Long Tentacle Plate coral problems

Discussion in 'LPS Corals' started by Peredhil, Feb 18, 2009.

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  1. Peredhil

    Peredhil Giant Squid

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    I've got this plate.

    After I researched it - these are the things I figured out (of which, I might be wrong)

    • My T5's will give it enough light on the bottom of my 55.
    • That's all the feeding it needs - but it can be fed meaty pieces to help it. I haven't been feeding it directly.
    • It prefers low flow. I keep it in an area where it gets low flow, but still enough to keep its tentacles waving in the current.

    I've only had it a couple of weeks. At first it looked wonderful. Tentacles were growing and all that.

    Then it started looking bad. After keeping an eye on it, it seems like the problem was hermit crabs constantly climbing around on it. You can see a lot of its skeleton. It slimed a lot last weekend, but has since stopped sliming.


    This is what I've done since then to help it.

    • Using another 3reefers idea of keeping it in a martini glass full of substrate. This having the benefit of a. a lot closer to the light and b. keeps the crabs off it.
    • And I have started feeding it raw pieces of fish and shrimp.
    • I started feeding zooplankton. This is actually for my bubble and torch's benefit, but just FYI.
    I've been doing those things since Sunday.

    It hasn't been long so I'm still observing, but I haven't seen a lot of improvement yet.

    I'd like some help with this coral as I really don't want to lose it. Ideas?


    Oh, and it's difficult to feed it because the blenny and a clown keep stealing its fish meat. So I plan on putting a glass over it today until it's able to suck the meat inside of itself. Any problems with doing that?

    Any other suggestions?

    It's not a water quality issue, I know that much. It's the only thing in the tank that appears stressed.

    Params anyway though

    PH 8.3
    SG 1.026
    Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, Phosphate all 0
    Ca 440
    Mg 1450
    dKH 12
    Temp 80

    If nothing else, I'll just keep feeding it meat now and leave it in the martini glass and keep observing. Feeding it every other day since Monday (so Monday and today so far).
     
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  3. PackLeader

    PackLeader Giant Squid

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    Sorry to hear that dude. I would just keep up with what you are doing. Nothing you have listed as to what you are doing is wrong. How often are you doing water changes?
    And just as an FYI: zooplankton will do little to nothing for a torch. Give it pieces of shrimp or silversides (meaty items). I feed mine a couple of times a month.
     
  4. Peredhil

    Peredhil Giant Squid

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    Not really doing water changes since I started dosing the Two Part system. I test weekly.

    I haven't done one since I've added this coral anyway.

    You are right about the zooplankton. I should have gone to LFS myself, but instead I had a friend pick me up a bottle of phytoplankton and well, I got a bottle of zoo...

    I still used it because I figured the fish, if nothing else, would appreciate it. Just wanted to make sure I listed what I've done :)
     
  5. PackLeader

    PackLeader Giant Squid

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    The only other thing I could suggest since your not doing WC's would be to maybe add some form of trace element mix? Something with strontium in particular? I am not sure if your two part system includes the trace elements or not, I'm just trying to brainstorm here.
     
  6. phoenixhieghts

    phoenixhieghts Panda Puffer

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    I prefer using Zooplankton to phyto - its meatier.

    I've never kept a LTPC - but i hear they are easy - so perhaps its still adjusting to your tank, maybe a delayed reaction?
     
  7. Peredhil

    Peredhil Giant Squid

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    My dosing is the BRS kit - Ca, Alk, Mg. Should be pure.

    I haven't dosed trace because I'm not testing for it... If I'm not going to be doing WC regularly, I should start testing for trace elements though... good point.
     
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  9. Peredhil

    Peredhil Giant Squid

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    This very well may be the case. It's not even been three weeks yet. But I can really see alot of its skeleton now and that's got me freaked out. :eek:
     
  10. amcarrig

    amcarrig Super Moderator

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    Is there a brown, jelly like substance on the coral?
     
  11. Peredhil

    Peredhil Giant Squid

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    Not that I can see. I will try to get a pic of it at lunch today.


    I did manage to put a glass over it (keep the fishies from stealing its food) and give it a piece of fish to eat. I did that last night. This morning, the fish piece is still there... it didn't eat it.:confused: That can't be a good sign.
     
  12. ermano

    ermano Zoanthid

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    maybe try doing a water change? I tried taking the same route you are...i started dosing with BRS's kit and kind of slacked on my water changes. things didn't completely tank but i could see some downfall in the over all health of my tank..maybe it's a trace elements thing. Low and behold i did a water change and everything sort of perked up. So maybe if we could find a good source of trace elements, we could fix this!!