something more serious. Any help you can give would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance, Shawn <... Could be an influence... but feeding, light changes (are your lamps getting old?), water quality, a lack of phosphate/useful phosphorus, nitrogen... many other possibilities exist. Please read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/faviiddisfaqs.htm and the linked files above. Bob Fenner>

Favia-Bleaching-Lighting? -03/28/08 I recently got a Favia specimen. It is about the size of my fist, and is for the most part a powder blue. It has long brown splotches around the ridges, but I am sure that this is the natural coloring. Though especially around the top and not around the sides of the coral it is beginning to become pale around the ridges, but not in the mouths. They are still very brilliant. I think that lighting is the issue. Is it possible for a Favia to have to<o> much light? <Yes and no. They can acclimate to just about any level of lighting (even intense lighting). However, this takes time. It sounds like the coral is starting to bleach in response to a sudden change in lighting.> How much is good. The coral was about a 10 inches form the surface where there are two VHO bulbs. One is actinic and the other is 50/50. <What was it under previously, when you purchased it?> I recently moved it to the sandbed, which is about 18 inches from the surface. Was this right? What should I do? Are there anymore details I should include? <Again, if it's a lighting issue, it's an issue of *change* in lighting. You should find out what kind of lighting the coral was under previously, then try and place the coral under similar lighting before slowing moving it to where you want it. If it continues to bleach, be sure to feed it well. Bleaching is not a death sentence. Corals "often" bleach out, then recover. Please see here for some additional info on Faviid health: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/faviiddisfaqs.htm Best, Sara M.>

Trumpet Coral... env. hlth... need useful data   11/26/07 OK. I think I've made a mistake, but want to check and see whether it's salvageable. I've got a trumpet coral I've had for a few years. I had a tank leak and did an emergency switch to a larger tank. When I moved everything, I figured this was a good time to upgrade a lot of stuff and bought a MUCH better light (outer orbit T5HO). <Mmm, what sort and from what previously?> Initially, everything responded well to increased light. This was in part, I think, due to the fact that there was a film on top the water until I finally got the sump/overflow set up. I've never seen the trumpet coral look so good. NOW, however, the trumpet coral looks like it might be burned. I have two pieces. One up higher, and one in the middle of the rock wall. The one at the top has a red mark or two on it and is behaving strangely (tentacles out in the middle of the day kind of strange) but never fully opening to what it can be. The one in the middle has gone white almost. Not dead and still looking fine at night, but white. I've moved them both to the bottom of the tank after reading a few things on your forums (which have saved me more times than I can count). I'm wondering whether that's enough and what steps I should take if any that I haven't already. At least I know now that start the corals arriving this week at the bottom till they adjust to the light ;) <Mmm... could you send along some close up images? And list your other life, particularly photosynthetic sessile invert.s... Bob Fenner>

Re: BTA & Candy Cane Coral Concerns - 09/14/07 <Hello again Jackie.> Thanks for the valued information. <You're welcome.> Sorry to hear about your Cleaner Shrimp. <Thanks. Was quite a while ago now.> I have another question regarding the Candy Cane coral. <OK.> Do they, throughout the course of a day, change from soft to rock hard? <They can change, though rock hard is generally not happy.> Or is that a sign that all is not well? <Prolonged periods of rock hard is not a good sign... consult a doctor if lasting 4 hours or more... oh wait... that's something else... heehee!> Also, how important is Strontium for LPS corals? <If you do regular water changes you should be fine. You may want to check your calcium levels.> Again, thanks for all the good advise your team provides. <On behalf of Bob and the crew, you're welcome! Mich> Jackie

