Candelabra gorgonian not opening up

[WhiteReef]

My candelabra gorgonian has not been very happy the last several days. It was opening up really good for the first while, but lately it won't open. Right now I can get it to open a little when I feed the tank. However, sometime later it is closed up again. The blade and silver gorgonians are looking happy, all of my corals are looking happy, so I am perplexed.

One thing that I did notice was a damsel that was picking at the polyps. I have been training the damsel by spooking it when it gets near it, and I have been feeding the tank a bit more to keep it well fed. Since then it has not been picking at it. This stopped about a week ago.

Water parameters:
SG 1.0235
Ak 11.6dkh
CA 475
Mg 1120
pH 8.0
Temp 75-78

 

[noahm]

How are nitrates?

I have one that closes off and on during the day, and another one that stays open except at night. The damsel may have scared it pretty good (they are nasty fish), or it might just be grumpy. Also, check the base for any necrosis. If it is dying off there, cut it loose and remount it with some epoxy.

 

[WhiteReef]

Well I thought I would check a few other parameters to make sure they are in normal ranges. When I tested the pH on a test kit that I can read better, it was much lower. This might the culprit. Also I was noticing ammonia and nitrate a little higher than what I usually keep things at. Along with that Mg is on the lower scale of things. Any suggestions on getting the pH to the 8.2 range and Mg in the 1300 range?

I think that I know why my ammonia and nitrates are little on the high side, I have been feeding the tank a bit for the last while. I have been feeding a pinch of spiralina, a small amount of tubifex worms, 6 phyto concentrated drops, and two frozen brine cubes in the morning. Then in the evening I have been feeding 2 frozen mysis cubes and golden pearls. This has been my feeding schedule for the last few weeks, and I think that I am just dealing with overfeeding on that front.


any thoughts?

pH 7.8
Nitrates ~15mg/l
Nitrites <0.2 mg/l
Ammonia 0.2 mg/l
last water change 2 weeks ago

 

[noahm]

I don't mess with stuff like pH since I figure I'll do more harm than good trying to fix it, plus it fluctuates during the day/night. I think you might be overfeeding. I had nitrates up to 50 ppm from overfeeding. Now I feed ESV spray dried phyto once every day and it is either mixed with reef chili, or about a pea sized chunk of Rod's food alternating every day. Not much food at all, but everything seems pretty happy. Now no measurable nitrates. I would just not feed for a few days, then cut down at least half what you are doing. It took me a long time to get mine back to normal.

I would just keep an eye on the pH, and do a few bigger water changes to get things in order for now. You shouldn't have any measurable ammonia after the cycle period. Maybe check if something died, like a turkey wing, sponge, or some other sizeable critter.

 

[WhiteReef]

Well I did a water change last night and have stopped feeding for a little bit. However, I am still seeing that !$@#!@ damsel picking at it. So I built a fish trap so I can remove it.

 

[noahm]

Yeah, damsels should be banned from the SW trade. Those and pseudochromis. Too many people get lured in by their beauty only to later contemplate throwing a grenade in the tank to get rid of one.

 

[WhiteReef]

I knew that damsels were aggressive, but I had not heard of them picking at corals. Well I hope that my efforts to trap the bugger works.

 

[WhiteReef]

Well trapping was not working fast enough for me, and being a fisherman I had to fish for it. I went to a local tackle shop and picked up some hooks. Using 1lb test line, hooks, and krill I caught it. Also since my clarkii was also caught nipping and has been aggressive, I caught her too. Now the gorgonian looks so much better. Now to find some peaceful reef safe fish. Oh, here is a photo of the hooks I used, and dang are they small.

 

[noahm]

1 lb test?? ...and I thought you were a sporting man. Might as well have used cable. You needed some spider web and a bamboo skewer to make proper sport of it.

Glad to hear the gorg is happier.

 

[Raggamuffin]

I love it! barbless circle hooks would have been best though... not to be a jerk lol just sayin. I have had to do it before as well and used herring rigs.

 

[noahm]

Interesting story about one of my candelabras. It never opened up near as much as the other, and the base never really encrusted well. It seemed like there was some kind of slow necrosis that started on one side of the base and was working its way around and up. Finally, I decided to just chop it off, and reattach it close by. Immediately, it started opening up way more often and has started to encrust, but the weird thing is the base has completely healed and has polyps open all over it. Go figure. I think its head and feet were mortal enemies or something.