Sarcophyton elegans Not Doing So Well - 12/03/05
Hello WWM Crew,
<<Hi JJ>>
I recently bought a yellow Sarcophyton coral from my LFS.
<<Likely Sarcophyton elegans...a delicate and touchy species.>>
It looked great in the store and was "doing well" for the last 2 days in my tank. After reading through your FAQs, I read that drooping is normal for this coral until they adjust.
<<Yes, usually some weeks. They don't take kindly to being moved/touched...not a beginner's/easy coral to care for in my opinion>>
Mine has been drooping as well but regularly extends it polyps and still has a nice yellow color to it.
<<Hopefully you have adequate lighting for this light-loving coral.>>
<<Take a look at what Aquahobby has to say about this specimen.  Marina>>
When it droops, it leans up against another piece of rock in my tank. Today I noticed that there is a hole underneath the cap almost separating it from the shaft!
<<Hmm...>>
It runs about halfway around and I can see into the inside of its cap or rather it looks like there is some kind of hollow section. It still looks healthy and polyps are extending normally like in the past 2 days. I moved it to take a closer look
<<Yikes! Not a good idea to handle as previously noted. Do place it for good water flow/light and leave it be.>>
and there is some flaking or shedding around the area only around the hole, but not anywhere on the "inside" of the coral. It would seem like the cap is separating to attach to the rock it is leaning against.
<<Maybe...but more likely this is a stress-induced reaction.>>
It is originally mounted kind of strangely across 2 pieces of rock, so maybe it wants to relocate?
<<Not likely at this early stage.>>
I'm not sure what to think here. Is it dying or is it propagating? Should I cut the cap off myself and remount it? Or should I just leave it and let it go though its adjustment period hoping for the best?
<<Give it good water flow and adequate lighting (You did your research "before" you bought it, right?), and just keep an eye on it. More handling is only going to worsen the problem.>>
My tank parameters are as follows:
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0
Calcium 360
Alk 11 (hard water in my area)
SG 1.022
<<I would bring this up to 1.025>>
Temp 76 deg
None of my fish have been observed picking at it and all other corals are doing well (mostly softies and LPS).
<<Yes, likely a stress-induced situation for the Sarcophyton.>>
Thanks for reading, JJ
<<Regards, EricR>>

Re: Sarcophyton elegans Not Doing So Well - 12/06/05
Hello again WWM Crew,
<<EricR here again...>>
An update for you guys on the situation. (see below for previous correspondence). Next morning, the cap detached completely from the shaft and was found resting beside it on a nearby rock. It was also rotting across the middle part (whitish coloration) and a slit opened up as well. There was a faint smell to the water and I felt had to do something before the tank fouled.
<<Agreed>>
I know this is against your advice, but I inspected the bottom of the cap and the entire section where it joins the shaft was rotting!
<<No worries JJ...comes a time when you have to use your own good judgment, as you did in this case.>>
Seeing as how things were, I don't think I really had a choice...
<<Agreed again>>
I ended up fragging the entire coral. Cutting out the diseased parts and dividing the cap into equal segments. The shaft was mostly gone, except for the inner part that kind of looks like a finger. I mounted all of them on rocks and placed them in different locations. Now I am just hoping for the best.
<<About all you can do at this point. Do keep a close watch for any continuing decline.>>
To answer your question (EricR), I did do a bit of research before purchasing this coral and everything I've read seems to say that they are a hardy coral and good for a beginner!
<<Not in my opinion/experience. And I'm not saying they can't be kept or will not do well. Once established they can/will do very well and are a very attractive addition...it's getting past that first hurdle that can be problematic.>>
I am currently keeping supposedly "more difficult" LPS corals without problems and now I'm inclined to agree with you, this is not an "easy" coral, VERY SENSITIVE like you mentioned. (Don't worry, I left lots of room between the LPS and the toadstool!)
<<Excellent>>
Per your recommendation, I'm slowly bringing up my salinity.
<<Ah good...>>
The lights I'm using on my tank are 375 watts of PC, I believe this is adequate for most softies and LPS.
<<Likely so...for most. But contrary to what some others think, I believe you will find this coral will prosper/display better color with intense lighting. I have kept this coral under PC lighting in the past, but the coral was placed at only a few inches of depth.>>
Thanks for your help,
JJ
<<Always welcome, EricR>>

