Brain Coral help needed

[Champduke21]

Hello - I am new to reef keeping. I've had my tank for about a month but it was established with just a few inverts in it for the last year or so. It's a Biocube 29g with stock lighting.

Does this brain coral look sick? Is that the skeleton showing on the side? If so is that normal or should the sides be covered with the flesh?

I have had this for about a week and this is how it has looked since I got it. The mouths seem to be open.

Ammonia and Nitrites are 0. Nitrates are around 5. pH 8.1 Alk 7.5

Thank you for any comments.

 

[mtraylor]

Its sucked in pretty good. Your nitrates must have been allot worse before. YOu need to get them under control to ensure you don't loos it.

 

[Champduke21]

Nitrates have always been under 10 unless my test kit is bad. My Duncan seems to be doing good. I'm using API.

 

[mtraylor]

Here is an example of what your coral should look like. Look at Geris posts. Its the same coral.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1236242

 

[Champduke21]

Thank you mtraylor. Would insufficient lighting cause that or is it more likely because of the water?

 

[nereefpat]

What is the stock lighting? How did it look in the store, if it wasn't online? How about s.g. while we're at it?

5ppm NO3 is nothing to worry about. It could still just be getting used to things.

 

[Stevarino]

I'm not familiar with the stock lighting on a Biocube either, but I would find the coral a shadier spot and just leave it alone for couple weeks or so. You could try feeding it too. Small bits of shrimp, NLS pellets etc.

 

[mtraylor]

IMO you have a water quality problem if the coral was originally like the pictures I showed you and now its like that.

On the other hand. If you bought it that way and your tank parms are ok, then it will recover.

Alkalinity will do that and nitrates will too. Usually only healthy corals like that can eat. Without any flesh to move the food to the mouth, it will not eat. You will need to get it healthy. if you parms are good, it will get there in a couple months.

 

[mtraylor]

Also I wanted to say that if you water parameters are all good and they have never been out of wack, then you may have a fish that is pestering the coral by pecking it or something. I have had that in my aquarium before. Just FYI.