Colt Coral - Sick? Looking a bit limp and unhealthy

[andsoitgoes]

Hi all,

Just picked up a 44g reef tank from the boards a week ago and it's been set up, doing well with some added live rock (at least at 50 lbs in total right now) but I've noticed a small problem with my colt coral - it's massive, and for the first few days took a bit to zing back up to snuff, but just the other day it was doing much better, was out and standing better, not perfect - but today it's been limp and it's lost the brownish coloration it had, and is more of a purpleish/green tint.

I know as far as corals go, these are about as hardy as they get - and everything else in the tank, the mushrooms, zoos, etc, are doing fine. Params are as follows:

SG - 3
Salinity - 1.023
Temp - 79 to 80
Phosphates - 0
Nitrates - < 5

http://www.vitaltitles.com/modules/Gallery/albums/album109/2006_12_24_Reef_Reorgd_025.sized.jpg

Here's a shot of the colt as of Christmas Eve - now it's wilted and hanging down - now, I *HAVE* done some reorganization of the tank and it's been moved around more than I wanted to have to - and it's also been torn from the original piece of rock during the move, so I know there are a few sore spots on it which might be contributing to the problem.

I'm just trying to figure out if the best solution might be to put it direct in the middle of the tank so it can heal on the rock - it doesn't have a great deal of flow hitting it right now, I've kept that away a bit.

Again - any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Nick

[Tangman]

Hey Nick , I would just give it time if you have moved things around and torn it aswell, also make sure you don't have it placed too close to any corals that might sting it.
What are your other tank parameters ie; cal & alk ?
what kind of lighting ?

[Der_Iron_Chef]

I would just give it time. How is it currently placed if it's been torn from the piece of rock it was on?

[andsoitgoes]

I'm using a 24" aqualight pro - 150w MH, 2x 65w Actinic

It's still attached to a smaller piece of rock - the spots that it tore from are bare right now, I've tried to keep it cradled by the original rock, but due to the setup, it hasn't been possible.

I'll check the alk and cal a bit later on - I was having some issues with the cal testing earlier, after about 20 drops it still hadn't changed, I figured I'd try again this morning. Of course, the easiest test (alk) I didn't do. Will do that in a few.

I'll try taking a few pictures once the lights come on this morning - thanks for the help! :)

[Ruth]

Just a couple of suggestions/observations for you.
Try to keep your hands out of the tank as much as possible - I know this is hard particularly when you are just starting out but do try. This could be what is stressing the coral
You have a sailfin tang in there, and as I am sure you know, your tank is way too small for this fish - they grow big and while yours might be small right now it will grow fast and you will have to have a larger system to properly house that fish. Another fish that you have is a Mandarin dragonette and it is generally thought that they will need a larger system with a lot of copepods, amphiphods etc. to properly feed them. I know that some do accept prepared food and if your does that is great. - Just an observation.
Another suggestion is to take a water sample into one of your LFS and have them test it for you. I know that with new reefkeepers it is pretty tempting to overfeed you tank and this can lead to high nitrite and nitrate. Been there done that:redface:

[Scavenger]

You stated this tank was purchased 1 week ago. This seems way to fast to me for you to start adding much in the way of livestock. (Unless of course this was a package deal where all the livestock and rock came with tank.)

You may find your tank will cycle and the livestock will suffer unless rock, sand, ect came from an established tank and not an LFS.

[seashells]

Colt coral really hates change. Changing flow, quick change in chemistry or water temperature, bumping it or clown gobies resting on it will make it retract. Sometimes for several days.

doug

[andsoitgoes]

Thanks for the updates everyone.

The livestock, outside of the clown and some inverts, was part of a package deal and had been running about 6 months prior to that.

I know having my hands in the tank is one of the worst things I could do, and have been trying to keep out as much as possible. This was an issue when I started my nano a few months ago, and since I stopped messing, everything is doing incredibly well.

The Sailfin is a good size now, but I know he'll have to go within the next 4 - 6 months, unless I upgrade of course ;)

The Mandarin is proven to take mysis shrimp, and does so readily. That was a requisite to my keeping him, otherwise I would have had to set up something to get copepods growing in a separate tank. So far it's not been necessary.

I've got a full test kit that I'm using to test the params, and so far everything is doing very well.

I'm keeping things stable for the time being, unles it's absolutely necessary for me to dive into the tank to adjust a powerhead, I'm keeping my hands out. I'm also doing my best to keep on top of the feeding so that it's not too much, usually 1 - 2x a day with mysis or Formula 2, and just enough to make sure it's gone in a few minutes.

Thanks tons again everyone - if anything I've said causes further light to be shed, let me know! :)

[Scavenger]

Hey Nick,

I knew this problem rung a bell. I had similar with my first colt coral. I had fragged mine, not de attached it from a rock, but the premise might be the same.

Here is a quote from a response I got from BCOrchidGuy.....

"Scavenger, I've never fragged a coral myself but I just read in Marine Fish and Reef magazine about the problem you're having. I hope this helps.
"Soft corals, especially the colt coral (Kylxum sp.) and some genera in the family Nephtheidae that are "soft" and lack sclerite support, tend to collapse. The effect is like that of a fallen tree or wilted deciduous herb. ALthough in some cases the colony may become turgid and erect again, in most cases , the "deflation" of tissue is irreversible, and the colony rapidly deteriorates. Aquarist propagation can also cause this condition. Soft corals have large "Canals" with in the colony (called solenia) that are responsible for water flwo throughout the colony. Cutting opens these "biologically gated" canals, imparing the ability of the colony to hold water"
"Cut or broken colonies should be placed so that the damaged area is exposed to high water flow until healed. Damaged tissue should never be "planted" so that it contacts substrate or has reduced water flow. Alternately, super glue can be used to apply an "adhesive bandage" that seals the cut edges of the tissue."

Hope that's some help to you, I didn't think cutting a colt would be that bad."


In the end I tried to put a layer of epoxy over the "wound" and it seemed to help, but I lost the coral in the end. I hope this at least gives you ideas.

[andsoitgoes]

Wow - thanks for the info, Scavenger! Sheesh, I thought these were hardy and nearly unkillable. I'll have to keep an eye on it and add some epoxy, thanks for the info!

[andsoitgoes]

well - my lil baby is doing much better now, huge improvement to its coloration and it's beginning to perk up quite a bit.

The marks where it was attached to the rock are still looking pretty sore, but I may get a chance to stop by J&L's this weekend to get some epoxy to cover it. It's just too big and too beautiful to have not make it, I refuse to allow it!! :)

[Ruth]

Well that is good news - hopefully things continue to recover. If it looks like it is doing OK and recovering I would not bother with the epoxy. That would just mean hauling it out of the tank to apply and thereby causing more stress. Remember - keep you hands out of the tank:mrgreen:

[andsoitgoes]

LOL - thanks Ruth. I haven't put my hands in there other than to attach a Clown Veggie clip next to the anemones and to adjust the powerhead, I'm being a good boy!

Here's a recent pic:

http://www.vitaltitles.com/modules/Gallery/albums/album112/2006_12_27_44g_Reef_week_2_006.jpg

Very happy with its current condition!!

[Tangman]

Hey the colt looks good, and those are sure nice looking LT anemones !!!!