Blasto is slowly dying

[buckeyenewbie]

I bought some green and orange/red blasto from Southwest about one month ago. The green ones slowly died. I tried the Iodine dip twice and all I got were cephalopods. The orange one did not look too bad, so when I read they like it darker, I put the rock under a little shade. (I have a 30g with 130 watts). After about two days the green ones were completely gone and the orange one looks terrible. It it not swelling up much at all. I put the rock back to its original location and at least the orange one seemed to swell a little.

Everything else in the tank is fine. I do not have any fish yet. Just have an emerald crab that is happy with the bubble algae. One red hermit, two blue hermits, two astrias and somoe sea slugs, a fromia star and one peppermint shrimp.

Is there any hope for the last of the blasto's??

Sondra

 

[owsi]

Hows your water? Light wise, 4 watts per gallon is already low light, what type bulbs, how old, how deep is tank? Did you ever feed them? IMO, they are fairly hardy, so you need to look for cause, my guess is water quality, they can go without food and low light. Also, I would avoid the panic treatments, usually just adds more stress to an already bad situation.

 

[buckeyenewbie]

My water is nearly perfect. I have tried to feed them but they do not seem to care for it. The bulbs, I got from Southwest about a month ago (at the same time I bought the blasto) and I told Rob what I had in the tank and what I planned to get from him before he ordered them for me. I think they are power compacts. They are 65 watts each set of two. One of the four bulbs is blue. I have not been in a panic mode. So, I have been trying to take care of it the natural way. I do not add a lot of chemicals. I put in cycle and (one drop) of iodine about once a week.

The tank is about 19" deep.

Any suggestions?

Sondra

 

[owsi]

What is your SG, nitrites, nitrates, how much/how often water change, what did/are you feeding(cyclopeezes)? Why did you dip twice? Soft corals in tank, how close, up-flow or down-flow. Are you testing for iodine before adding, what brand? If they opened when you got them and went downhill, its probably something in your tank, just need to find what is out of spec.

 

[McCrary]

Your water could be too clean or not clean enough. Start running some tests and see what turns up. Sometimes corals have problems with certain tanks and the water flow and movement or light, it could be anything.

 

[fishaholic911]

Do you have a pic of it?

 

[buckeyenewbie]

I will try to upload a pic this weekend, and answer the other questions at the same time.

Sondra

 

[buckeyenewbie]

Well, I went to the LFS and found out the supplier of the rock I had has had this problem with his blastos'. The person I spoke to had also encountered this issue. There was a marine biologist that tried to bring theirs back to life and could not do it.

Thanks for all your help. I guess if a marine biologist can not bring them back - I can't either.

Sondra

 

[SWSaltwater]

sadly it was walt smith blastos which are supposed to be the best. I have been in New Orleans and will call them when I get back. Usually have no issues with walt smith aquaculture.

 

[clkwrk]

If your water params were nearly PERFECT (whatever that means)then you should have had no problems unless you put them in too much flow .Blastos are hardy but yet tempermental . I have lost my share and it was always my fault .

So if they were looking healthy when you bought them it has something to do with your tank,placement or water quality .

 

[buckeyenewbie]

I hope to get some again - but I will ask a lot more questions the next time. I do not like having anything die. Thanks so much for everyones help. I especially want to thank Rob at SWS for everything he did and for all his enlightening advise.

Sandra