Dying Pink Toadstool?  11/18/05
Hi WWM crew...I have recently become a SW hobbyist (2 mths now and I adopted a 10yr old tank) and came upon your site by way of Reef Sanctuary. I love all of the information I have gathered from your site, but I have been unable to get an answer as to why my toadstool is failing. I understand they are hearty creatures, but being a newbie..... Let me give you some background the best I can:
75gal tank, 80lbs LR, 2in LS substrate, Yellow tang, 2 damsels, 2 striped catfish, bi-color blenny, hermit crab, Pink Toad Stool, Mushroom rock (also not doing well), Flame Scallop and a variety of numerous tubeworms and feather dusters.  Plan to add more after I get the hang of it! 
Water Parameters:
NitrAtes 40ppm (down with H2O changes from 100+ppm)
<Need to aim for getting, keeping this below 20 ppm... Whatever the causes here, this may be THE reason for you stinging-celled life's lack of vitality>
NitrItes 0 Amm 0
pH 8.2 Sal 1.022
<I'd raise this up, keep it near natural seawater strength, 1.025>
Temp 76
Doing weekly 10-15% water changes after 'blowing off' the rock and siphoning the 'yuck' out. Additives and food to the tank are Oceanic Natural Sea Salt. Bio-Calcium, as needed.
<... what are your readings for pH, calcium, magnesium?>
Kent SuperBuffer. Coral Vite,
<Drop this, garbage... likely a source of nitrate here>
tsp weekly. 1 drop Lugol's Solution, weekly. DT Phytoplankton,
<Not necessary, or advisable>
1 capful every other 2 days. Emerald Entree, 1/2 cube every other day. One 3"X2" sheet of Nori daily.
New bulbs - 1 Coralife Actinic 48" Blue and 1 Florescent 48" 40Watt 10,000K bulbs. Running lights 8 hours a day.
H39 system Mechanical and Biological Filter and sump with 3 powerheads. 
Ok, I have attached some photos as the toadstool has deteriorate a bit in the last few days. Note the base of the Toadstool and it is leaning over.
<I see>
Although from what I have read, it seems that it will be ok. But my questions are, why is the base getting so skinny and shedding so much?
<In two words: "water quality">
It doesn't seem to be thriving so I moved it higher up in the tank to be closer to the lamps and water flow. I used gloves and carefully pried it away from the LR to move it to a better location. Should I frag it?
<I would not>
I'm at a loss. I have not been able to find anything written anywhere about this strange happening.
Please help!!!! I hate to see my new 'babies' suffering!
Thanks so much,  Cheryl
<Do consider the above changes/suggestions... the DAS H39 system Mechanical and Biological Filter... is puny, and should be added to in all aspects of filtration... and for now I'd add some activated carbon in your filter flow path.
Bob Fenner>

Soft Coral health  9/29/05
Dear  Sir
<Alan>
my  soft corals are shrinking and coming away from its rock that it  was attached to,
<Not good>
I think they are disintegrating, the soft corals that I have is 1  toadstool leather coral
<Usually a tough animal, Sarcophytons>
1 pussy coral 1 frilly finger coral, but the rest of the fish and inverts   are ok.
the inverts that I have is 1 yellow feathered cucumber/ 3 different kinds  of mushroom polyps
<These last may be mal-affecting your leather>
on  rocks. My ammonia is perfect  my nitrite is also perfect  ph 8.0   nitrate not good 20ppm
dark orange  the salt level is 23. Why are my corals doing that?  I  clean out and replace my  filter
media every 4 weeks, and I do water changes every  2 weeks.
what is the problem are  my  corals  dying off?  I  have got foam and bio  
hoops and activated super carbon in my  canister filter,
I hope to here from you  soon.
yours sincerely   
ALAN REID
<Please read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/index.htm
Scroll down to soft corals area, read re: Alcyoniid Compatibility, Systems, Health... Bob Fenner>

Devil's hand turning white  09/13/2005
In our tank we have had a Devil's hand leather for a couple of years.
It is about 5 inches, pink colored, 10+ "finger", and many polyps.  It
had been doing very well until a few weeks ago when a large anemone
placed itself right next to it.  We have moved the anemone (after a few
days) but now 1/3 of the leather is turning white and the polyps are not
out.  The other side looks as healthy as before.  Is there anything we
can do to save the Devil's Hand?  Also one "finger" was detached a
couple of months ago and is a healthy looking stub with polyps.  It is
loose on the bottom of the tank.  Anything we should do to aid its
growth?  Thanks for you help! <You could glue it where you want it with underwater epoxy.  As for the mother, if the bleached side looks bad, cut it off with sharp scissors and new polyps will emerge in time.  James (Salty Dog)>
Carrie R. Frost

