Acan Lord Dying

[Lacktaters]

I know this sounds absurd, but I fear that my sand is killing my corals. Everything in my tank is doing fine. The only corals I have lost are an Australian Elegance (placed in the sandbed), a Welso/brain coral (resting on top of the sandbed) and an Acan Lord frag (placed frag plug on top of sandbed...lasted only 2 or 3 days). I purchased a replacement Acan and sat the frag plug on a small rock at the bottom of my reef (it was less than an inch off the sandbed). Within a couple days it had completely aclimated and opened up. It's been looking great for about a week. Last night I literally moved it three inches away onto the sandbed to make room for a new coral. When I got up this morning it's all closed up...it looks like it's dying. I tested the parameters with brand new red sea test kits (Alk. 9dKH, Ca. 400ppm, Mag. 1240ppm, Nitrate 0, Phosphate 0). Temp. and pH have been steady at 77 and 8.1 respectfully. I can't think of any other explanation. Everything that I've lost seems to have one thing in common (placement in or on the sandbed).

a couple days ago...
http://i1205.photobu...0108_175931.jpg

a couple minutes ago...
http://i1205.photobu...0112_155335.jpg

Is there any chance at salvaging this frag?

 

[greech]

Your links don't seem to be working (at least not for me). Odd for sure. Fleshy LPS don't like sand on top of them but sitting on the sand isn't an issue. How is the flow along the sand? Do you have a strong flow bouncing off the front glass by chance?

 

[greech]

Double post

 

[Lacktaters]

Before

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[Lacktaters]

After

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[jaynel78]

Do you have hermits that could be irritating it...

 

[greech]

What are these?

All of the corals you mentioned are fleshy LPS that don't like high flow or high light. Not sure if you bought all of these corals at the same place but if they are coming out of a lower light (compared to yours) tank, you may need to shade future additions to acclimate them. You didn't mention anything about flow but strong flow will cause those corals to close up.

If all your corals on the rocks are doing well, I would move that frag to the rocks until you figure out what the issue is. Can' hurt.

I wouldn't necessarily lump the elegance loss in with the acan and the welso. Elegance are not the easiest coral to keep.

 

[Lacktaters]

Do you have hermits that could be irritating it...

I have not seen any of my hermits anywhere near it. I do have a peppermint shrimp that's on it like a fly on $%!* though.

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[xxtriggermanxx]

i've read somewhere that pepermints eat acans ... don't know it that's true

 

[freewest61]

what's your lighting like?

 

[Lacktaters]

8x54w t5 in a 90g tank 16-18 inches deep to the top of the toxic sandbed.


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[illjoshlli]

Are yu sure it is a peperment and not a camel back shrimp? The look similar but the camel eats acans (it does in my tank) however, when mine have been eatin you see part of it vanish every day (not rot away)

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[Lacktaters]

I bought it from live aquaria (they are a VERY reputable outfit). I'm sure they sent what they were selling (peppermints). I'm not gonna chance it though...i gave it to my brother in law for his FOWLR. If that little ______ was responsible for nearly $200 in losses, I'm gonna be ****ed at myself for not catching it sooner.

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[llewoh05]

i had a skunk shrimp picking at an acan one time, he wasnt eating it, just digging at the stuff that got caught around it. but it would irritate it enought to never open and eventually it perished. maybe it was the same.

ive also heard of shrimp eating the dead pieces of coral which caused more die off and eventually the demise.

 

[sbtdark]

Your lighting is ok, but it all depends on where you bought it from, what lighting is was under. Always place new corals on the bottom until they are acclimated. I've had a few acans do the same this for some odd reason. Acans don't need intense light. Try some restor by brightwell too!

 

[wliang]

Peppermint shrimps can and will eat acans.

 

[Tautog]

In my old tank I had peppermints devour 2 acans over the course of 2 nights. Needless to say, I will never put the two in a tank together again. Every situation is different but after it happened to me, I won't take the chance again.

 

[TULSATYE]

It might be the low phosphate count!

 

[subpotentjoe]

Look at your tank late at night after the lights are out for a few hours. You can get a flashlight and put something opaque and red over it. I actually use a red candy wrapper if that makes sense. After the lights are out for a few hours put the light on your sand bed and you will likely find what is irritating/eating your coral. The key is getting the light red so the night critters stay out and do their normal thing. I have seen amphipods that eat lps, perpermints/camel shrimp eating lps, and these long tentical things that are like a mix between mojanos and bryopsis that pop up out of the sand bed stinging/irritating some of my chalices. There is lots of crazy stuff in your tank at night especially if you have a diverse array of corals from different places. EVERYTHING comes into your tank with some type of hitchhiker(s) on it. OR it could just be irritated by lighting changes/water params out of the norm.