Healing Favites    7/25/07 To the truly amazing staff at WetWeb, <I'm good with this. There are some wonderful people here!> I am new to marine systems, <Welcome o the briny world CJ!> with a year old 60 gallon and a copy of Mr. Fenner's book- which drove me to become the marine junkie I now am. <Mmm, yep, been there.> I follow Mr. Fenner's advice religiously, <You are wise. Thought the website is more up to date than the book with some things.> and what I cannot afford, I make. <You are lucky to have these skills.> My tank somehow became a refuge for rescued fish and coral. Sadly, I usually receive neglected animals that this site recommends not be collected or sold. <This is sad.> Although constantly daunted, I am quite proud of my unexpected successes. (Those at WetWeb should be too, as this site is my largest reference!) <Good to hear!> The issue: I recently acquired a Favites in terrible condition. It is eating now, and plumping up a bit- no problems there. <Very good!> However, when I received the Favites, it had receded to approximately one third (flesh covering skeleton), perhaps due to lighting or feeding. (I have many pictures, if you need one). <Pictures usually help.> It must have been this way for some time, <Likely so.> as the exposed skeleton is covered in coralline, and along the periphery of flesh are a handful of what I thought where small feather dusters. Upon concentrated inspection, these dusters' appear to be some type of tubeworms that secrete a 'slime web', and have no head. <Sounds like small worm snails of the family Vermetidae, generally harmless filter feeder casting out their mucus net to collect food.> I would like to know if I should attempt to remove the worms, and if they are harming the Favites (or inhibiting it's healing). <Generally no, these should create a problem, not unless there is a significant amount of mucus that the coral had difficulty removing.> I believe this poor guy might come back, if helped along. <Hopefully!> I appreciate any advice that can be given, and thank you so much for taking the time with this, and every question. --CJ <Thank you for your kind words. You are most welcome! Mich>

Candy Cane...Nursing Caulastrea Back to Health - 6/19/07 Hi Crew, <Hello, Mich with you tonight.> I just picked up a candy cane that I volunteered to nurse back to health. <OK.> I have some candy canes and each head is nice and plump. They are brown or tan outside and green or teal inside. <OK.> The one I just got is tan and green but it is in bad shape. Some heads are just skeletons but many have some brown but very little. The skeletons are poking through the 'meat'. It looks very different than mine in that mine are like a tree with branches upward. This one is almost round. It does have a main stem but the heads are going out in all directions and it is actually a ball shape. This makes it impossible to get light to all heads. I can not figure out how it grew this way. When you look at it it just looks like a ball of candy cane heads. Any suggestions? <Yes. You will likely need to hand feed this coral to bring it back. I would try Mysis shrimp soaked in Selcon. Depending on how badly this coral has shrunk you may even need to cut up the Mysis into very tiny pieces. This can be a very tedious job, typically requiring tweezers, keeping thieves away (i.e. shrimp, crabs, fish) and stopping all water movement in the tank for an hour or more so the polyp has a chance to engulf its food. When done daily or multiple time a day, you often get quick results. Lighting alone probably won't bring this coral back, regardless of its shape. That being said you could always frag it. It is quite simple to do, particularly with corals of this type. It is often easy enough to break it by hand if there is enough room to get your fingers in there. But right now, I think I would keep this coral in one piece and move it to a place where you will be able to access it easily and keep food in it's mouths.> Thanks <Welcome! Mich>
Re: Candy Cane...Nursing Caulastrea Back to Health  7/28/07 Hi Crew, <Greetings Mich here again.> Regarding my sick Caulastrea. It has improved a little but I have not been able to feed it. I add Selcon to the water but since I have not seen it send out any tentacles I have not been able to feed it. <You do not and should not wait for feeder tentacles. You need to place very tiny pieces (size of a pin head) of food near/in its mouth. (The mouth is the small circle in the center of the polyp.) Cyclop-eeze works well or very tiny pieces of Mysis. It may take several tries and a lot of patience before the mouth swells and opens, but with time it should. If these Caulastrea were in as poor condition as you say you may not see tentacles for quite some time.> I am practicing the feeding by feeding my others that have their tentacles extended which is something I never tried before. Is there any way to get it to extend its tentacles. <Get the food into its mouth first. This is what's most important. Right now you are giving a baby a spoon and food and wonder why the infant isn't feeding itself.... Neither the baby nor this coral has the capacity at this point. You need to put the food near/in the coral's mouth.> I check most nights after the lights are out and so far no luck. My blue Caulastrea seems to have a few heads with the tentacles out even after the lights come on in the morning. But the sick one is not cooperating. <It's not cooperating because it's incapacitated. Tiny foods, near the mouth... as described below... tweezers, no circulation, multiple times a day. You may want to position these corals so the mouth is facing upward so you don't have to fight gravity as well.> Thanks <Welcome! Mich>

