elegance coral

[shifty51008]

just wanted to get some others opinion's on how my elegance coral looks, I have had it in the tank for about 4 months but has looked the save the whole time.

 

[finfan4]

looks fine.

 

[elegance coral]

It looks well, but it looks like it has gone through a very trying time. It appears to be in the recovery stage of a very traumatic experience.

IMHO
Food is very beneficial to a coral like this. It's feeding response will not be great, though. At times it may eat, and others it may not. When it does eat, it will not be quick about it. In time, this should improve, if the coral is regularly fed. Soaking food, and dosing the tank with vitamins and amino acids also seems to help. I haven't had good results when feeding foods soaked in Brightwell amino acid, though. (the thick white stuff) For some reason the coral simply lets go of the food, or prematurely discharges it. I have had great results from SeaChem vitamins and amino acids though.

You'll also need to keep close tabs on calcium, alkalinity, and phosphate. It is vitally important for the coral to begin laying down calcium carbonate. They are prone to polyp bail out when there are problems with calcification. When the coral begins laying down calcium carbonate, and the skeleton grows under the tissue, you'll notice that the tissue begins to overlap the top edge of the skeleton. You'll know the conditions are good, and the coral is really starting to improve when you see a band of new white skeleton between the flesh and the dark skeleton you see today.
HTH
EC

 

[shifty51008]

thanks very much for that, for a while I was having trouble keeping my alk stable as my pump went out and I could only dose when I had time so it kept going from 6dk - 10dkh over a couple days. and I just redid my sand with a more course sand that won't keep blowing around which is why you can see it brown in spots.

about 2 weeks ago my new BRS 1.1ml pumps came in so I was able to get it back stable and for the past week or so my parameters have been:
ammonia, nitrite = 0 API
nitrate less than 5ppm salifert
alk. 9dkh elos
cal. 420 ppm API
mag 1450 ppm salifert
PO4 - 0 Hanna

I feed the tank flakes 2 times a day
frozen mysis / rods food 2-3 times a week
scallops once a week to the anemones
and reef chili - 2 times a week after lights out.

so I am now hoping with my parameters back stable it will start to show signs like you stated.

I was just worried cause a while back someone showed a pic of theirs and asked if they should take it out of the tank, and if it was a gonner. I wasn't sure of the cause because to me it looked fine.

should I wait on tring to target feed it for a while or would it be better to try and get it eating?

 

[elegance coral]

If it were my coral, I'd get some fish or shrimp, remove all hard structures, like bones, exoskeletons, and scales, then cut them in pieces about the size of a pencil eraser, soak it in vitamins and amino acids, and start feeding the coral now. The frequency of feeding will depend on the coral. My goal would be twice a week, but the coral may not feed that often right now. The more nutrition you can get into the coral, the faster its health will improve.

 

[shifty51008]

here is a pic. of it a couple weeks afer I got it from divers den and I guess it has been alot longer in my tank. this was taken on aug/2001

 

[shifty51008]

If it were my coral, I'd get some fish or shrimp, remove all hard structures, like bones, exoskeletons, and scales, then cut them in pieces about the size of a pencil eraser, soak it in vitamins and amino acids, and start feeding the coral now. The frequency of feeding will depend on the coral. My goal would be twice a week, but the coral may not feed that often right now. The more nutrition you can get into the coral, the faster its health will improve.

sounds good I will start today with the feedings, I will order some of the SeaChem vitamins and amino acids just in case as I only have Elos Omega Amino Acid Complex (Stony Corals) and Elos Extra Vitamin For Fish Foods for now.