Help! SPS being eaten???!!!

[MD Ocean Girl]

My bf and I have a couple different frags of SPS (birdsnest and montipora) in a 40g long. I know the lighting is enough because both have beautiful polyp extension and all the other corals are really healthy (6 bulb T5 fixture over the tank). Last I checked, parameters in the tank are on spot, with just a bit of phosphates in the water. I noticed last week when I came back from Christmas break that certain areas on both pieces of SPS were completely white, like the flesh had been eaten away. I don't have a camera with a powerful enough zoom to see if there's red bugs. I'm not sure how to post up a picture of what the pieces look like. If I figure it out, I'll post a pic. Any suggestions as to what might be happening and a possible fix? I'll check water parameters again this evening and post them up as well. Thanks so much for the help!!!!

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

I've never had 'em

I've never had 'em

but don't 'red bugs' only eat Acros?

Seriatopora and Montipora shouldn't be affected by red bugs.

 

[Donnytruck]

You should check for two things, first check your alk because most times when that is off, your corals can bleach out. 2nd, your might have nudibranches, they are a pain to get rid off, why don't your try getting some coral rx and giving them a good dip also.

 

[dadoftwins]

Is there anything that could be stinging them...Sometimes when the lights are out you will see corals with stingers or feeders fully out. It sometimes only takes one touch.Like pesty ananomes or favia's ..could be anything. try moving them to a different spot in the tank.I would take a flash light and look in the tank when its dark becuase thats when the trouble makers like to reek havoc. good luck

 

[acdraindrps]

You dont need a camera or any special tools to see red bugs. If you have them, you will see them on infected (usually smooth flesh) acros.

A couple helpful dying acro pointers:

Dead tips could mean too much light right away, dying base as well as browning out in color could mean not enough light, dying inside of colony could mean not enough random surges of flow getting to the center.

I would be interested to see a picture of the problem corals, and where the flesh is missing from them.

 

[pascal32]

If you could post up all your water parameters and what you are using to test it could be helpful. Is the whole colony/frag white or spots?

when I had redbugs the birdsnest and montipora was unaffected

 

[Piazzon12]

was it just mostly at the tips or the base? could just be basic necrosis. Also if it is getting pounded by flow that could cause flesh to come off

 

[MD Ocean Girl]

but don't 'red bugs' only eat Acros?

Seriatopora and Montipora shouldn't be affected by red bugs.

Sorry about that Gary....I'm quite new to reef keeping anyway, and I posted this up and then started reading, and realized my mistake on the red bugs.

Is there anything that could be stinging them...Sometimes when the lights are out you will see corals with stingers or feeders fully out. It sometimes only takes one touch.Like pesty ananomes or favia's ..could be anything.

I don't believe anything is stinging them....they're pretty isolated from any potential corals with feeders or stingers.

Dead tips could mean too much light right away, dying base as well as browning out in color could mean not enough light, dying inside of colony could mean not enough random surges of flow getting to the center.

I would be interested to see a picture of the problem corals, and where the flesh is missing from them.

I'm working on posting pictures now....the missing flesh seems to be closer to the center of the corals instead of at the tips, though one of the monti tips looks like it was chewed.

If you could post up all your water parameters and what you are using to test it could be helpful. Is the whole colony/frag white or spots?

when I had redbugs the birdsnest and montipora was unaffected

I'm also working on getting a new set of water parameters now. I'll post them up when I have them.

Thanks!

 

[MD Ocean Girl]

Water parameters as of 9:45 this morning:

pH: 7.8
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 10
Phosphate: 1
Calc: 480
sg: 1.024
temp: 77 degrees

I don't have a test for alkalinity. This is the first time the pH has been below 8.2....not sure why. I also realize the sg should be at 1.026 and need to decrease nitrates. I'll do a water change. How do I fix the pH problem? Could that be a cause? Pics to follow....sorry about the crappy quality. I only have my camera phone right now.

Original birdsnest colony....have had since early October.

Frag off the original colony.

Montipora spongodes colony....have had since early October.

Birdsnest under actinics

Full tank shot fyi.....placement of the two birdsnest colonies are circled in red and the spongodes is in green.

Thanks so much for all the help!

 

[toddmh]

get a alk test kit asap..This is one of the most important tests..I like the Salifert KH/Alkalinity Test Kit ..as a matter of fact I like Salifert tests in general..I would also get a Salifert Magnesium Test Kit..It is important for keeping sps..
It does look like something is chomping on that spongodes colony though lol
Wish you luck..

 

[sedorusc]

green clown goby. They live in sps and will take the flesh off branches.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

green clown goby. They live in sps and will take the flesh off branches.

x2

this is at least part of the problem

pH 7.8 is NOT a factor in what's happening

do you have a lot of Asterina stars?

 

[MD Ocean Girl]

x2

this is at least part of the problem

pH 7.8 is NOT a factor in what's happening

do you have a lot of Asterina stars?

When I actually see them, I've only counted 2 or 3. Right now, I can't find any.


If the damage is at least partly due to the green goby, what can be done to solve this? I'm not sure I could catch him with a net unless the tank is torn apart.....

 

[sedorusc]

Try taking a clear soda or water bottle and cut the top off and then down where it becomes larger. Invert it back into bottle and put some frozen food inside. Thus you have a simple fish trap. Of course you'll catch every other fish first.

 

[acdraindrps]

I would like to know a definite answer on what your alk is.

 

[MD Ocean Girl]

I would like to know a definite answer on what your alk is.

I'll have to swing out and get a test kit somewhere tomorrow since ABC reefs is closed. I'll get back to you as soon as I do.

 

[MD Ocean Girl]

I would like to know a definite answer on what your alk is.

I've been really busy with school, so I didn't have a chance until today to pick up test kits. As of this afternoon, the alk (meq/L) was 2.74 (salifert test), KH was 7.6 (salifert) and the Mg was 1500. Did a water change a few days ago. There's definitely more flesh missing off the birdsnest...something is definitely eating the corals. Haven't caught the green goby yet....

Fish wise, the tank has a coral beauty, green goby, two false perc clowns, 6 line wrasse, 2 bangaii cardinals, yellow watchman goby and pistol shrimp, coral banded shrimp, 2 emerald green crabs, and snails and some hermit crabs.

Do you think it's still the green goby, or is something else going on to cause that much destruction of SPS flesh, especially on the birdsnest????

Thanks!

 

[sedorusc]

Green goby still gets my vote but emerald crabs do have a history of nippers too.

 

[tmz]

Goby is probably part of it. However, if the phosphate is 1ppm that's quite high and would harm sps. Not sure what 1 means in your post. Alk looks ok but if it varies a lot it will cause problems.

 

[longiotti]

Bobbit Warm!
My brother had the same issue. His was eating acros. There would be 1/4 to 1/2 inch of the new growth missing on corals. he found this would only eat at night.
it was about 30 inches long stretched out.
here is a pic

you can image how much longer it was stretched out.
we ended up having to take his whole tank apart. still didn't find it.
had to break apart one of his big pieces of live rock. it was hiding inside that.
it was amazing that something so big came out.
Amazing.
here is another thread about it
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1952134&highlight=worm

and another
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1915517&highlight=bobbit+worm

He ended up seeing his at night with a red light flashlight.
it took days to confirm this is what is was.