Favia with infection?

[lakeviewink]

I've been slowly losing my favia colonies one by one. The first I thought might have been the victim of a chalice somewhat in the same vicinity but after the second, and now the third, I'm asking for suggestions.

The tank is about a year old, in present location, most livestock and rocks are 2-3 yrs old from my previous tank. Only one fish presently, lubbocks wrasse, one sallylightfoot crab, three Hawaiian zebra hermits, two peppermint shrimp, and a few snails.

6 x 54w T5's

SG 1.026
Temp 79-79.5
Kh 2.9-3.0 meq/l
Ca 440
Mg 1290
Nitrate ~ 3-4 ppm
Phos~ .8-.9 ppm

The colors are off in the iPhone pic"¦

Raptors Peace

Other side

Thanks for any help

 

[Bigcefa]

I'd frag of all the dead and nasty stuff and iodine dip

 

[chrisfont23]

I'd frag of all the dead and nasty stuff and iodine dip

Agreed. That looks salvageable to me.

 

[MechEng99]

How long does it take a single polyp to go? Does the infection (for lack of a better word) spread in a line, or does it go polyp to polyp? Do the polyps die from one side to the other or do they shrink? Are any other corals affected (like acans, chalices, or other LPS?)

Usually with infections, the mucous-like tissue death is brown or nearly non-existent. The recession will occur in a line, with polyps dying from one side to another.

I've dealt with some parasitic pods (about 0.5mm) that will cause the mucous-like tissue to be clearish-white. The recession occurs more within each polyp...not in a line. But, most of the ones I've dealt with will also go after chalices & acans.

I would dip the corals in a 10:1 tank water to hydrogen peroxide mix for about 20-30 seconds. Remove as much as the decayed tissue as possible...fragging if you can. I'd then dip in Bayer (lots of threads on this) for about 15 minutes. Lastly, I'd follow up with a dip in CoralRx/Revive/Lugol's/etc. This three-dip process should knock out just about whatever is going on. I use it on all my rescue corals, and it's nearly bulletproof. This is assuming you don't have some water quality problems going on...

 

[Smpco02]

Lifesaver MechEng

 

[lakeviewink]

How long does it take a single polyp to go? Does the infection (for lack of a better word) spread in a line, or does it go polyp to polyp? Do the polyps die from one side to the other or do they shrink? Are any other corals affected (like acans, chalices, or other LPS?)

Usually with infections, the mucous-like tissue death is brown or nearly non-existent. The recession will occur in a line, with polyps dying from one side to another.

I've dealt with some parasitic pods (about 0.5mm) that will cause the mucous-like tissue to be clearish-white. The recession occurs more within each polyp...not in a line. But, most of the ones I've dealt with will also go after chalices & acans.

I would dip the corals in a 10:1 tank water to hydrogen peroxide mix for about 20-30 seconds. Remove as much as the decayed tissue as possible...fragging if you can. I'd then dip in Bayer (lots of threads on this) for about 15 minutes. Lastly, I'd follow up with a dip in CoralRx/Revive/Lugol's/etc. This three-dip process should knock out just about whatever is going on. I use it on all my rescue corals, and it's nearly bulletproof. This is assuming you don't have some water quality problems going on...

It's dead. Thank you for your response. I tried fragging, dipping, etc, for all three favias. Yes. It was in a line, not polyp by polyp

 

[MechEng99]

Oh nooo...I'm so sorry. There are some pretty nasty bacterial infections that spread in a line like that...and some of them regularly beat me. Just out of curiousity now... Was the line colored at all? White, black, or pink? Or, was it just a band of decay? If it was pink-banded, I've never managed to conquer that one.

 

[lakeviewink]

Yup. Pinkish color. It took my Spongebob first, about 2 months ago, then a no namer, and now the raptors. I've tried everything I could think of to no avail.
The raptors was different in that it had some ulcer-like protrusions, for about 4 months, that looked like it was fragging itself or something before the necrosis started. Thanks again.

 

[lakeviewink]

Favia with infection?

Oh nooo...I'm so sorry. There are some pretty nasty bacterial infections that spread in a line like that...and some of them regularly beat me. Just out of curiousity now... Was the line colored at all? White, black, or pink? Or, was it just a band of decay? If it was pink-banded, I've never managed to conquer that one.

My reply is above. A quick question. Have you seen this pink infection go after chalice? I have some pricey pieces near these favia that I would like to not lose.

 

[MechEng99]

I'm so sorry.

I fought pink line on my favias and acans for quite some time, and I was unable to salvage anything. I can't remember if I had chalices at the same time, but I've never experienced it with a chalice...and I can't find anything about it going after chalices with a quick search.

This may be a last ditch effort, but...it's all I've got. There's some evidence that PLS may be linked to a particular type of cyanobacteria. You may want to consider (research first) treating the corals and/or the tank with a cyano-remover product.

 

[lakeviewink]

I'm so sorry.

I fought pink line on my favias and acans for quite some time, and I was unable to salvage anything. I can't remember if I had chalices at the same time, but I've never experienced it with a chalice...and I can't find anything about it going after chalices with a quick search.

This may be a last ditch effort, but...it's all I've got. There's some evidence that PLS may be linked to a particular type of cyanobacteria. You may want to consider (research first) treating the corals and/or the tank with a cyano-remover product.

Ok. Thanks, I did notice a small patch of cyano in my sump this last time. Didn't notice any on the previous deaths though. Thanks again for the help

 

[MechEng99]

Cyano that occurs in most every tank isn't the same as what may be causing PLS (different species). Otherwise, we'd all be in some major trouble.

 

[lakeviewink]

Cyano that occurs in most every tank isn't the same as what may be causing PLS (different species). Otherwise, we'd all be in some major trouble.

I see what you mean now.