Whats going on w/ this scoly?

I purchased this scoly in August, and it did well for a short time. The LFS where I got it said it's a low light/ water flow type of coral. At the time my lighting was 2 54w T-5 bulbs. 1 6,500k actinic and 1 10,000k ultra sun super daylight, for a 55gal. The tank is only 18" high, and my lights are 21" to the sand bed. Around 2 watts a gal I shouldn't have issues w/ low light LPS'es getting to much light?

Here is what it looked like when I brought it home.


After a couple of weeks it started to turn brown. Than the fleshy part started to recede, but the skeleton seemed to have new growth. Now it looks like this.

With my limited experience I'm not sure if it's worth leaving in the tank. It changes and has lightened up a little. Did it get too much light? All other LPS do well so I'm unsure as to what else might have done this. At the time my water parameters were really good.

Any info is welcome. It would be nice to know if it's worth trying to save, if it's even possible?

 

In the first pic, is that what it looked like at your LFS? It doesn't look healthy right from the start.

I would pull it as it appears to be decaying in the second pic.

 

Stopped going to that LFS
Will do.

 

To me it does look like some photoshock in the first image. I think scolyies should go in the sand bed. The speciman does looked bleached at time of purchase.

 

Okay, so as someone new to reefing I was kinda doomed to fail w/ this one any way. I guess 1 coral in 8 months isn't so bad.

 

I would stick it in a low flow area in the sandbed and watch it. If it starts to make a come back in a couple of weeks attempt to feed it. Even with very little tissue left they can make a slow (months) come back.

Good luck.

 

THX, it looks like it is trying to hold on so I'll give it a try.

 

Thank you Corailine, it's already showing improvement. I'll post a pic when I can, but I don't have my camera at the moment, and my roommates camera sucks.

 

Here is an updated photo of that scoly, almost 2 weeks latter.

Thx, for the help, it seems to be a little better every day.