my chalice is bleaching :(

[Lynnmw1208]

My chalice has been doing well for 3 weeks or so and it's been on the sand bed the whole time. The first couple of days it was in the shade and I light acclimated it. I started dosing a week ago as my alk was dropping and now it's bleaching! I moved it back to the shade for now is that the right thing to do?

My params:
SG 1.025
temp 79 degrees F
Ca: 440
alk: 8.7 dkH
mag: 1440
phos, ammon, nitrate: 0 or undetectable by tests

 

[Stylaster]

ya i would keep semi shaded, make sure your params stay stable, the alk dropping could have been a causing factor to make the coral stress. I would also try and feed it mysis too

 

[Lynnmw1208]

ya i would keep semi shaded, make sure your params stay stable, the alk dropping could have been a causing factor to make the coral stress. I would also try and feed it mysis too

Thanks. I have tried feeding but it had no response; even when it was doing well it wouldn't eat. Good news is my acros are doing ok so my tank params must be stable. Too bad for the chalice though, not sure it's going to make it. :sad1: Guess I will stick to acros, other LPS and zoanthids!

 

[Reef Bass]

Offhand a few days of shade may not have been sufficient acclimation.

 

[organism]

Can you get a picture? I'd leave it in the shade for at least a few weeks...

 

[FinancialReef]

Shade, shade, and more shade.

 

[Lynnmw1208]

thanks guys I have it completely under the cave of my rock so hopefully that will help. Right now it seems to have stopped losing color but hasn't gained any back. It still has green eyes and a bit of reddish/pink in the middle. Hopefully it will pull through!! I don't have a pic of it. I'll take one tomorrow if I can.

 

[eci]

shading area 1 weeks and go to brighter area step by step, dont forget direct feed...gud luck

 

[milspec]

Chalice corals can like high light or shade it depends on what the coral likes or it was adjusted to in the wild. I always start in the shade or bottom of the tank. If it keeps it's color and looks happy then that is where it will stay. I have two chalice corals one likes high light and is all the way on top of the rock under a 400 w MH. and the other is almost down in the sand and a 1/4 of it is in almost darkness. It grew into the dark, I have had it for about eight or nine years.

 

[Lynnmw1208]

Thanks for the responses. This wasn't a wild specimen though, it was aquacultured but I think my alk spike is really what bugged it. Hopefully the shade will help it out. It's been in the shade for a week now and I have seen no change. I also have not seen a feeding response with this piece either. I'll keep an eye on it! I will also post a picture.

 

[Lynnmw1208]

here's a pic

 

[milspec]

Was it wild aqua cultured? The base it is on looks like it may have been.
I would leave it and see what happens in a few months. It may turn around. It is bleached. Hopefully It will be able to pull through. Nothing to do but wait.

 

[Lynnmw1208]

Was it wild aqua cultured? The base it is on looks like it may have been.
I would leave it and see what happens in a few months. It may turn around. It is bleached. Hopefully It will be able to pull through. Nothing to do but wait.

I'm sure it was wild at some point, but this guy aquacultures all his corals. he constantly frags off of mother colonies he has so it's most likely been in a tank for awhile. I hope it turns around It was a really nice piece!