Elegance and Goniopora Issues

[Xxero]

I feel like I should have added (You Don't Say?) to the end of this thread title.

So I'm pretty sure that my new Elegance Coral is dying, but I wanted to get a few opinions on its condition before I begin etching its tombstone.

Here is the Elegance 12 days ago:

And here it is today:

The polyps are more constricted; it appears to be expelling zooxanthellae; and there is some type of white webbing forming around the mouths:

And on top of that, my once thriving Goniopora is looking like this:

I know that both of these Coral species are difficult to keep, but my ego led me to believe that I had just the TLC to pull it off successfully.

At this point I feel like only time will tell, but what are your first thoughts from what you see here?

ThanX! :bigeyes:

 

[A1t2o]

Dip in iodine and keep the two apart. If there are bacteria issues you don't want them to infect each other. My elegance likes low flow and to be fed occasionally. Give it a little shade, maybe it is acclimating to your lights. Once it opens up more you can put it in more direct light. No experience with a goniopora.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

Do this, that looks like brown jelly on the goni but do this dip with the elegance also

http://www.athiel.com/lib/bacterial.html

 

[cloak]

Here's a good article regarding the elegance coral.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-01/eb/index.php

HTH.

 

[Xxero]

Hey, thank you guys so much for the replies!

Now my concern is that list of possible "why this happened in the first place".

It states that punctures/injuries can set off bacterial infections, and that these punctures/injuries can come from a long list of things. I happen to have a lot of those possibilities residing in my tank:

Urchins - I have a Blue Tuxedo and I saw him on the Elegance the first night it was introduced into the tank. He could have damaged it while munching on the Coralline on the Elegance's skeleton.

Shrimp - My Cleaner Shrimp won't seem to leave it alone.

Wrasse - I have a Red-Head Solon Fairy Wrasse. I have seen it pick Brine and Mysis from the Elegance and Goniopora.

Hermit Crabs - Mostly Scarlets but there are 2 Blue-legs in there also.

I'm wondering which if any or all of these could have been the initial cause, and if so, will this continue to happen in the future?

Thoughts? and thanks again!

 

[lastpikd]

my cleaner shrimp harass everything in my tank. Im gonna make a trap and re home them very soon. They will rip food right out of the mouths of anemones and corals.

 

[180+55reef]

It's low alk, maybe calc....

 

[Dkuhlmann]

Xxero, can you post up all of your water parameters please? Would like to see some new pictures of how they are doing now.

 

[fishybudguy]

I to am struggling with an elegance but i think mine is getting to much light. Tomorrow i will move it to the bottom of the tank in some shade.good luck

 

[Dkuhlmann]

Let us know how it goes. Elegance corals are usually best on the bottom.

 

[Xxero]

Sorry, I'm just now seeing the replies.

Well, neither the Goniopora or the Elegance are looking any better. I haven't had the opportunity to do the Iodine dip yet, but I plan on doing this tomorrow. I'm not a big fan of medicating, adding chemicals, etc. so I wanted to give things a little time. I siphoned off all of the loose brown jelly/snot looking stuff; I've been running Carbon; and I did a large water change yesterday hoping to see at least a little improvement.

Here's a pic of the Elegance this morning when the first set of lights just came on:

And here's the Flower Pot taken at the same time:

The Goniopora looks like it could come back, but the Elegance looks like it's teasing death. In the photo, the left half of the Elegance won't extend and the skeleton is starting to be exposed. The right side of it still extends fairly decently, and it looks like the white webbing is going away around the mouths. I wanted to post a photo of it before it opens up so that you could see how "fuzzy" and/or "diseased" it looks.

I will try the Iodine dip tomorrow (nothing really to lose at this point), and I will take and post all of my water parameters as well. It's late and I'm feeling lazy, and I wouldn't really trust my measurements right now. :crazy1:

Thanks fish people!

 

[180+55reef]

What are your parameters

 

[joshbrookkate]

Here's a good article regarding the elegance coral.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-01/eb/index.php

HTH.

Excellent article! I have an elegance fragged from a fellow reefer. I did some cursory research on its care as soon as I got it. It is not thriving but showing no signs of the disease described in the article.
But I now have a better understanding of its requirements and will be working hard to meets its needs.
Thanks, Cloak, for sharing your expertise!
Michelle

 

[nuttyd]

What equipment do you have? Do you run a skimmer? Have found some of the coral do a lot better, esp the goni, without a skimmer and others need pristine water.

 

[Xxero]

A LFS suggested using this for the Elegance dip:

I followed the instructions, and this morning the Elegance is goo.

I'm not blaming the product or the LFS, just giving an Elegance update.

Turns out that I am having water parameter issues. As of this morning:

SG = 1.026
temp = 80
ph = 8.2
Alkalinity = 13 dKH
Ammonia = 0
Nitrite = 0
Nitrate = 50+
Phosphate = 2.0
Calcium & Magnesium testing later today.

Looks like I have some stabilizing to do. :bigeyes:

***EDIT: The marine version of the product above was used..... I just realized the pic is the freshwater version.

 

[Xxero]

What equipment do you have? Do you run a skimmer? Have found some of the coral do a lot better, esp the goni, without a skimmer and others need pristine water.

Yes, I use a skimmer. I definitely need to put more thought and research prior to my purchases. The pristine vs. dirty water conflict is something to keep in mind.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

Melafix isn't a dip for corals :hammer: Please check with us before doing anything an LFS suggests.

But to add your elegance was toast before you did the dip. I told you how to save it early in this thread. You waited way too long to do something about it.

 

[Xxero]

Melafix isn't a dip for corals :hammer: Please check with us before doing anything an LFS suggests.

But to add your elegance was toast before you did the dip. I told you how to save it early in this thread. You waited way too long to do something about it.

I agree with you on both counts. 5 days elapsed from the time that I originally posted this issue, and I should have acted sooner. Life and the absence of Iodine got in the way. When I did finally try to purchase Iodine, the LFS told me that Iodine is toxic and to use this:

They didn't carry Iodine (only Iodide) and the Melafix says it is for the treatment of bacterial disease on Corals, so I thought that I'd give it a try.

I also agree with your second statement. It was already gone, and I take the blame on that one as well. My Nitrates and Phosphates are bad right now, so I need to get my water under control. I also feel that the Elegance purchase was a mistake in the first place considering...

Thanks for the input. :bigeyes:

 

[Dkuhlmann]

You can get iodine from any grocery store or pharmacy, Kmart, Walmart etc.

Oh and you can tell your LFS guy that I said he's an IDIOT!!!!

 

[180+55reef]

Fwiw I could never keep them, that is when I tried to get my alk to 8, now I shoot for 9 and frag then and have 20