Weird frogspawn coral question... likely burned by a Galaxea neighbour   3/6/08
Good Evening,
<Am here now for me>
I have scoured this site and the internet for two weeks now with no answer to this puzzling question, although you guys have answered my 10,000 other questions without me even having to ask. Its all here for the taking.
<Ah, yes>
All comments on my methods/system are welcome.
Anyway, back to the problem at hand. I have a frogspawn coral which I purchased three weeks ago and it is losing tentacles. About one tentacle is lost from each of its five polyps each day.
<Mmmm, bad>
The tentacles constrict at the base and eventually pinch off completely and float away. Otherwise, the polyps look fairly good. They extend each day, close at night, and eat mysis shrimp every other day. Also, the polyps are not receding where they attach to the skeleton. I suspect that this may be a response to the different lighting I have them under, as the colors are becoming richer as the days pass.
<... could be>
The store used 14000K 175 watt or 150, I forgot) metal halides, with about 7 watts per gallon. I have two 100 watt 6700K screw-in compact fluorescents, which give me 12 watts per gallon. I have used these bulbs on the tank since it was created 14 months ago; I have replaced them once already. I suppose some other background info will help also.
The tank is 16 gallons, tiny, but I have failed twice with larger ones. I have about 40 pounds of live rock
<! not much room left for water>
in there with 3.5 inches of crushed coral substrate. I am using a sulphur based denitrification media in the lower layers of the substrate.
<Mmm, this could be...>
My protein skimmer is a SeaClone 100, which I have had for years and I like it due to its simplicity. I use no other filters.
Parameters are as follows:
SG 1.023
Temp 80F
pH 8.3
Ammonia 0
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 0 never a problem because of the reduction of NO3
<Need to have some...>
KH 10
Ca 450 ppm
<A bit high...>
I do about a 25 percent water change every week with a peristaltic pump to add water at the same time I remove it. I realize this is not as good as removing water then adding, but coral placement does not allow for it. I actually add a 5 gallon bucket of new water made from Oceanic salt mix, but some is removed due to the simultaneous siphoning out of tank water (the 25% I roughly calculated).
I do not supplement any trace elements, as I perform such frequent water changes.
<Good technique for small volumes>
I also do nothing special to keep the parameters as they are. I do top off with RO water which has been remineralized with 10 micron powered aragonite and a dose of "purple-up" from CaribSea.
<I would discontinue this immediately>
Water flow is medium too low for the frogspawn and is multidirectional. It is placed lower in the tank, about 10 inches from the lights.
Other livestock:
1 galaxy coral, rapidly growing, opposite side from the frogspawn
<D'oh! Oculinids are very "stingy"... THIS is most likely the cause of trouble here>
1 Kenya tree, also growing,
<Secondarily allelopathogenic...>
1 orange Fungia, 2 inches across, doing great on the sand bed.
various mushrooms, Zoanthids, a little anthelia
1 green banded goby
1 Firefish
1 yellowtail damsel
1 brittle star
snails and crabs
All of these are long term inhabitants having been in the tank longer than 9 months (except the frogspawn).
None of the corals have direct contact with each other via sweeper tentacles.
Any suggestions, comments, and criticism is welcomed, as I want to solve the disappearing tentacle problem.
Best Regards,
Ken
<Oh, I see by your titling below you have some life-science backgd.. There are a few possibilities, sources of potential loss of vitality that you hint at... But definitely read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/cnidcompppt.htm
and the linked files above. Bob Fenner>

Torch Coral Symptom--Conflicting Information (Umm…Not Really The Case) – 03/04/08
First, let me thank you for your hard work on a great site.
<<We are pleased to be of assistance>>
I am now into my second year of reef keeping and have come a long way thanks to WWM.
<<Gratifying to know>>
A couple weeks ago, I noticed that two of my green mushrooms were shrinking considerably and appeared to be shriveling up with some kind of curly, spaghetti-like filamentous stuff.
