A. Maryae turning brown?

[LordDarth Bane]

Have a A. Maryae purchased in 11/6 and turning a bit brown since then.

Main Tank 3". Light 2 x AI Hydra 26HD. Placement mid level of the right side as seen in photo. Both NO3 and PO4 undetectable and the other Acros are doing fine.

I wonder whether this is the nutrient level issue (eg. this Aussie species requires even lower nutrient level), it is new in the tank and takes time to have better colour back, or it should receive more light?

Thanks.

(The photos might be difficult to see the browing as taken under different light condition but the white tips parts do brown a bit)

 

[reefinder]

To me it just looks like the placement is wrong. I would maybe put it in directly below one of the light a couple more inches up

 

[reefinder]

Maybe close to the green stag

 

[LordDarth Bane]

Thanks. But do u think it is really A. Maryae or could possibly be other species?

I am confused as some told me it is A. Maryae which needs stronger light, whereas some told me it is deep water species and needs to be placed low.

The store didn't know its species but told me it is from Australia and deep water as well......

 

[Randy27]

I'd try moving it closer to the light as well...maybe somewhat gradually, too. I haven't had a deep water acro yet that wasn't able to 400 plus par

 

[jda]

I would raise it up too.

This is not a particularly easy Acropora. These don't tend to do well under LED for the vast majority of folks. Even though you might trash me and think that I am ridiculous, don't take it personal if it struggles under these lights - it is not likely you.

BTW - when somebody tells you that a deepwater does not need that much light, it means that you can put them in the bottom half under a MH lit tank with 250-500 PAR and a lot of UV output. However, they can totally be in the frag rack at 750-800 PAR as well... the colors just wash out a very little and deep purple becomes normal purple, red become pink, but the tips are white and grow like crazy. Either make for beautiful colonies and the thrive.

 

[reefmutt]

I don't know if I'd raise it..
It's very pale, you have no nutrients (or very low to be undetectable) and you have leds which can be unforgiving to stressed corals that are not adequately nourished...
I think I'd let it acclimated right there.. brown or not.
Once it has stabilized, which may mean turning completely brown.. then maybe move it over more centrally but not necessarily higher right away..
Cool coral by the way.

 

[LordDarth Bane]

OK. I saw another specimen of Maryae on another forum that could grow to all purple. So maybe the darkening of mine is actually recovering from bleaching during transportation?

Anyway, I fragged it in half, one remains on the current placement and one move to more central with a bit more light. Let see how they go.

Thanks.

 

[C.Eymann]

I don't think that is A. maryae. Looks like a granulosa.

 

[reefmutt]

OK. I saw another specimen of Maryae on another forum that could grow to all purple. So maybe the darkening of mine is actually recovering from bleaching during transportation?

Anyway, I fragged it in half, one remains on the current placement and one move to more central with a bit more light. Let see how they go.

Thanks.

Cool! Please post a follow up in a few months. I'd be interested to see what happens..

 

[jda]

It is usually brown -> green -> whatever color it is going to be. This can take a few months, but if it has been longer and you are not progressing, then I would not count on much. Do you have any high end SPSers around you that you could at least give a frag to and see what it does?

 

[LordDarth Bane]

Some updates.

So I have fragged it in half, with half remaining in the original position and half being moved toward the tank center with more light.

The one with less light is darker than the one with more light.

There are new growths on both bases attaching themselves to the rocks, and both new growths are purple! Crappy phone pics but you can see.

Looks like a good sign. I wonder how long it would take for the whole frags to become purple.

 

[reefmutt]

Nice! I see pe and more purple.