Duncan coral dead?

Discussion in 'Coral Health' started by Caryn, Aug 23, 2016.

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  1. Caryn

    Caryn Plankton

    Joined:
    Aug 23, 2016
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    I'm new here and looking for advice on my Duncan coral. I have searched threads and forums and haven't had any luck. I have a 14 gallon coral life biocube. For the lighting I have two coral life compact fluorescent lamps, one 24 watt 10,000k and one 24 watt actinic, one LED light bar. Temperature stays about right at 80. The tank itself is probably 4 months old. All of our levels are right where they need to be. We keep the salinity about 28-30 on the hydrometer. We have two separate pieces of star polyps, pulsing Xenia, an elegance coral, a hammer, several regular polyps different colors, several mushrooms and a bubble tip anemone. (All small, since it's only a 14gallon) We have a 40 gallon breeder we are setting up and letting it run its cycle before we add anything to it. Currently, everyone is super happy, wide open, bright colored. Except my Duncan. He has been closed for 3 days now and today when getting home from work he looks like he is now dead. Slime coming off him and discolored. I am debating taking him out before he harms the rest of my tank but if this is normal and I just don't know if I don't want to kill it. It just doesn't make sense because everyone else is very happy. Please any advice. I'll try and attach the picture of him.
     

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  3. Lovemyreef2015

    Lovemyreef2015 Flamingo Tongue

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    The first picture you posted looks like it has brown jelly disease. If the coral has brownish slim on it I would remove the coral And do an iodine dip. It's an infection and can be spread to other LPS coral. Do you have any fish or shrimp in the tank? It also looks like something has been possibly nipping at it.
     
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  4. Caryn

    Caryn Plankton

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    No we don't have any fish or shrimp in there. Just some snails and blue leg crabs. Although we have noticed a few fire worms in the rocks and have witnessed them eating our snails so we introduced an arrow crab.
     
  5. Vinnyboombatz

    Vinnyboombatz Giant Squid

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    Your salinity is low it should be around 34.5 ppm at 80 degrees. Arrow crabs can damage corals by stealing food directly from their mouths. Fireworms are pretty harmless as long as you don't touch one I am sure the snail was dead and being cleaned up. With your low salinity your parameters are going to be off. Please slowly adjust your salinity over a few days then test and post your parameters. Saying they are OK doesn't really help because obviously the one you did post is not.:)
    Welcome to 3 reef!
     
    Last edited: Aug 25, 2016
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  6. Swisswiss

    Swisswiss Caribbean Reef Squid

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    youll want to look into upgrading your lights as well, the stock lights might be powerful enough to grow some mushrooms and maybe the xenia but everything else will need something more powerful...especially that anemone....the elegance coral is one of the hardest LPS to keep, they are very delicate and sensative to parameter swings. as for the Duncan it definitely does not look happy but it still has some live tissue along the base.....
     
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  7. civiccars2003

    civiccars2003 Great Blue Whale

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    I'd get a refractometer. As vin said, get your salinity up and test an monitor other parameters, this should help the coral return to better health.
     
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