Soft Coral Ill :(

Hi there,

My soft coral seems to be ill its all shrivelled up and one side of it appears to have died off. Any suggestions what could be up with it?



Thanks

Spud

 

Welcome to 3reef!
Your coral looks like a hermatypic coral known as a Torch coral(Euphyllia glabrescens). The branch on the right side has died recently as the tissue is no longer there. It must have just happened as the calcareous skeleton is still a brigth white color indicative of coral skeletons. Eventually, in short time the skeleton will be covered with algae.
I don't know if your water paramters are off, or lighting , or even water flow may be the culprit...
Hard to say without more info...
How long has the tank been set-up?
etc.
The branch on the left looks fine thus far as this species of coral will not always expand and have fully extended tentacles.

 

Gonna need more info than that. I know that I have lost Torches do to flow. The like constant laminar flow and less of the churning chaotic flow.

Just for reference that is a Large Polyp Stony Coral (LPS) and not a soft or octocoral.

 

I always find a good sized water change always perk up my softies when they get "limpy."

Frogspawn is much more forgiving then a Torch. Will do well even in minimum water flow area.

I started out with one small piece. 2-3 heads. Now have 5-6 pieces with many heads each.

 

Thanks for the quick replies. I am beginning to wonder if its water flow that could be the problem. I have done a number of water tests and these are the results:

• SG 1.024
• PH 8.4
• Ammonia 0.25
• Nitrite 0.1/0.2
• Nitrate 10
• Alk Normal
• Temperature 78f

Any more suggestions would be great.

Cheers

Spud

 

Our Torches are doing great, they are more sensitive then Frogspawn. We have a constant flow on them, and they love it.
8)

 

Nitrites and ammonia should always be at 0! Do a water change to start to lower your levels. Ammonia and nitrites are very toxic.

 

I've just changed about 40% of the water so lets see if it comes around. Fingers crossed

 

good luck.......