<<Hmm…sounds like Mesenterial fibers…and possibly a response to encroachment/aggression from another organism>>
Yesterday I noticed my metallic green torch had a small ball of the same stuff near the mouth on one of the heads.
<<I wonder what the “proximity” is between these animals…>>
Today it looks like it has expanded into the mouth/insides of this head. I found these photos on WWM of a torch that has the same stuff on it.
<<I see it, and I agree with Sara…looks to be digestive organs>>
The problem is that in one case it appears that the poster is being told the problem is predatory Nudibranchs and in the other that this is a normal occurrence (mesentery material) and of no concern. Here are the photos and the links.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/carydisf7.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/carydisfaq3.htm
Any direction you can offer is appreciated.
Many thanks,
Tom
<<Well Tom, first let me point out that this is NOT an instance of two conflicting opinions for the same query/issue (not that it can’t be found here [grin]). These questions and photos were submitted by different people nearly 18-months apart…and do appear to be two different issues. The first photo is quite good and very much appears to be a case of exposed Mesenterial fibers. Whether or not this is anything to worry about may well be up for debate, but I would suggest making sure this very aggressive Euphylliid is placed well away from those very noxious Corallimorpharians…if this issue matches your situation. The second photo is much less distinct, but close scrutiny does seem to bear out the presence of “frilly rolled-flaps” that appear much different than the Mesenterial fibers and would support Bob’s suggestion that they may be predatory Nudibranchs and thus require immediate steps to eradicate to save the coral…again, if this issue matches your situation. So hopefully you see this is not a case of contradiction, but more a case of two seemingly different issues with differing solutions. Bottom line…without a sharp, close-up photo of your problem, along with the “details” of your system and livestock, about all any of us can do is guess. As it stands, you are in the best position to determine which of these two issues pertains to you. Regards, Eric Russell>>

Re: Torch Coral Symptom--Conflicting Information (Umm...Not Really The Case) - 03/04/08
Thank you for your reply and the clarification!
<<Always welcome, mate. EricR>>

Bubble Coral/Health 2/19/08
Hello,
<Hi FJ>
I have a Bubble Coral that I added about a month ago. About two weeks ago I noticed it had reddish brown algae on the four highest tips of the plates on the skeleton. I assume that there was some damage to the plates somewhere in-between collection and me. Do I/ should I do anything to remove the algae or should I leave it alone. If so, what is the safest way to remove it.
<I'd leave alone, more bad than good may result. If nutrient control is practiced, there shouldn't be any problem with the algae spreading.>
Thanks,
<You're welcome. James (Salty Dog)>
FJ

 

Injured pearl bubble coral  1/19/08 I have a "pearl bubble coral" that was absolutely gorgeous when I bought him about a year and a half ago for my first reef tank, a 29g tank. I took good care of him, fed him, and gave him a home where he seemed happy for several months - expanding up to six inches above his skeleton. About 4 months after having him (and only 5 months experience with reef systems) I let a friend watch my system for a week while I was out of town. This friend made one vital mistake, and she explained to me exactly what happened. She had forgotten to mix some ph buffer with the top off water, and so thought it would be fine to just add the powder directly to the tank. It didn't dissolve as she had hoped (duh) and landed directly into the middle section of my gorgeous coral. <Yikes> I have to admit I thought he was a goner for a while, but I tried my best to nurse him back. He was completely white and sickly looking for about three months. It has now been nearly a year since the incident, and the coral has regained some of its color and still feeds regularly. It has also been moved into a 75 gallon tank and has been in there for about 6 months. It does not however extend nearly as much as it used to (maybe only 2 inches at the most now) and the middle section is very clearly dead. I am extremely strict on my water quality