LPS wasting away

jaybfresh

jaybfresh

Pitcher Hill Reef Society
Some of my LPS are wasting away after appearing healthy for several months. A frag of 10 duncans is now down to about 5, and the remaining heads are barely open, and now my brain has dead tissue forming on one side that is spreading. What should I be looking out for? Nothing is close enough to sting each other.
 
My P04's have always been high and are finally coming down, (currently .17), but when they were up to twice that and higher, I lost a trach and 2 different attempts at duncans.
 
jay, i KNOW you probably have checked all this.....but Alk? PH? Ammonia? Calcium? did you switch food? did something else die recently in the tank? last water change? sorry if this is all obvious....just pulling from what my issues were in the 90g recently.
 
Along with water parameters (sg, ph, alkalinity calcium, magnesium,PO4 and NO3) and temperature , I'd look for predation or alelopathy from noxious corals or stingers. A fish or shrimp may be nicking them. If you don't already do so running some fresh granulated carbon may help reduce excess organics which can cause some deterioration. Did any ny toxins like copper or other metals get in there. If so polyfilter can help.
 
Running carbon and High capacity GFO, but tank maintenance has been slacking so PO4 might be an issue. I'll test tonight, but I know PO4 tests arent always the most accurate. Everything else is rock-steady... temp is always 78-79 and Cal/Alk/Mag dosing hasnt changed a lick in a long long time. Also no changes in feeding. Slacking on water changes is the only "chemical" factor that has changed... hoping its not parasites or the like
 
Looks like all the bases have been covered. It will be interesting to see what effect the water changes make. Hope it all turns out well for ya.
 
I agree with Gary on feeding the corals. I have seen duncans do well with lighting but they seem to do better when spot fed every once in a while. Just like any LPS. IMO of course.
 
Yes those corals need food once or twice a week IME. It may be difficult to get them to take it now if they are strssed but I would certainly try.
 
I do feed the LPS about twice a week... had been taking food regularly, but like ya said its a little tougher now. Its probably worth noting the 2nd brain, acans, frogspawn, and torch all stiil look good.
 
That would be my next suggestion. Dip it and then move it to a different spot in the tank. See if that seems to help it out at all.
 
Look for a brown jelly infection. Brownish slime on the dead heads or receeding trissue. If you see it dip in lugols and or fresh water, blow it off and relocate the coral. Brown jelly is an infectious protozoan that starts at a wound site on necrotic tissue and moves on to healthy tissue.
 
Thanks again for all the tips guys. No brown jelly to speak of... just white skeltons growing by the day. Even the tissue immediately surrounding the dead spot on the brain looks healthy, and 75% of the brain is inflated like normal

And Brandon, those acans are doin A-OK!
 
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