Is my SPS Dying?

[FSOL]

Hey guys.

I have this SPS coral (not sure of the type). When I had just bought it, it was small in size, but had thick short branches and the color was very deep green.

Right now, the coral has grown almost twice in size, but the branches have thinned out and are white at the tips. also the polyps don't open as much as before, so instead of deep green color, you see some tan color on the branches, except where the small green polyps are located.

Is the coral dying? I haven't changed any tank setups or parameters.

 

[samsfishnchips]

FSOL,

can you take a pic,

many corals at the tip show a "growth" color,

sam

 

[FSOL]

I'll take it when I get home today.

The tip is definitely growth color, but I"m not sure why the branches would start thinning out while growing tall? My main worry is it's loss of green color. But hopefully I can take a good pic and figure something out.

I'll post it tonight.
Thanks

 

[Wiskey]

The coral may be getting thinner branches because you don't have as much flow as were it came from, especially if it came from the wild.

HTH,
Whiskey

 

[FSOL]

It wasn't a wild coral. I had it sitting about 18" from a tunze stream powerhead, so it got plenty of flow, maybe even a bit too much, cuz I could see sometimes its polyps very well open and just swinging back and forth.

 

[FSOL]

Hey guys,
Here's the pic of the coral. As you can see, the base color of the branches has turned to brown, while the part where the small polyps are has some green on it. The polyps don't extend as much as they used to.

 

[gregm5]

maybe it isn't getting enough light, the pic makes it look like you have it at the bottom of the tank. just my 2 cents.

 

[FSOL]

it's actually about 28" below the MH bulbs (8" from the bottom of the tank).

 

[marine_freak]

Not enough light, that is why it is loosing color... the white tips look like new growth to me.... Does not look like it is dying....

 

[Freed]

What wattage MH? Looks like the clam is desperately trying to reach for light as well. Not enough light reaching the bottom.

 

[FSOL]

The bulbs are 3x250W Ushio 14K's plus 2x165W VHO actinics. The tank is 24" deep and the lights are about 12" from the top of the tank.

The clam and the green SPS are about 28" from the bulbs.

How do you tell that the clam is trying to reach for more light?

I moved the SPS higher up in the tank, but now it's not sitting centered below the bulbs. I hope it works better this way, or else I have to upgrade to 3x400W bulbs

 

[samsfishnchips]

FSOL,

how are the nutrients,

your lights are fine imo

sam

 

[FSOL]

NUNEZ - phosphates and nitrates undetectable, calcium between 420-460, alk 8-9dkh, Magnesium 1300-1350 (sometimes it dips to 1250).

I every few days I feed some cyclopeeze, bio/phytoplankton and sometimes oyster eggs.

I have also been using prodibio products in the past 2 months. Not sure if those would be the cause of this or not.