help, coral is sick

[bcboy]

Hi
I have had these corals for 6 months,
They usually shrink down and then pop up once a day.
For 4 days they have been shrunk down and look very sick.
They are usually standing up (6-9" tall)
Now they are 1" tall and lying on side.
I am a newbie, not even sure what kind they are
Also Big coral in pic is shriveled as well.
Feed iodine once per week
Feed phitoplex once per week
All fish and anenome look great.
110 gal, 2x250 watt 20K, PH 8.3, Salt fine, Nitrates fine
Please check picture and let me knwo if you have any ideas
Thanks
Thom

[dobejazz]

The ones laying down look like Xenia, The larger one looks like a type of leather coral.

What exactly is your salinity? and how do you test it?
When was your last water change and how often do you do them?

[dobejazz]

Oh and Welcome to TRT!!!

[Wiskey]

I agree with Kelli, it looks like xenia that has fallen over.

I would stop dosing Iodine, I would also stop dosing phyto, Iodine is a poison, and even good test kits don't test well enough for me to feel confortable using it. Phyto is loaded with phosphate, and easily paloots the tank.

I would also start doing some water changes, make sure to let the water mix for at least a day though.

Could you tell us what your test readings are, and what you test for?

What kind of skimmer do you use?

How long have you had these corals?

How long have they been like this?

How old are your MH bulbs, and how high off the water are they? How hot to you run the tank?

Welcome to TRT!

Thanks,
Whiskey

[hng]

Big coral looks like a sinularia, smaller ones look like xenia. It's not uncommon for either one of those to shrink down for a day or two and then pop back up, although I've never seen my xenia shrink for more than a few hours. Also, keep in mind that xenia is notorious for mysteriously "crashing" for no apparent reason. If you've had these corals for 6 months and they had done well until now, I would first try to figure out if anything has changed in your tank. New bulbs, new location of the corals, new fish, new corals, new feeding, anything? If you haven't changed a single thing, then I would do a water change and run some fresh activated carbon. I don't know how often you do water changes or what your bioload is like, but something has either been addded to the tank that the corals don't like or something has been depleted that the corals need. You should also test your pH, calcium, and alkalinity - those also can cause what you are seeing. My xenia would look shrivelled up before I got my alkalinity stable at 10 dkH. Good luck and welcome to TRT!

BTW, I agree with Whiskey, stop throwing iodine and phyto into the tank.

[bcboy]

Hey
I am attaching some more pics, tried to take good ones but....
To answer some questions,
I have
110X tank
125 gal coralife skimmer
reg filter carbon + foam
3 powerheads
chiller set at 79
2 x coralife 250watt MH 20,000k bulbs (12 on 12 off)
Analog hydrometer, keep around 1.022.....basically try to keep needle in middle of green zone
ph is 8.4ish
change 20 gal every 2-3 weeks, top up with fresh water inbetween

I did a waterchange a day before this,
Made water as usual (instant ocean + seachem buffer)
Didnt know about waiting a day, i put in within hour of mixing the salt??
Wont do that again.
Also remove some algea from back glass (made a cloud for a ffew min then was clear again

I am a total newbie, this is a display in my store, but i am going to take a big tank home in a month or so.

The xenia cluster in pics (left side tank) 1 or 2 are half as tall as usual, others 5 or 6 are lying down

Corals have been in and doing great for 5-6 months.
Some have already split / multiplied a couple times
Usually they are 5x taller and the "snappers" at end of tentacles are snapping....lol<<< bad terminology and spelling

I have 8 small fish
1 x goby
3 x green chromis
1 x maroon clown
1 x small purple guy (in pic)
1 x yellow jawfish
1 x bigger angel looking guy (2" long) << only been in tank 2 weeks
50 x hermit crabs
1 x long tentacle anenome
1 x banded shrimp

I was told as my fish are small my load wasnt that big????

I am really worried about coral xenia.
1 or 2 are looking a bit better, but the ones lying down look like almost dead.

I will stop any iodine / phito...... what should i put in for coral, or do they need anything.???

Thanks for the forum and a chance for us newbies to really enjoy this hobby. I'd rather watch the fish than most tv shows.

Thom

[bcboy]

wont let me uploiad more than 1 pic, so hear is
A link to a page with the tank pics on it
http://www.progressive-growth.com/im...quarium/aq.htm

Thanks for all the help
Thom

[Wiskey]

It sounds like you have a nice setup here. Your fish load I would call mediam.

There are a couple more things I would like to know.

How old is the tank? (meaning how long has it been setup at your store)

How much skimate do you get in a week?

How long have you had the corals?

Don't worry about food for the corals, they like fish poo, and food that the fish don't eat. The corals we are talking about can accually take nutreants like phosphate and nitrate directally from the water coulm. They don't eat phyto,... Very, very few corals we keep in this hobby do.

It is definitally a good idea to mix your water at least a day ahead of time, salt water can be very caustic when first mixed, also it gives you time to get it up to tank temprature.

Whiskey

[Wiskey]

Oh, and the previousally mentioned xenia crash is a definate possiblility, I've seen it 3 times in a friend's tank.

Your larger leather will shead from time to time, at this time it may be closed for a few days before opening back up.

Have there been any receant changes to the tank hardware wise? What are your Nitrate, and phosphate readings?

Whiskey

[Ronjunior]

Originally Posted by bcboy

ph is 8.4ish
change 20 gal every 2-3 weeks, top up with fresh water inbetween


*******I did a waterchange a day before this***********


Made water as usual (instant ocean + seachem buffer)

What stands out to me is the fact you just did a water change and mostly your pulsing xenia flopped the morning after. My thought is too quick of a pH swing.
Just out of curiosity, why add buffer when premixed salt usually comes out around 8.4 anyway? By the sounds of it, you do regular water changes and adding something to the mix is just asking for trouble.
I've had some melt away due to a quick pH change and won't (try not to) do it again. LFS guy gave me a sample of buffer and said to just throw it in....I learned the hard way.

[hng]

I don't think that adding buffer to your fresh ASW is a bad idea, in fact, a lot of people do that. The key is to not add too much and to let the water circulate and aerate for at least 24 hours before adding it to the tank. One thing I noticed is that your salinity is only 1.022 which IMO is too low. I have my tank at 1.025 whihc is probably what most people do. Also, your hydrometer may be really inaccurate if it is an analog hydrometer. A refractometer is much more accurate, so....your salinity may not be 1.022 and you may have had a significant change in your salinity from the last water change. Do you heat your ASW before adding it to the tank? If not, a big temp swing may have hurt your corals. As above, a pH swing could have caused the problem as well. If you can, check your alkalinity and calcium levels. Are these the only corals you have in the tank?

[Ronjunior]

Any changes to your droopy corals?

[JPRZ4U]

I have the same problem. and also they just wont grow. I am very very,very new to this. I have always had Africans, went to salt about a year ago and every time I buy xenia they die. My feather dusters do great and the mushrooms do well but nothing else. I do a water change about every two weeks, its a 55 I take about to 10 to 15 gallons each time. My temp is about 79,salt is 1.023, ph is about 8.0 does this sound good. Any help will be more than I know.
P.S. Love the sight jst found it last week.

[tims]

JP,
please start a new thread so we dont mix up the replies..
plaese also give all your parameters too, and your Ph is LOW.. slowly take it up to 8.5

[JPRZ4U]

sorry, didn't know I posted a new one/ thanks.