New Brain Question. Symphyllia radians troubles  - 05/08/07 I recently purchased a new brain coral, Symphyllia radians. <Cool.> I seem to be having a problem with the coral now. <Let's see what we can do about that!> The tank is a 92g with ample live rock/live sand. Water parameters are: temp 78-79, pH 8.2, Ca 400, Alk 10.5, nitrates 0, nitrites 0, phosphates 0, Salinity 1.025. <Acceptable.> The coral seems to have some stringy substance around the edge of the coral and near the mouths. It reminds me of a mushroom that is expelling its guts. <Could be expelling Zooxanthellae. Are there any noxious soft corals or anemones in the tank, and if so how close? Also what type of lighting so you have and in what relation is the animal to it? Do you know the lighting if the system from which the tank came? Where in the tank is the animal placed and what is the flow like in that area? Sorry for all the questions, but they will help me to help you better.> I have only had this coral for about 6 days, so I am guessing that it is stress. <Surely a factor…is a traumatic change for naturally immobile (for the most part) creatures.> I acclimated for around 1:45 by drip acclimation. Can you advise me how I can help the coral? <Answer my questions above and I will able to so.> I really want to get the coral in great shape and feeding again. Thanks for your help. <Brian, I look forward to your next e-mail.> Brian <Adam J.>
Re: Symphyllia radians troubles  - 05/08/07 Thank you for you quick reply. <No problem.> Below is the original message that I sent you. My tank is a 92g corner tank. The only noxious corals that I can think of would be GSP or leathers I have, but both of those corals are pretty distant in the tank. <Still could be affecting the denizen in question, especially if the brain is "down-wind." I'd run some carbon to be on the safe side.> The tank is mainly an LPS/Softy tank. Inhabitants include: mushrooms, Zoas, Kenya trees, GSP, hammer coral, another brain, clams, leather trees, devils hand leather, finger leather, sea pen (this sea pen has been in home aquaria for several years, and I am very proud of it), <Several years huh? That is something to write home about considering most don't survive shipping. Though you do have a lot of different Cnidaria life in the tank, I would not be surprised if they were negatively/chemically interacting.> and frogspawn. I have the GSP isolated in the upper, rear left corner of the tank. The brain I isolated in the upper rear, right of the tank. <In the rockwork? Is it arranged in such a manor that it can expand without the tissue coming into contact with the rockwork. The "scraping" of tissue could cause tissue retention. Just FYI.> These Lighting is 5x39W T5s (it is an Aquactinics fixture); the coral came from 400W 20K MH lighting at Reefermadness. <So it may be still be adjusting.......> The way my lighting is setup, the back part of the tank is somewhat of a shaded area since I am lighting a corner tank with a strip of light. I have this coral placed in a low flow area; the tank has 3 Tunze 6025s (660 gph/each), 1 Tunze 6045 ( (1189 gph), and the return pump for flow. Should I try placing the coral in a different spot on the sand bed? I initially had it on the sand bed, but then I saw the stringy stuff and moved it to a low flow/low light area higher up (I know that doesn't sound right, but as I said before the back of my tank is low light). <If you can find enough room on the sand bed I would prefer it there for the reasons I mentioned above. However, I fear that to many movements in such a short-time period might prove more detrimental. Unless the animal exhibits any obvious negative behavior (bleaching. etc. .) I would leave it where it is for now, as long as it is positioned in a manor where it will not "scrape" the rockwork.> Thank you for your help with this. <Anytime.>
Brian
<AJ.>