and there is little to no variation from my current parameters. I do a 5 gallon water change every 2-3 days, with 1 ten gallon change once a week. 1.25 salinity, 0 ph4, 0 no3/no4, 0 ammonia, ph 8.3, 79-80 F. I would love to see a full recovery of this animal, but am starting to fear that it may not happen. I have given him a whole corner of the tank to himself <Actually... your pic shows a polypoid life form to the upper left of this Physogyra> to avoid any further stress from other corals, and he is sitting in the sand, where he has always seemed happiest. There is an Aiptasia anemone on the backside of his skeleton <Ah yes> which I have tried to kill several times, only to have him reappear (sometimes with a twin!). The tentacles of the pest do not reach the flesh of the coral however. <I do think they or their assigns do...> You can see in the photo the right half of him is still alive and partially extended. The middle section is dead (I approximate 2 mouths lost). And there is still a single mouth on the far left that is still alive. I just happen to have this photo on my computer at work, but can get a clearer one if you'd like.  I guess there are several questions here. Is there a chance he will ever fully recover? Will the dead section ever regenerate? <Possibly times two> If not, would it be safe to cut him into two through the dead skeleton in the middle? <Could try, but I wouldn't at this stage... too weak, and may re-populate this area given better conditions, time> (there is no fleshy part here) Is there anything more I can do to help him out? <Mmm, yes. Principally the removal of the pest anemone... See WWM re... and iodide/ate applications, feeding... the use of a refugium....> I would love to see him as happy as he was in the past. Any insight or suggestions are greatly appreciated. <All are posted, expanded upon on WWM> Also have in this tank: variety of xenia, colt, variety of zoanthids, Fungia plate, green cup coral, mushrooms, frog spawn; pacific cleaner shrimp, 2 perc clowns, purple firefish, Swissguard basslet, 3 green chromis, yellow watchman goby, variety snails and hermits. As always, thanks for helping with the headache of understanding how to manage an oceanic world in our living rooms! A wonderful resource that all aquarists would benefit from! Josh <Mmm, do see WWM re the Glass Anemone removal et al.. And this spiffy ppt. pres. re what's going on here: http://wetwebmedia.com/cnidcompppt.htm Bob Fenner>

LPS Lighting (One More Time!) - 05/18/06
Dear Eric R.
<<Hello Diane>>
It's been a long time since I've written in and the first time to you.
<<Welcome back>>
I have been trying to follow Bob's advice; read, read, read some more, then make up your own darn mind.  (To paraphrase).
<<Indeed>>
Well, I got the first part down.  However, just when I thought I had this lighting figured out I went to a different LFS and POOF! here we go again.
<<Ha!...nature of the beast/hobby...opinions abound!>>
If you would be so kind to go over what I have and help me straighten this out.
<<Would be glad to provide my input>>
We have a 125 gal. acrylic tank 72" X 18" X 20"  with a 6" DSB.  Lights hang 11 to 12" above the water line and can be raised or lowered as needed.
<<Ok>>
The lights are two 36" Power Compacts, the left-one is SunPaq 10,000K/460-Actinic and the right-one is SunPaq  Dual-Daylight 6,700/10,000K.  The halides are 3 X 175 watts.  Left is 6500K, middle is 20,000K and right is 14,000K.
<<Mmm, why the variation across the length of the tank?  Are you attempting to create differing "zones/niches"?>>
The yellow of the daylight halide is tempered by the blue of the actinic and the blue of the 14K Halide is tempered by the yellow of the daylight PCs (the 20K is because I have read so many raves and Anthony's book BOCP says for LPS you can go bluer.)
<<Ok>>
Well yesterday we went to a different LFS and they had the MOST beautiful corals!  We purchased several and during the selection and bagging process I questioned the manager as to his procedures for maintenance and lighting. He told me that 15K are THE best and that my 6500K should only be used for high light SPS.
<<Too "general" a statement...I disagree>>
Now Drs. Foster and Smith will let me return bulbs for replacement but am I that far off with my lights?
<<I don't know, what are you keeping/trying to accomplish with this lighting?>>
There can't be that much difference between 14K and 15K!
