Maze Brain Coral Browning... help?

[meverha1]

I recently picked up a Green/white maze brain frag from my LFS. It was healthy and nicely green when it put it in my tank but over about the course of a month it's browned up quite a bit.

Prams are "normal" and not really worth listing. Every other coral in my tank (soft, LPS, and SPS) are doing fine. Weekly water change of about 20 gallons, (110 gallon display, 40 gallon sump).

Tank is 48x18x30 and lighting is supplied by two Gen 4 Radions using the Coral Lab LPS program set to about 65% max lighting. As I said before every other coral is thriving, including the SPS I have near the top of my tank.

The frag as been sitting on my sandbed for the last month and it's been getting progressively more brown. If I feed it (mysis, etc...) it eats like a pig. I generally feed my coals 2-3 times a week and can watch this little frag devour anything I give it.

What could be causing the browning? I sort of assumed it was building up more chloroplasts in order to make up for lack of light so two days ago I moved it mid-tank level.

There seems to be a little growth on the frag but not much. Thoughts?

Thoughts?

 

[AwesomeDavid]

The frag is probably just exchanging zooxanthellae to adapt to your lights. I am a noob so that may or may not be accurate, but if it is growing and open it should be ok.

 

[meverha1]

There looks to be a tiny little bit of growth but not much...

 

[AwesomeDavid]

Do you know the scientific name? if so, look it up how fast the growth rate is. Stony corals like brain corals and blastos grow slowly.

 

[meverha1]

Fairly certain it's a Platygyra

 

[meverha1]

Bumping this because I'm still having issues.

I moved the frag to about mid level in my tank but the browning has continued to get worse. I do notice what looks to be a few spots of "bright" green new growth on the sides of the frag and it will eat when I feed it brine shrimp.

It's almost entirely brown now, except for the new growth. All other corals in my tank seem to be doing fine.

Thoughts?

 

[nereefpat]

Parameters? Pics?

I believe browning can be from too little light, as apposed to bleaching from too much light.

 

[meverha1]

Parameters? Pics?

I believe browning can be from too little light, as apposed to bleaching from too much light.

Sorry, don't have a picture handy.

Parameters are "normal" except for nitrates, which are a little high but nothing to be alarmed about. Sitting at around 15 ppm according to Red Sea's test kit.

Lighting is provided by two Radion G4s using the LPS Coral Pro program at 65%.

I have SPS near the top of the tank which have great coloration and growth and LPS all over which are doing great. This is really the only coral in the tank that is giving be problems.

Started it out on the bottom of the tank and noticed some browning so I moved it midway up the tank, thinking that it might not be getting enough light but the browning is only gotten worse.

The frag looked great in my LFS but I'm starting to wonder if maybe it wasn't doomed from the start.

Currently feeding it brine shrimp every other day in an attempt to keep it alive...

 

[meverha1]

I should also point out that I've never, ever seen this frag extend feeding tentacles or sweepers.

 

[nereefpat]

Parameters are "normal" except for nitrates, which are a little high but nothing to be alarmed about.

(In psychology voice) but what is"normal"?

 

[meverha1]

(In psychology voice) but what is"normal"?

Standard "normal" for a reef tank.

Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 15 ppm
Phosphate: almost unreadable according to salifert
Ph:8.3
Alk: 8.68
Ca: 450
Mg: 1200 ish

So, "normal"

Use Kalk in the ATO for Alk/Ca. Carbon dose with homemade NoPox. Add a Small bit of Red Sea's trace elements for color weekly. Feed fish with LRS Reef Frenzy. Healthy pod population.

 

[CrayolaViolence]

It could be getting too much light and the zooxanthella that are green in color are dying off and being replaced by brown. As for tentacles not extending, are you looking at it at night with a flashlight? A lot of brain corals won't extend tentacles in the "day light".
Of course I'm also assuming that when you say "brown" you mean it's changing color and not dying.

 

[meverha1]

It could be getting too much light and the zooxanthella that are green in color are dying off and being replaced by brown. As for tentacles not extending, are you looking at it at night with a flashlight? A lot of brain corals won't extend tentacles in the "day light".
Of course I'm also assuming that when you say "brown" you mean it's changing color and not dying.

I don't know if it's dying or not. Sort of hard to tell.

I thought browning indicated not enough light and bleaching would indicate too much light.