Christmas Tree Worm Rock - coraline problems

[Brent Thomann]

I recently got a deal I couldn't resist on a Christmas Tree Worm Rock from my LFS.

It has approx 20 X-Mass Worms all different colors, AWESOME looking! The rock has a very nice coat of Brown Coralline, believe thats what it would be called?

here's a pic I found that looks similar with the brown Coraline.-
http://www.beyondthereef.org/images/corals/xmas_worm_rock.jpg

My problem is after about 1 1/2 weeks in my tank part of the brown Coraline is turning red, some parts are fading to white also. Looks like its dieing and if something isn't done soon the whole rock going to be pretty bad looking.

Nitrates/Ammonia all 0, PH 8.6, Calcium has been steady at just over 500.

Would it maybe have something to do with the lighting? My lighting is much brighter than the LFS's. Running 8 hours day. Getting light/med water flow.

Here's a pic of my tank running for 4 months now, cycled right away with the 220lbs of LR. (I have the worm rock sitting in the middle, on the sandbed, not in pic though)-
http://partydamage.com/fishtank/11.jpg


Any Suggestions.

 

[Dan Thrash]

that is not coraline algae. the christmas tree worms often comes with Porites SPS coral which, judging by the picture, i believe you have. the prefer strong light and strong flow.

 

[Brent Thomann]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6852077#post6852077 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Dan Thrash
that is not coraline algae. the christmas tree worms often comes with Porites SPS coral which, judging by the picture, i believe you have. the prefer strong light and strong flow.

OK, any idea of why the coral (Porites) is changing colors on me? I feed the rock daily alternating between phytoplankton and some other bottle of stuff the LFS guy recommended. Getting a lot of red fuzzy things on it too.

 

[Dan Thrash]

i'm sorry, i dont have much experience yet with them. hopefully someone else will help.

 

[jsweir]

Sounds like your porites is dying. I believe they are a bit difficult to keep happy, but don't have one myself.

 

[jocoxVT]

You said that your lighting is much brighter but what type of lighting do you have?
That rock must be pretty dense to be 220 lbs I never would have guessed it to be that much I like the rock work though I am a big fan of the open look.

 

[AIMFish]

As mentioned Christmas Tree Worm rock is often a living SPS, I always thought the worms must find it easy to bore into! The growing white area you see is die off. When I've kept them they were under VHO's not MH, but yours seem to be pretty low. Have you tested Kh? You're calcium seems a bit high at 500, and having the calcium and Kh out of balance is bad, but some SPS growers can cover that as they would do a better job of explaining it than I

 

[Brent Thomann]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6852373#post6852373 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jocoxVT
You said that your lighting is much brighter but what type of lighting do you have?
That rock must be pretty dense to be 220 lbs I never would have guessed it to be that much I like the rock work though I am a big fan of the open look.

3 x 250 watt HQI's MH

Pic doesn't do justice. Total height is 7' HERE's another pic . Its actually just over 220 lbs of LR I also have laid down on the glass.

Is there anything I can do to stop the coral from changing colors or dieing if thats what its doing?

 

[jocoxVT]

Thats a great pic you have there.

Well its definitely not the lights I really dont know what you can do until you narrow down what the problem is. I would do as others suggested and check your alkalinity

 

[sb1227]

I got one about a year ago, it was looking awful at the LFS. I knew it was a porites and assumed it would need alot of light. I put it about halfway up in my 75 Gal. under 150 HQI lights, but soon realized it was beginning to bleach. I moved it to a shaded area that gets good water flow, but not direct. It's turned a beautiful green with tiny yellow polyps and is definately happy.

Keep in mind that if the coral doesn't live, the worms won't either. All I can do is offer my experience with this coral, but it might help. Try a more shaded location that gets good water flow. The coral itself is beautiful, and to me the worms are just an added bonus! Mine is full of tiny starfish and shrimp too. It's amazing what houses itself in this coral.

Good luck!

 

[AIMFish]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6852963#post6852963 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sb1227
Keep in mind that if the coral doesn't live, the worms won't either.

Some Christmas Tree worms don't even live on porites. Are there different species?