<<Or even 20K...agreed>>
However, I am not sure about the 6500K and the 20K.
<<A marked difference in spectral output...but the 6500K still contains enough "blue light" for most all corals>>
We have: (all bought yesterday),1 6" green Bubble (Plerogyra sinuosa), 1 6" Favites (?) shared corallite walls.
<<Favites, yes...a shared wall between the calyces>>
They are both under the 65K with the Favites on the sand and the Bubble three inches higher, on a rock.
<<It may be fine, but keep an eye on the Bubble coral.  Plerogyra are not high light requiring corals, if the "bubbles" looks to be turning brown or stop expanding, do move it lower/to a more subdued lighting location>>
One 4" green Long Tentacle Plate/Disc (Fungia scutaria) on the sand under the 20K with the most gorgeous green Fox (Nemenzophyllia turbida) also under the 20K but under a ledge.  To the right of them are 2 separate pieces of Branching Hammer (Euphyllia parancora) consisting of 8 and 9 heads respectively (after adaptation, thought of moving apart under different lights to experiment?).
<<Sure>>
They are also placed just three inches above the sand bed, however the highest two heads are 6" below the water line and they are centered between the 20K and the 14K.  Now, under the 14K is my baby, an Open Brain coral (Trachyphyllia geoffroyi) whom I’ve had 2 years now.  She is not the vivid color when I purchased her (bright green and deep maroon) but I would swear in the last few days her red is coming back!
<<Maybe had "too much" light before hand.  It's not a hard and fast rule by any means, but many LPS with "red" pigments require/demand lower light levels than those with "green" pigments>>
The new bulbs are either more to her liking or else the color was always there and I just couldn't see it under the old 5500Ks.  
<<A bit of both>>
After all that I guess my questions are, is the 6500K that bad?
<<Nope...especially considering the wattage/distance you have the bulbs above the tank.  That's not to say I think it's the best bulb for your particular selection of livestock.  Speaking for me...for an LPS dominant tank I would go with a higher Kelvin rating...10000K is a good "all around" spectrum...but in this instance I would be tempted to go with a quality 14000K or 20000K bulb for each fixture.  Much depends on your own sense of aesthetics and what your trying replicate in your system>>
(I have a 10K that I can replace it with but it is WHITE!)  Am not interested in SPS (never say never).
<< <grin> >>
Is the 20K a good bulb for LPS?
<<With enough intensity, yes.  If you go with 20000K I recommend you move the lights to within 6-8 inches of the water's surface>>
The blue look is nice and the corals are beautiful under them but I want what is best for the animals (short of leaving them in the oceans of course).
<<...of course>>
These are the only corals I want with the possible addition of a nice Hammer (E. ancora) and maybe, sometime down the road a ways, I would love to have an Elegance (Catalaphyllia jardinei).
<<Do please read up/research the Catalaphyllia well (you can begin here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/elegance.htm).  This is not an easy coral to keep, and is best tried in a specie specific system designed to/for its care>>
Thank you so much for your time and patience.  All of you are appreciated and I hope one day you will all know how much!
<<Thank you for the kind words...we're happy to assist>>
Wishing you the best of life, Diane.
<<And to you in kind, Eric Russell>>
P.S. the LFS is ATM in Las Vegas, Nevada the one on the corner of Patrick and Sandhill in the Southeast part of the valley.  Beautiful corals and good prices.
<<Hmm, will have to make a point to stop in next time I'm in Vegas.  EricR>>

LPS Lighting (One More Time!) II - 05/20/06
Polyp Bailout in Branching Hammer
Dear Eric, Thank you so much for answering so quickly. You guys (yes, and gals) are great!
<<You're welcome...and thank you>>
But it seems quick as you were problems arise quicker!
<<Uh oh>>
The Branching Hammer has just been dissolving continuously since adding them to the tank.  I have been reading for two days now and since 2 a.m. this morning,  But other than photo shock (?) which I didn't think happened that quickly, I am at a loss.  I have also siphoned off two more gooey brown heads of the Hammer.
