Lighting and shell rot.

Greedo

New member
I was wondering if it really is lighting that causes shell rot or is it like "Carbon causes HITH" when it is really poor water quality that causes these ailments? If it is lighting how much light is too much light?
 
Seeing this post reminded me that Boyfriend had requested that I ask Dr. Roy the same thing because we're picking up a O. Scyllarus next week. Swifty, could you also pm me the same thing? Thanks!
 
copypasta'd here:
SwiftysReef said:
Gonodactylus said:
I wish I knew what causes shell rot. It seems to be worst when water quality is poor, nutrition is not good, there isn't a good dark burrow, and molting rates are slow. Also, substrates that cause abrasion may make the problem worse.
 
I've posted several times on this and the answer remains the same - I know what correlates with the disease and how to treat it, but I don't know the cause. Shell disease often starts out as a wound or an abrasion. By the time the cuticle starts to degrade, it is host to a complex assemblage of fungi, bacteria, protozoa, algae and even nematodes. I dont' think there is any question that strong illumination makes the problem worse once it starts, but I don't know its role in starting the infection.

I have found that uv sterilization at least slows the spread on the syndrome.

Roy
 
Any information is great to have.

UV sterilization, like using the stuff that sterilizes water, or actually applying that to the mantis?

Also, what constitutes a "bright light"?
 
Treating the water.

O. scyllarus are usually found below 5-10 m and down to 30 - plus they have a burrow several times their body length. That suggests bluish light at no more than 25% of surface values. I don't use any lighting in any of my tanks so I'm not qualified to get into specific equipment.

ROy
 
Thanks for all the info everyone. I asked because I have a 7 1/2-8" peacock in a 30"L x 22"T x18"W tank that has pristine water all the time....every time. With 72W of LED's 2 black saddle clowns and a 10+" LTA.

He has about 20" of tunnel that is pitch black and a 6" DSB and the lights are only on at full power for 8hrs a day, over a couple months I have not seen any shell rot. Should I be conserned about his future health? I was wanting to try my hand at some acro's after toping off my fiji boat rock with some uber nice LR. If this is a bad idea I can save some of my LED's and put them on another tank and choose to keep some softies/non photo corals in this tank instead.

Suggestions? comments? I'm open to any and all thoughts :beer:
 
I'm leaving any real answers to Dr. Roy, but here's my take on it - G. ternatensis often lives in SPS colonies. I think that that species, at least, would do fine provided that there was a good dark burrow for it to hide in.

I'd actually really like to know as well, since we're getting a small (3-4 inch) peacock. Boyfriend plans to make the sandbed deeper and add in a nice PVC tunnel for it, but he's got some nice corals in there as well. I'll probably be called in to adjust the rockwork again...hopefully the peacock will be fine for about 2-3 years in a twenty gallon :/ It's the maximum allowed in the school dorms.
 
I'm leaving any real answers to Dr. Roy, but here's my take on it - G. ternatensis often lives in SPS colonies. I think that that species, at least, would do fine provided that there was a good dark burrow for it to hide in.

I'd actually really like to know as well, since we're getting a small (3-4 inch) peacock. Boyfriend plans to make the sandbed deeper and add in a nice PVC tunnel for it, but he's got some nice corals in there as well. I'll probably be called in to adjust the rockwork again...hopefully the peacock will be fine for about 2-3 years in a twenty gallon :/ It's the maximum allowed in the school dorms.

Yea, I know some mantis can handle all the light you can toss at them but peacocks are apparently not light friendly. I think some of the reason mine has had no issues has a lot to do with the water quality, having plenty of pitch black cave to hang out in, and my photo period is relatively short. If you get your peacock small he should be fine in a 20g for a while but will deff need somthing bigger.
 
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