Help with new Bubble Coral

[Tebonus]

I picked this coral up at my LFS 6 days ago. It opened up the first full day after acclimating and putting it in my tank but has not since then. It was under much more powerful lighting at the store. I have 2x65 PC and 1x150 watt Metal Halide. I thought maybe it was getting too much flow so I moved it further from my power head. Today I noted some alage growing on the skeleton. Any suggetions.

 

[ri]

I hate to say, it looks pretty bad.

If it open at all and takes food, you may be able to nurse it back to health - otherwise, I would guess it is a goner.

Maybe some one else can give you some less discouraging news.

Good luck!

ri

 

[fischcrazy]

does your LFS have any return policy?

 

[Amphiprion]

I have seen much worse make it out. Try shading it some more and possibly shielding some flow. If it expands further, also try feeding it at night. Lastly, what are you water parameters, like Ca and dKH? I have seen tissue recession from low Ca levels.

 

[Tebonus]

Everything is Zero.....Calcium is a little high.....I don't have dkH test....I'lll try shading it tonight before the light comes on....

 

[zoomfish1]

Couple of thoughts, try to zero the flow for a few days and make sure no other coral touches it. I would try to target the skeleton with some food to entice the bubbles out.

Mine has receded for a short period of time every few days and looks similiar to that, but always comes back out. I think it is no different than, say, zoos taking a fewq days to open up.

Maybe when it feels no longer threatened by the new surroundings, it will come back. Good luck.

 

[Tebonus]

Ok Its been a couple weeks but I think things are improving. I moved the coral into a little cranny where its been pretty safe and today I notice for the first time multiple polyps at least partially inflated (not to the fullest extent that I know they are capable of but its something.) I have it a healthy amount of food so we'll see how it does over the next week. The flesh has receded heavily from one side though.

This picture is from about a week ago

http://i11.photobuc
This picture is from today



On a side note I had to remove a criminal hermit crab because he ate my false percula clownfish that had hosted my hairy mushroom :( Little Bastard!

 

[Tebonus]

Sorry here's the pic...I screwed up the URL

 

[Tebonus]

Here's a different angle (still poor picture)

 

[ri]

Looks like it is on the mend to me. Have you noticed it feeding at all?

ri

 

[Paul B]

They should not have sold you that bubble coral. The skeleton is showing which usually means it is dying. It may just have been in poor light but it does not look good from here.
Good luck.
Paul

 

[Tebonus]

I havne't noticed it feeding yet although I'm seeing tiny improvements everyday.

It wasn't receded from the skeleton at all when I bought it. I believe whatever happened was something that was my fault when I acclimated it. This is however the only coral I've had any problems with at all.

 

[David Grigor]

Did you happen to notice how they took it out of the tank to bag it for you ?

I know that bubbles can really get heavy from all the water when they inflate. If not careful and wiggle it around in the water for a while to get it to deflate real good, the weight alone can rip the flesh from the upper portions of the skeleton.

 

[poopsko24]

bubbles are hard to keep, I've kept everything else, my bubble had receeded to about 1/4 the size it used to be, but now that 1/4 iis doing fine, they have always receeded on me. I will not get any large bubbles anymore, I'll stick with the small ones, I think the large ones get banged around too much during shipping and get damaged.

 

[sbluscombe]

sorry to here about your bubble trouble but i think it looks like it is on its way back. I have never had any trouble with them. In fact i had to give mine away on loan because it was growing too big fo my 30 cube. I fed it every other day. i will try to get some pics of it now. I think it has grow about 5 times the size when from when i loaned it to him! It is a little monster! (we'll big monster now!) I hope the best for your bubble. just try to keep feeding it . once it gets growing you might wish it was the way it is now

 

[Paul B]

They do seem to grow quickly when you feed them. I am not sure if the skeleton is growing as fast as the bubbles seem to grow but I imagine it has to grow somewhat. I feed it clams, live blackworms and small frozen fish.
Good luck, I hope it recovers, they are my favorite coral.
Paul

 

[thepudge]

It will come back.. Just keep it away from flow and feed it small bits of food when you can. My bubble fell upside down in the sand for 3 days while I was away, and had receeded a lot like yours did. A few weeks later and it was fully recovered.

 

[stykthyn]

bubbles are difficult, make sure to keep it away from any other LPS, they are very sensitive to the chemicals they put off, epecially in the damaged state yours is in.

 

[MiddletonMark]

Get a full run down on the water chemistry - Ca, Alk, Nitrate/etc.

IMO, it is not happy with something in the tank - and provided you've got it in lower low, moderate light - IMO it is reacting like mine does when it doesn't like the water chemistry.

IMO, check Alk, Calcium + nutrient levels.

 

[Asuran]

i rescued mine from a LFS for $10 been feeding it mysis shimp every other day... and its growing half looked ok when i bought it the other half had 3 small bubbles now its up to 5 decent sized ones