HELP w/ brain coral and elkhorn!

totter0817 · 04-22-2008, 08:11 AM

I think they are both dying. I went to my LFS and had my water tested for everything- and they all came out perfect. But...
My brain coral is slowly detoirating and my elkhorn looks like it is bleaching out- well not even looks like IS bleaching out. It's like the green is actually peeling away from it. I don't know what to do. I feed with phytoplankton once or twice a week and also use Rods food every 2-3 days. Should I start target feeding? I don't have any pics- sorry but is there any hope once they start dying. Can they come back? Should I leave in the tank or take out. I haven't had a coral die on me since I started putting them in. All the other corals are doing wonderful.

Please HELP... I hate losing things

wildreef · 04-22-2008, 08:22 AM

I'ts generaly reffered to as "stag horn" and the 'peeling away" you see ,
( It's dieing )
Chances are ' it will continue till its all gone.
The brain coral is receeding/shrinking.

1, what type and how much lighting do you have ?
2, Is there ANY nitrate/phosphate reading ?
3, Ph, and ALK reading ?
4, Calcium levels ?
5, SR and Iodine readings ?

Scott Osborne · 04-22-2008, 08:30 AM

Are you sure its a staghorn? Could it be that he has a carribbean Elkhorn?

wildreef · 04-22-2008, 08:39 AM

Impossible to tell at this point' and what "other' corals are doing well ?
Would like some pics to comfirm .

You can also break (frag) the stony and get the "good" tips/branches if possible and try to salvage them.
It could be "RTN" affecting the elkhorn/stag and or the brain.
Either case your gambling keeping them in there.
If it is RTN , it will spread to any other stony you have.

totter0817 · 04-22-2008, 09:01 AM

By the way I am a girl- mr. scott osborne- my other corals that are doing well included my leather toadstool, xenias, colt, goniopora, frogspawn, favia. I don't know the exact levels of anything b/c my boyfriend took the water to be tested- but everything came back in normal param's.

I dont know what RTN is- if you could explain that would be great.

As for it being staghorn or elkhorn I don't know. It's bright neon green and about 4 inches tall with about 4-6 branches on it. Don't know if that helps or not

As for pics my camera is broken at the moment. So I won't be able to post pics for awhile.

Thanks for the help guys- KARMA!

Tangster · 04-22-2008, 09:02 AM

If the flesh is lifting then its a full RTN condition I have saved many with a dip of 30 drops iodine to a qt of tank water and a 20 min soak . Also as mentioned snap off any and all the healthy tips and dip them also. Set it away from other SPS corals as the issue is cause mostly by a bacterial infection and it can spread . Might add some Iodine to the tanks water Just a little not a huge amount about drop per 2 gallons .. also a U/V or Ozone will help . As for the brain is it s maze brain or some hard type brain or a LPS open type brain ? also dip that as well ..But make sure all the dipped frags are in a good flow of water. Are the soft corals near to the SPS corals ?

Rapid Tissue Necrosis