Issue with Stylophora & Birdsnest

[djkms]

Hello all,

Full system specs in my signature. They have pretty much been this way for months now (specs) however I did have a unknown nutrient spike which lasted for about a month. The spike ended about a week ago, right about when I started noticing issues with one of my stylo's and one of my bn's. The nutrient spike peaked at about 30 nitrate and .12 phosphate. I did vigorous water changes to bring it back down and cut back on feeding. Surprisingly I didnt notice any difference in looks or behavior during the spike with any of my corals or inhabitants.

Other info:

Feed twice a day (once with rods and once with NLS pellets)

The Idol did chow down a head of my candycane but hasnt touched any other coral and hasnt bothered any SPS. Bellus has never touched a coral.

There is a Pocillopora Crab living in the stylo, has been for months. Purchased off of Divers Den.

I do dip all my corals in either Revive or TMPCC depending on the coral.

I havent noticed any flatworms or anything that could be eating it however sure looks like its being eaten to me.

No swings in alk. Temps been between 79-81.

I did just recalibrate my PH probe and my PH has been low. 7.75-8.05

Looks more like a pest issue then a parameters issue to me.

Any thoughts?

btw I did inspect everything especially my acros. These are the only 2 corals which seemed effected. The 2 corals are pretty close to each other though.

Thanks for your help

 

[M007]

Looks like crab or fish damage to me. Check at night with a flashlight about two hours after lights out.

 

[oscarslr]

Looks like rtn, in my experience birdsnest are the most vulnurable to swings in alk, I lost a few colonies due to an alk spike, depending on how aggressive your water change routine was, this might have caused a swing. If the colonies continue to get worst I would frag as much as you can. I would also check your alk daily this week to keep it as stable as possible. Just my opinion

 

[gig]

Looks like rtn, in my experience birdsnest are the most vulnurable to swings in alk, I lost a few colonies due to an alk spike, depending on how aggressive your water change routine was, this might have caused a swing. If the colonies continue to get worst I would frag as much as you can. I would also check your alk daily this week to keep it as stable as possible. Just my opinion

if it was rtn (rapid), it's be gone shortly (usually over the course of a day or so)...I dont even think it's stn (slow), as that tends to start from the bottom up...

I'd go with some sort of predator, since it seems to be attacking only birdsnests

 

[djkms]

Looks like crab or fish damage to me. Check at night with a flashlight about two hours after lights out.

Thanks for the suggestion. Could it possibly be the pocillipora crab? If not then why is it not protecting its home?

Sent from my Incredible using Tapatalk

 

[3.99AfterTaxes]

Are you able to lift the colonies from their rocks for inspection?

 

[djkms]

Are you able to lift the colonies from their rocks for inspection?

Yep, which I have done. Nothing visually and nothing after basting it off.

Sent from my Incredible using Tapatalk

 

[3.99AfterTaxes]

Hmm, guess it's time to whip out the red flashlight at 3 AM

 

[djkms]

Any idea where to get one for around $3.99 after taxes

Sent from my Incredible using Tapatalk

 

[3.99AfterTaxes]

LOL, no, but here's one for <$10buckos:

http://www.dealextreme.com/p/ultraf...-k2-red-led-flashlight-1-18650-2-cr123a-20333

Never dealt with them, that was just the first result off Google

 

[ChicagoReefOne]

Looks like rtn, in my experience birdsnest are the most vulnurable to swings in alk, I lost a few colonies due to an alk spike, depending on how aggressive your water change routine was, this might have caused a swing. If the colonies continue to get worst I would frag as much as you can. I would also check your alk daily this week to keep it as stable as possible. Just my opinion

+1, Birdsnests are very delicate corals, though I would say it's (definitely) related to NO3 and PO4 levels than alk. I had a NO3 spike to 30 last year, lost my birdsnests. They looked exactly the same, like the flesh was burnt off of the sides exposed to flow. It certainly won't hurt to check for pests but I don't think that's the issue. Look how the tissue is receding around individual polyps on the purple stylo.

I fragged my birds and the bits are growing back slowly. Maybe see if they recover, but if it were me I'd frag. HTH and GL

 

[djkms]

Well the BN is getting progressively worse. The stylo seems to be about the same. I think I had the BN in too much flow which has added to the problem. I have moved it back, hopefully it makes a recovery.

Kind of sucks, this is one of my favorite corals. It has been with me since almost the beginning of this build and had grown from a single 1/2" branch.

 

[ChicagoReefOne]

Any update on this? Did you frag?

 

[djkms]

Since my original post it did get a little worse but has subsided for the most part. I didnt frag anything since it wasn't a RTN-STN issue. I have just been keeping a close eye on everything and keeping parameters as stable as possible.