Elegance Coral Question

[undbulsu]

I originally posted this in the general reef forum and someone suggested I try over here. Thanks

About 2 months ago I picked up an elegance coral at a local fish store. Beautiful specimen. Was told it came from Australia. Did great until about a week ago. Obvious Elegance coral syndrome. I am currently treating it in a hospital tank with Cipro, but am not holding out much hope.

Given that the articles I have read point to a infectious process causing the syndrome, how long do you think I should wait before adding a true aussie specimen or maybe an aquacultured specimen?

 

[Dkuhlmann]

How did you arrive at your diagnosis? Please post pictures of your elegance and tell us what your full parameters are and what kind of lighting and flow you have it under.

 

[undbulsu]

I don't have any pictures right now, but

I don't have any pictures right now, but

My parameters as of Tuesday were:

ph: 8.15-8.28 throughout the day as measure by an apex probe
alk: @9.5dKh Hanna
Ca: 430 Red Sea
Mg:1400
Po4: 0.04 on Hanna ULR
Nitrate: 3-5 with Nyos
Dosing b-ionic Ca/Alk with Apex Dos

I have a Red Sea Reefer with a Giesemann Aurora LED/T5 combo running about a 7 hour photoperiod with 2 hour ramp up to 50% power, then 2 hour ramp down.

2 Maxspect gyre's alternating flow every 10 minutes set at around 60%

The elegance was placed in the sand bed in a lower light area with minimal flow.

It began to pull in tentacles, the oral discs became hyperinflated and then withdrew, all the while white mucous was extruded from the coral. That's how I got the diagnosis. All other corals, including frogspawn, bubble, goniopora and various other LPS as well as some SPS are doing great. Feed the goniopora and the elegance every other day. Goniopora with BBS and Reef roids, the elegance with mysis shrimp.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

Mine went through a period of the same thing and is still a bit puffy and tentacles mostly retracted, they're about an inch or so long. but all I have found to do is reduce the lighting. It's doing better now and I'm slowly increasing the lights. Mine was fine until I purchased new lights that are a lot brighter than my old ones. For the longest time mine was fully extended beautifully!

I did dip mine in Revive and if and when it gets any crud on it I use a turkey baster to blow it off. Not much you can do but wait it out is what I found. So I'm going through this with you at the same time.

 

[micgloth18]

are these guys known for eating fish or inverts? I am looking at getting one for my biocube and was wondering if that was a bad idea

 

[undbulsu]

Not that I know of. But they get huge

Not that I know of. But they get huge

are these guys known for eating fish or inverts? I am looking at getting one for my biocube and was wondering if that was a bad idea

And they have a very potent sting. Make sure you get an Aussie one

Mine seems to be recovering by the way. I'm not touting a cure for Elegance coral syndrome, but the combination of Cipro, daily 100% water changes using display tank water and Lugols dips seems to be working.

He's gone from being completely retracted inside his skeleton and covered in white mucous, to having his oral discs expanded. No polyp extension yet.

 

[josepha]

Any update on your elegance? Looking at an Aussie one.