Leather coral dropping branches   2/6/07
Hi there,
<Hello>
I hope you can help me out here lately my pink
<Pink?... Not a natural color...>
branching leather has been dropping branches. I had a problem with this about 3 months ago.
<... The beginnings of sentences are capitalized...>
when I finally realized that I had him in an area of very low current it was too late he had already dropped about 4 or 5 branches. after that I moved him into the high current off my protein skimmer. ever since he's been doing great, his polyps expand and he swells up and looks beautiful. then last week he dropped another branch. I figured that it was normal it seemed like that branch was sort of in the way of others. but now today it looks like he's going to drop another and this one is big! probably a sixth of his mass. Its starting to crimp which is what happens before he drops one as I've seen. What do you think might be the problem and is there anyway to save this branch?
<Can't tell with the dearth of information (not) offered... What chem.?, Lighting? >
The current is high, I have 65 watts daylight (full spectrum) and 65 watt actinic; a little low but everyone's seems to be fine and threes not much room on a 29 gal.
<Too small>
the water quality is a close to perfect as it can get and I feed phyto-plankton everyday. the only problem I can see is that the temp is a bit low due to the winter months. it's about 76, 77 degrees but today I'm going to go buy a small heater to fix this. any input would be great
Thanks
Shawn
<Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/alcyonsysfaqs.htm
and the linked files above. Bob Fenner>
 

Re: Yellow Leather, Do I Look Happy? Follow Up...  and Allelopathy  2/5/07
To the crew at Wet Web (possibly Mich?  You have replied the last two times, hehe.),
<And a third!>
Thank you for taking a look at the Sarcophyton elegans.  It has been a week now, and he has still not opened all of the way.  I am going to move him down in the tank after dark tonight.  
<OK>
There are some stats that I forgot to add about the tank.  Thank you for pointing out that the tangs have not got a large enough house.
<Yes, sorry.>
I bought the tank from someone with them in it, and I
did not have the heart to discard them.  
<Oh!  Never!>
They are some of my favorite fish.
<Mine as well.  They are beauties!>
At the moment they are but juveniles, and I am looking for someone that can take care of them properly.  
<Could be you with a much larger system.>
I have set up another tank that should house them appropriately in the mean time.  
<OK>
About the allelopathy.  With the SPS, LPS, Favia, and Favites.  I have located them all well away from each other and well out of reach of any sweepers.  
<Very good.>
I was lead to believe that the toxic compounds that soft corals release become less of a concern when they are placed away from other species.  
<Helps.>
I was also led to believe that with adequate water flow and aggressive skimming they became even less of a concern.  
<Also helps.>
Perhaps this information will help,
Two 125 gallon per hour powerheads.  One on the left side of the tank, one on the right.  One 200 gallon per hour powerhead.  This one is seated on the back wall of the tank facing the front at a 30 degree angle.  A 800 gallon per hour CPR overflow, with a 950 gallon per hour return pump, which is facing the front wall of the tank at a 30 degree opposite of the 200 gph powerhead.
<Umm, OK, head height obviously not calculated out or your tank and overflow would be, well, overflowing.>
A 20 gallon sump with an  Urchin Pro protein skimmer with a mag 5 500 gallon per hour pump.  And two H.O.T filters to house carbon.  One is rated for a 100 gallon tank, and the other is rated for a 50 gallon tank.  The current appears to be random what with the Anemone blowing left and right.
<OK>
My conclusion from my research was that if the corals were kept far enough away from each other, with this much flow, and skimming in a 75g, I would be *mostly* free of problems.  Was I correct, or am I just dreaming and in desperate need of relocation of some specimens?  
<You are correct, mostly being the key word here.  I mentioned more for your awareness than for action at this point.  You may need to take action at some point in the future.>
I believe that I might have lost a frogspawn due to some chemical warfare, and perhaps I am going to have to make a species tank or two.  I rather like mandarins and pajama cardinals, so perhaps a couple of calm tanks are in order.
<Once you have one tank, more usually follow, hopefully at least a QT set up.
Thank you all so much for the help that I have received.
<Welcome!  Hope it helps.  -Mich>
Brandon Foster.
P.S.  Tell Bob that I love the fact that he cares so much, and that I feel for him on the workload, but we all love him for it.  Helping all those "Darlas" (Insert bad Finding Nemo joke here.) out there is a tough job, and thankfully you guys are there to catch us when we fall.
<We try.> <<Oh yes. RMF>>

Toadstool Leather coral with necrotic spots   2/3/07
Hello,
<Hi there Chad!  Mich with you today.>
I have read over the available FAQ's but they left me undecided on what to do next.  
<OK.>
I have a 13" across Leather coral that has a couple of yellow dead/dying spots right in the middle of the head where the polyps extend from.  The necrotic tissue is there because I did was not have enough circulation in the tank(120 gal). Dirt and silt settled on a couple of areas and I'm guessing it killed the polyps off. I have corrected the circulation problem but what should I do about the dead spots? Cut them out or just leave well enough alone.
<Either is an option.  This is really more of a personal decision.  It may  heal easier, but not necessarily faster with a clean cut, but it should heal if you let be also.  Do which you feel more comfortable.>    
The remainder of the polyps still extend, except where the necrotic spots are yellowing.  I once had another section of this coral die off and I cut out the dead chunk  It healed up as good as new in a couple of weeks.  Should I do the same to this one even though the spots are in the middle?  
<If you're considering fragging it, I would cut it.  If not, you can also try the wait and see approach.  If you don't see improvement in a couple of days or things start looking worse, then it's time for surgery.>
Thanks,
<You're welcome.  -Mich>
Chad

