Sick Coral

Help my flour pot coral is dieing it dose not open much any more and there are lots of black spots all over it, looks like its dieing

 

These corals are not very hardy. How long have you had it for?

 

I can't agree more with amcarrig. It is said that they have a life span of 6 months then they wither and die. It has been found that they need Iron to prevent bleaching but only a select amount of experienced reefers have been able to keep them thriving for past a year.

A little advice, dont buy another one again, they will die, gauranteed. Of course, I'm talking about the small polyped gonio's and not the large polyped ones, those are a lot hardier.

 

I have had it since JAN, o well al take what is left of it out of the tank thanks all.

 

Well also what kind of light do you have it under? Flower Pots are said to need intense lighting. Yea they are difficult and still one of those corals that reefers as a whole aren't having much luck with. I got a small rock for $20 that I'm trying out for now. So we'll see but I am prepared for it not lasting longer then 6mo even tho I have a lot of experience myself.

 

I disagree with this theory. Mannyhernz on this forum had a purple gonio under halide and it still died. My guess is that their life extends to a MAX of 6months under intense light. I suspect gonio's need a lot of organics to filter off of in the wild along with intense light. Who knows, they might be 50/50 on light and organics.

 

Goniopora requires alot of DOM(dissolved organic material) for nutrients, which basically goes against the laws that basically govern the success of our tanks. We strive to have as little nutrients(ammonia, nitrite and nitrates) in our water. Therefore carbon and excessive protein skimming are the norm to rid our tank water of these nutrients and contaminants.
It is suggested that Goniopora rely on a higher level of these nutrients than we are willing and able to create and live by due to strict water parameters requried by most of our other prized corals and inverts!
I believe that that is the biggest reason for the demise of Goniopora in our tanks over the short period of time. More so than because of lighting deficiencies or descrepencies. It use to be that you had to have metal halides before you could have success with Goniopora, but that isn't the case.

 

If you would like to read up on the subject? I have a good link to an article that talks about them in detail.
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-10/nftt/index.php

Jim

 

Yep, somewhere I read that they are a "dirty coral" and need to be surrounded with organics. Gonio's are voracious eaters like Carnation, which is impossible to keep without pumping the tank with nutrients all the time.