2nd post attempt - Hammer coral problem.

[The_Taz_Devil]

I recently added 2 types of hammer coral, Euphyllia Parancora and a Euphyllia Ancora. The Ancora has fully extended its polyps but the Parancora has not ?? They are in different corners of the tank, other than their actual location tank wise they are close to the substrate with low flow and lighting is identical (due to positions of 6100 streams being the same at both ends of the tank and the acradia triple 250W mh with 58w Actinic pendant giving out even light). I must admit that the Ancora was acclimatised over an 8 hour period and I only took about 2 or 3 hours with the Parancora (the drip rate was slower but not intentionally). This was over 4 days ago now but still no polyp extension. The Ancora must have been really happy because the polyps extended almost straight away.

Checked parameters last night

PH was 8.1 after lights out, 8.3 this morning after kalk top up.
Salinity is 1.025
PO4, NH4, NO2, NO3 is 0
Calcium is 400
Alkalinity was 9.3 dKH
Mg is 1320
Temp this morning was 77 but likely to rise to around 79/80.

Calcium a little low so added some buffer earlier to get it back to around 420 which is balanced with the alkalinity.

2 questions, is the smaller polyp extension normal on the Ancora ? One of the heads or clusters has now turned rather mushy and earlier I saw my foxface picking at it, it now looks like it has no polyps atall. Do they do this when splitting or is this a problem ?

Please help guys, pictures below.


Ancora

Parancora

 

[The_Taz_Devil]

Bump.

Cmon guys/gals someone must have seen this before and know what is happening - I just dont want the coral to suffer atall and if I can sort it out then great.......

 

[Sk8r]

That's very odd. You're not next to a leather or softie on that side of the specimen are you, nothing upwind of it? That would be the ordinary reason...the one head that's getting the wind would stay retracted.

You might try turkey-basting some cyclopeeze into its area, or diced shrimp.

 

[davejnz]

I doubt acclimation played a role in it.From what i've read,it sounds as if tyou used a slow,drip acclimation to your tank.FIrst off,the branching species of Euphyllia you posted is E.parancora,all branching Euphyllia spp. have "para" before the species name with the exception of E.glabrescens(torch).What corals are in the tank with these?The head that turned mushy,it sounds as if its dead/dieing.I'd break off that branch and toss it.Euphyllia spp. are susceptible to brown jelly disease,if you see that,you need to take immediate action.

 

[The_Taz_Devil]

Sk8r, yeah I tried feeding it but no luck.

Dave, yeah I did drip acclimatise them. There are only softies (mushrooms, rics, a cluster of zoa's in the tank with this LPS but nothing close enough to cause a problem. When you say break off the branch how do I do this ? Also is it done whilst its still in the tank or do I have to take it out first - will it leech any nasties back into the water column ?

Cheers

 

[Sk8r]

A pair of spotlessly clean rose clippers will do it: lift the specimen out of the tank to do the deed and wear goggles.

 

[The_Taz_Devil]

Did the deed and all is well one week later - polyp extension is looking good, thanx guys.