<<Mmm, photo shock "can" have a rapid effect, especially if the coral was already stressed...but from the "gooey brown" description, I'm inclined to suspect a bacterial/protozoa infection.  Though admittedly pure speculation, but have you read through our coral disease FAQs?>>
I separated the two pieces, leaving the best (?) of the two in its original location and moving the other to the far left end where I have removed the 6500K halide (to be replaced by another 14K Thank You <<welcome>>).  I also dipped this piece in an iodine mix of one quart aquarium water and ten drops Lugol's for ten minutes.  It only has two heads, out of nine, that look even halfway viable so I figured we had nothing to lose.  The other piece has two heads that look great and two that look iffy.
<<I would dip "both" pieces in the iodine solution:  http://www.wetwebmedia.com/iodfaqs.htm >>
We bought these corals on the 17th of May and this is the first day the Green Bubble has inflated but it is no longer the fluorescent green it was in the store, but rather a much paler green.
<<Hmmm, would have thought the bubble coral to inflate before now...possibly telling (something in your water parameters?).  The color is "possibly" a function of the lighting...maybe the LFS had more "actinic" over the coral in the store>>
The Long Tentacled Plate is starting to show himself and the Fox looks to be doing O.K.  Only the E. parancora crashed (but I know it's still real early in the game).  At the LFS the corals were in maybe six inches of water approximately 18 inches under 175 watt 14 and 20K (3).  The salinity was 1.025 but I forgot to ask about pH.  Anyhow I drip acclimated them over four plus hours and swore I would not move them around for at least 2 weeks if at all.  But I'll probably move the Bubble lower when the new bulb gets here.
<<Okay>>
Right now it is about 16 inches to the left of 20K, 5 inches below the water surface and 15 inches under the 10K/actinic P.C.  My water parameters are temp. 80 ; salinity 1.025; my pH was 8.3 at 6:30 last night and 8.0 at 7 this morning.
<<Is fine>>
I had added 1 tsp. Seachem Reef builder directly to the tank in an effort to get my alk. up from 2.5.  Added it last night and this morning my alk is 3.  Amm. is 0, nitrites are 0, but my nitrates are 10.
<<Mmm...possibly a result of the decomposing Euphylliid...or an indication something else is amiss>>
I have a 6 inch DSB and never had a problem with nitrate.  I use a Turboflotor-Multi HOB skimmer and (temporarily) an Aquaclear 110 with 2 new bags Chemi-pure and one Polyfilter.
<<Both good stuff>>
My iodine kit showed no iodine even after a couple of small water changes (approx. 20%) over 2 days so I added 4 drops Lugol’s, still nothing on the test so I added 3 more drops, still nothing this morning.
<<Hmmm...>>
I use I.O. salt and the new water tests at .05 iodine, (perhaps the chemical filtration).
<<Ah...yes>>
Water movement is with 3 Aquaclear 70s
<<...?  Aquaclear 70 power filters?  How often do you clean these...should be done "at least" weekly>>
and 1 Seio 820.
<<Some additional "vigorous" water movement would likely do this tank some good as well>>
I don't know what else to do except maybe another small water change today to get the nitrates back to zero.
<<I recommend a 30-40 percent water change>>
I did not think my set-up was that different from the LFS where all the corals looked fantastic!  Do you have any suggestions.
<<Mmm, yes...dip both Euphylliids again (remove any diseased/dieing heads first), perform a 40% water change, and keep monitoring water quality/performing water changes as needed>>
The sad thing is I truly love the Euphylliid family and could easily picture a tank of just them.
<<Would be beautiful I'm sure.  Don't give up...get over this hurdle, learn from the experience, and pursue your dream tank>>
One more thing.  Do they dye corals?
<<Some...mainly "soft" coral species...a terrible practice>>
The Bubble was a very vivid neon green and the Fox is bright, almost fluorescent green. (But the Hammer is/was a more normal brown and green).