Yellow finger leather 1/17/07
I think I know the answer but I just have to ask the question.
<Well...ok.>
My yellow finger leather I purchased 1.5 years ago does not polyp out anymore.
<When was the last time you saw it out?>
The body shows no signs of deterioration or bleaching.
<That's a good sign.>
Is it time to say goodby ?
<Naw, I wouldn't be worried, unless it's been a few weeks or even a month since you *saw* it. Sometimes, the polyps extend at night.> Water parameters are within range, <Which range?> 2- 110 w actinic white & 2-110w super actinic blue in a tank that is 24" deep.
<So, lemme get this straight. Two 50/50 PCs and two full-on actinic PCs? *Should* be just enough, but if you're concerned about light levels, you could drop an actinic for another "whiter" bulb.>
Thanks for all the help in the past & future. Tom     
<Welcome, tom.
-Graham T.>

Re: Yellow finger leather follow-up 1/17/07
Hi Graham T,
I failed to give you the water parameters- CA-400, dKh-9.0--Alk-3.20, PH-8.3. The lights  are 2-110w VHO actinic white & 2-110W super actinic VHO. Its been over a month since I've seen the polyps out. Thanks Again, The whole crew has been outstanding.
<Thanks for the feedback, Tom. ...And sorry for not capitalizing your name in the last correspondence we had, I'm a doofus. Anyway, I was reading your previous post and my answer, and I realized I didn't really answer your question. So, here goes: Leather corals in the family Alcyoniidae periodically display less-than favorable physical appearance when they are about to shed. I would, however, classify this case as "extended" and likely is a response to some recent change in maintenance, or other factor. More than one year in it's current location would lead me to believe that the response is not related to light intensity, or location in the tank... unless your lights are due for a refresh? You didn't mention any other tank-mates, or recent additions to the system, but usually leathers rate pretty poorly on the "able to cope with chemical warfare" scale. If you have a LPS capable of toxic warfare, consider it has decided to go ballistic. Check here anyway, and you may be enlightened. http://www.wetwebmedia.com/alcyonbehfaqs.htm ...I usually am. ;)
-Graham T.>
Tom  P.

Colt Coral health 1/14/07
Hi, I have had colt coral for about three or four years now.  I  started off with one piece and it took over the tank.  I recently donated  all but one small piece to Saint Jude for the reef tank they are setting  up.  The small piece has been doing fine till yesterday I noticed he has  shrunk up and has some kind of a transparent whitish film over his entire  body.
<Mmm... Alcyoniids do produce and shed a waxy "cuticle" at times>
I did recently up grade my lighting in the tank to a  Current dual satellite with 2 96 watt dual bulbs. Before I had a  Corallife compact with 1 96 watt dual bulb. I also added iodine,  calcium and strontium & molybdenum on yesterday.
<Either of these might trigger the behavior you report>
I have never seen it  do this before and everything else in my tank (bubble tip anemone, star polyps,  mushroom, cabbage coral, inverts and fish) seem to be fine.  Do you have  any suggestions?
<The first two might be "winning" allelopathically here>
  I also have a question on the cabbage coral I never   bought cabbage coral it just showed up on a rock and took off.  I noticed  that it has a bubble at one of its tips that is actually releasing bubbles  is this normal?
<Perhaps... might be some associated photosynthetic organism (an algae likely) producing an excess of gas... Could be a burst of growth of the coral... or a "bailing" mechanism reproductively... I'd move the Sarcophyton if you had another setting. Bob Fenner>
Thanks, Tiaa

Re: Colt Coral and new question re bubbles    1/17/06
Thank you for your prompt response to my question.
<Prev. corr.?>
  My colt coral  opened back up today and seems to be okay (he is not back to normal size  yet).  I also moved the cabbage to give him a little more current.
<Good>
   When I woke up this morning he had a clear slime releasing from his middle but  as the day went on he opened up and seemed okay. I am now having another problem  and after researching most of the day on the Internet I have not made a  conclusion. I am having a problem with tiny bubbles in my tank.  I have a  30 gallon tank with what was about 3 inches of live sand all the way  around.  Now I have hardly any sand under my live rock and mounds in the  front thanks to my 2 engineer gobies.
I have noticed some bubbles covering the  corners of my tank and some of the rock.  I thought it was my protein  skimmer at first because I can not seem to get it tweaked.  However,  I  turned the skimmer off yesterday and the bubbles are still appearing  even after I fan the water to release them.  I added 5 Nassarius and 3  Cerith snails about a week ago could they be causing a release?
<Mmm... might re related... but not for sure>
I have had  this tank set up for about five or six years now and did move it to my  new home over a year ago with no problems.  I read some articles today  on old tank syndrome what are your thought on that?
<Does occur>
  I also did a  water change a week and a half ago and again today about 25%.  Also  the new light with the two 96 watts dual bulbs was added a week ago.   Thank you for your help ahead of time.
Tiaa  
<More likely an effect of the new lighting... boosted photosynthesis in these areas... gas accumulation... I would re-direct your circulation toward the corners and not worry at this point. Bob Fenner>