Blistering/Bumps on Acro Tort Colonies

[AugustWest]

I grew both these colonies of Cali Tort and Oregon Tort from small frags. They seem healthy but have this weird blistering and bumpy tissue.

Doesn't seem to affect the health but is pretty unsightly to the point I am considering removing them from my system.

Any ideas on what causes this or if it will get any better?

Here are some pics

 

[AugustWest]

Thanks for the link, definitely the same thing going on with my Acro's. Pretty inconclusive as to the actual cause though. Seems that way for every thread I could find on the issue.

I have pretty stable parameters, dosing BRS 2 Part via Bubble Magus Dosing Pump.
Alk 8.6 dkh. Hanna Alk checker
Calcium 410 Salifert
Mag. 1350 Salifert
PO4 0.03 Hanna ULR Checker
Nitrate Salifert kit undetectable

I have been running Ecobak Biopellets for the past 7 months which keep Nitrate and Phosphate within range

I dose Acropower 2 ML daily
Zeo Coral Vitalizer 3 drops 3 days a week
Zeo Potassium Iodide 3 drops twice a week
Zeo Coral Snow 3 ml once a week

Any suggestions would be appreciated. I am considering just tossing the affected corals.

 

[Piper27]

Wow, that's significant. I have noticed one acro start to look like this recently and wake wondering why. My mag, alk, and cal Are all in check and stable as can be. I did forget to change my rodi filters and was thinking this could be the cause but always remembered reading about strontium or calcium being the issue. My strontium kit is not working right anymore so maybe I should check it before my piece gets as bad as yours.
I would like to have someone chip in on the sure cause of this if possible.

 

[AugustWest]

I have found a few threads discussing this issue all the way back to 2004. lots of theories and most just end abruptly.

Couldn't find any threads where the OP came back to update what the outcome of the issue was for them.

Is there anybody out there that has had this happen to them in the past that could post what the eventual outcome was? Was a cause ever discovered? Did it go away? Did it eventualkly kill the colony?

Right now it is affecting my above Tort colonies and also my Tyree Pink Lemonade Nasuta. Doesn't seem to effect Millepora colonies.

I have a handful of nice Acro frags that seem ok for now. I really need to find some kind of plan of action so this problem doesn't spread. It really does disfigure the corals to the point I am considering removing them from my system, i'd rather not if I knew anything could be done to help them.

Any info you need from me in order to assist, please ask.

 

[GreshamH]

I have found a few threads discussing this issue all the way back to 2004. lots of theories and most just end abruptly.

Couldn't find any threads where the OP came back to update what the outcome of the issue was for them.

Is there anybody out there that has had this happen to them in the past that could post what the eventual outcome was? Was a cause ever discovered? Did it go away? Did it eventualkly kill the colony?

Right now it is affecting my above Tort colonies and also my Tyree Pink Lemonade Nasuta. Doesn't seem to effect Millepora colonies.

I have a handful of nice Acro frags that seem ok for now. I really need to find some kind of plan of action so this problem doesn't spread. It really does disfigure the corals to the point I am considering removing them from my system, i'd rather not if I knew anything could be done to help them.

Any info you need from me in order to assist, please ask.

I never solved my issues and ended up culling the effected colonies. It did not spread after that.

 

[AugustWest]

Thanks Gresham. I'm going to do the same, glad to hear it's no longer a problem for you.

Doing research on this I saw that it's really not that uncommon. Wish there was more information on what may be the cause.

 

[Piper27]

Yea I have seen it a few times in tanks. I would really like to find out a cause.
OP have you tested strontium?
What kind of flow is your colony under? Mine is very close to an mp40 on lagoon mode. Now that I think about it, it started recently right after changing my mp40 to lagoon mode. Maybe it's flow?

 

[AugustWest]

I have not tested for Strontium. I have thought that flow could have something to do with it also. My flow is pretty high with an MP40 and an MP10 in a 30"x30" tank. I used to run the MP40 at close to 100% but have since turned it down to about 50%

Lighting could have something to do with it also. Seems like alot of people with the problem are running T5's. One had almost the same bulb configuration as I do.

 

[dowtish]

I had this happen to a few of my acros and birdsnest when I over dosed calcium. It wasnt as bad as yours and makes me think it may be totally different. It caused my hawkins to brow strangely for a few months but eventually it cleared up and there was no real harm. Maybe it was something different.... I also run ecobak and it may be bacterial.

 

[AugustWest]

I really hope it doesn't have anything to do with the biopellets. So easy to use and keep my Nitrate and Phosphate both in line. So happy not dealing with GFO.

Of all the problems people claim are caused by biopellets I have not seen this issue as one of them.

I've removed the effected colonies, hopefully it doesn't happen again. Wish I knew the cause so it doesn't reoccur .

 

[larcat]

Mine looks just like yours -- Great color, lots of growth, totally ugly

Talk more about your flow theory... Was your flow unidirectionalish? Were you running a peninsula by any chance?

Clarification -- I'm running what is basically a 40b peninsula with 2 x MP10 that are very random (i.e custom program in Apex that results in stronger, more random flow than just antisynch reefcrest would be able to achieve.)

I don't want less flow, but I have thought about going back to short pulse, or just turning them down... Increased flow helped the SPS encrust, polyp extension etc. though....

I really hope it doesn't have anything to do with the biopellets. So easy to use and keep my Nitrate and Phosphate both in line. So happy not dealing with GFO.

Of all the problems people claim are caused by biopellets I have not seen this issue as one of them.

I've removed the effected colonies, hopefully it doesn't happen again. Wish I knew the cause so it doesn't reoccur .

 

[AugustWest]

I was running an MP40 and an MP10 both on 100% on Reefcrest anti-sync. So, it was not one directional but still quite a bit of flow for a 30"x30" cube. The Oregon Tort was pretty close to the MP40, but looking back who knows ? People run more flow than that without issue and love to say you can't have too much.....

It was a shame, grew both from small frags into decent sized colonies with great color.....just UGLY tissue and growth form. Maybe it is some kind of Cancer like they discussed in those old threads. It's supposedly not an uncommon occurrence but not a lot of answers out there.