<<Is rather unlikely these were/are dyed corals...have not heard of this being attempted with stony/LPS corals.  Regards, Eric Russell>> <Unfortunately... I have. RMF>

Bubble Coral health, systems  - 05/17/2006
Hello everyone,
I have read and read on your site and others about my problem.  I have been in the hobby of reef aquariums for approximately two years.  I cannot seem to keep a bubble coral alive.  Everything I read states they are a hardy, good beginner coral.  I have a 110 gallon with approximately 160-200 pounds of live rock, various fish and many corals.  Nitrite, ammonia, are zero, calcium 360-400, ph 8.3 to 84, alkalinity (test kit is in high range color), nitrate 20-30ppm.  I dose every morning with B-Ionic and add 16 drops of iodine daily.  I installed a refugium around three months ago.  I also have an Excalibur skimmer, chiller, 400 watts of MH in addition to actinic blue lights.  I do a 20 to 30% water change weekly, with RO water, aerate it for couple of days, heat water to same temp. in aquarium, etc.
My bubbles always do great for four to six weeks.  Then, the septa's begin turning black and ½ to ¾ of the bubble stops opening up.  I feed the bubble nightly with Mysid shrimp.  Each time this has happened, the bubble coral was on the bottom of the tank.  The last time this happened I moved it about half way up the tank.  The remaining few bubbles did fine for around two months, then the bubbles just stopped inflating and died.
I am very stubborn and determined to get a bubble to live.  This time I have purchased a large bubble coral and am hoping for the best.  What am I doing wrong?  I have an elegance coral and other more difficult corals doing very well.  Any help would be very much appreciated.  
Thank you,  
Robin R. Shelton
<<Robin: Do you know specifically what species you have?  In general, Bubble Corals like moderate light and low to med flow.  With your lighting, I would think they would like a quiet place on the sand.  As you know, many reefers regularly get their tanks to 0 Nitrates.  Thus, for corals 20-30 ppm would be considered quite high.  For me, having a skimmer solved part of the problem.  The rest was solved by growing Chaeto algae in the sump.  For you, switching from RO to RO/DI should also help. Why are you dosing iodine? Most people don't and a general rule of thumb is don't add something you can't test for.  Until you resolve your nitrate problem, you it would be better off not to introducing more corals into your tank.  Take a look at the links I have attached.  Given your previous luck with Bubbles, I think a smaller one would better handle the transition to a new tank than a big one that spent a long time living somewhere else.  Best of luck,  Roy
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/nitratesmar.htm
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/august2003/chem.htm>>

Damaged Frogspawn ... prop., health    4/25/06
Hi all,
<Debi>
Well to make this short and not so sweet.  I was cleaning my tank, 46 bow front salt, changing water etc, when I stupidly decided to shorten the stem
on my very pretty Frogspawn.  The LFS told me I could just break off the end and made it sound simple so I did, but I had to put more force on it than I
expected and when it broke off it banged it's head (sort of opened up) on a rock and several little green pieces broke off.
<Mmm, best/better by far to do such "operations" outside the main tank... with the animal shaken (not stirred?) a few moments ahead to cause the polyps to retract...>
  Needless to say, it immediately retracted in shock and I also retracted from the tank in shock. I had no idea what to do so I repositioned it in the same place it had been,
quickly finished my tasks and decided to leave it alone, either to die or recover.   My question is whether or not I can do anything else for it
(anything good) aside from leaving it alone.  Should I take it out and put it in the QT tank of which I am not so sure it is ready?
<Mmm, I would not... given just the information presented here. Much more likely to cause further trouble at this point likely>
Should it be dosed with Iodine and can that be done in the show tank?  
<This is likely best>
I feel awful, he was so pretty and now he's just all sucked in and I have no idea if he is beyond repair or not.
Thanks
<Euphylliids are very tough if/once established... I give you good odds of complete recovery. Bob Fenner>