Drop in pH, Colt coral suffering
Hi all, <Larry>
I'm hoping that you can give me some suggestions for a treatment plan.  I have a colt coral in my reef system that just hasn't had any luck.  I added it to the tank in February and it bleached within 1 week of being introduced.  I've been trying to nurse it back to health ever since.  Fortunately, the polyps never stopped extending and the color has been gradually coming back over the last couple of months.  I don't know that it helped or was a coincidence, but the color started improving after I started target feeding with a mixture of Cyclop-eeze and DT's Oyster Eggs.
I thought we were on the road to recovery until I got home from work today and found the colt nearly melted away.  All of the limbs were eroded to a point close to the main stalk and no polyps were extended.  Another soft coral, a green Kenya tree looks okay (not fantastic, but okay).  All other corals (including 2 yellow leathers) look fine.  No corals are within 5 or so inches from the colt and the nearest are candy canes.  The major change in the tank was a 10% water change yesterday, done with day old aerated water matched to the temp and salinity of the tank.
I did some quick water tests, temp 78 degrees, nitrates and ammonia undetectable.  Didn't test nitrite (never really do with this tank, but can if you think it is a good idea).  Then I checked pH.  Normally it is a steady 8.3 (I usually test around 9:00 am), tonight (7:30 pm) it is about 8.0.  I haven't checked alkalinity yet, but I can guess that it will be below my normal readings (will check in a bit).  I can/will check other items (calcium, phosphate, iodine, silicate, etc.), but I have a feeling that I've already found my problem.  I dosed some Reef Builder this evening.  I will check the pH in the morning and if the pH is still low I will dose some more.   Other than buffering the water and investigating possible causes for the drop in pH (and possibly alkalinity) is there anything you would recommend to try and save the colt?
Thanks for you help (as always!) <Larry, to be successful in keeping corals, 10% weekly water changes are necessary.  It replaces lost trace elements and also removes waste products from the water.  You don't mention what your salinity or alkalinity are/were.  Alk should never fall below 8 dKH and calcium levels 375/400.  A weekly iodine supplement also helps.  You also don't mention your lighting intensity (watts per gallon), and your water flow in gph.  Do a google search on the wet web, keyword, "corals", will open up links to most anything you are interested in. James (Salty Dog)>
Larry

Drop in pH, Colt coral suffering 7/20/05
James, <Larry, sorry for the long delay.  Been out of town.>
Sorry, I meant to include sg and didn't.  It is at 1.023 (a little low, <1.023 is fine.> I plan on gradually bring it up a bit).  I didn't mention, but the water change is a regular part of my maintenance schedule although it was overdue.  Alk is 7 dKH (per the FasTest kit).  While the alk is low,<Not dangerously low.> this has been a typical reading on this tank for as long as it has been running, I occasionally get alk to 8.4, very rarely as high as 9.8.  Calcium (per Seachem test kit) is at 400 (which for this tank is very good).  I do provide a weekly iodine addition. <Sea Chem's Reef Builder will raise your alk safely.>
I can't give you a watts per gallon, I've never figured it out that way.  The tank holds 240 gallons (with another 100 in the sump).  Lighting is 2 x 175 watt MH pendants (65K) and 3 x 6 foot VHO bulbs (2 actinic white, 1 actinic).  The halides are suspended about 5-6 inches from the top of the tank.  The colt is towards the end of the VHOs, off to the side from one of the pendants, about 21 inches down from the surface of the tank.  Water flow should be more than sufficient, the return from my gravity fed sump is via a 2000 gph Iwaki MD-100. <Your wattage is only 1.75 watts per gallon.  Not near enough to keep any light loving inverts alive for any length of time.  The flow rate should be somewhere up around 2400 gph.  Try adding a couple powerheads to increase the circulation.>
I tested the pH again this morning, still at 8.0.  I added a second dose of Seachem's Reef Builder this morning, will continue checking/working with the pH.  Is there anything else you would recommend to help stabilize/revitalize the colt?  <Lighting my friend.  James (Salty Dog)>
Thanks again! <You're welcome>
Larry

Pods... undesirable7/5/05
Hi WWM,
Recently I'm seeing "ant-like" pods burrowing in my live rock and some of my
coral. Two of my soft corals look sick and these pods are crawling in and out
where the tentacles of the coral are supposed to be sticking out. Are these
pods harmful,
<Could be>
they seem to come out of their hole just for a split second
and look like small red/black ant about the size of 2mm. I freshwater dip
one of my live rocks and a whole bunch of them came out swirling, struggled
and die in about 15 seconds. Thanks and keep up the good work.
Regards,
Yik Sing
<You might want to look into adding a fish predator that will eliminate a bunch of these crustaceans. There are many choices. Bob Fenner>