Need your help with new Montipora

[Dr. X]

Folks, I am hopeful, but scared.

I bought a small montipora frag online - the coral came on time, about 16 hours after being mailed, packed very well in styrofoam box, with heater pack,etc. It looked great in the bag (see picture Monti 1).

I acclimated it the best way I know how - floated the bag in the tank and poured tank water into the bag at regular intervals over approximately 45 minutes. The tank water I put in the bag was dosed with Coral dip at the usual dosage. The coral seemed to tolerate the acclimation in the bag just fine. What I did not do is check the pH or salinity of the water in the bag before putting my tank water in.

At the end of the 30-45 minute acclimation process I took the coral out of the bag and placed it gently at the bottom of the tank. It bleached immediately, and has not a bit of color since (see photo Monti 2).

Is it dead? What could I have done differently? Is there any way to save it? Its' been almost 24 hours since I put it into the tank and it remains completely white.

Here is my setup: 6 galon nanotank - 11 inches deep with 36 watts of 50/50 PC bulbs.

Water parameters at the time I put the coral in yesterday:
Temp = 82F
Salinity: 35 ppt
pH 8.2
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0
Alkalinity 3 meq/L
Calcium 460
Magnesium 1395
Phosphate 0

As you can see, I put the montipora at the very bottom of the tank, thinking I would move it up to the very top rock (which is about 3-4 inches away from the lights) over a couple of days. Should I move it to the top now? Again, it bleached immediately after being put in the tank (seconds). All of my other corals are OK, including the birdsnest you see in the top right corner.
The other inhabitants are:

A few snails and a red-legged hermit as CUC
Acan lord (1) head
Candy cane (1 head)
Moseleya (1 head)
Birdsnest (3 inch piece)
One 1.5 inch purple dottyback

All the other tank inhabitants have been in there for one week or longer (tank stocked in stages).

Please help - I really like the little monti...

 

[username in use]

Seconds? Thats wild, I cant imagine what would cause it to happen that fast. Did you ever get around to testing the bag water even after you added tank water? Did you handle it with cleaner on your hands?

 

[L98-Z]

I'd give it some time. I've had a few corals bleach, most of them come back without any issues. Most recently was a plate coral. Took about 2 weeks to get it's color back.

 

[Dr. X]

Seconds? Thats wild, I cant imagine what would cause it to happen that fast. Did you ever get around to testing the bag water even after you added tank water? Did you handle it with cleaner on your hands?

Unfortunately, I didn't ever check the water from the bag, because I assumed I had acclimated it sufficiently. And no, my hands were perfectly clean. Thanks for the responses.

 

[Tang Salad]

Did the flesh fall off exposing the white skeleton, or did the flesh itself turn white? If the former, it's a goner. If the latter, there's still hope.

 

[noahm]

I bought a tiny monti frag about the size of a pea. It was prefect for a few days, then bleached and lost all of its flesh. I was too lazy to remove it and about 2 months later I noticed a single polyp on the side of the skeleton. Now it is back to the size of a large pea and has several polyps and proper flesh. Apparently they can be tough. Just give it time and see what happens, but I learned my lesson about tossing 'dead' corals. I have also had favia come back from seemingly 'dead' skeleton. Give it at least a month ime.

 

[Dr. X]

Did the flesh fall off exposing the white skeleton, or did the flesh itself turn white? If the former, it's a goner. If the latter, there's still hope.

I did not see any flesh floating away (though it's a tiny frag). So, I am hopeful.

I bought a tiny monti frag about the size of a pea. It was prefect for a few days, then bleached and lost all of its flesh. I was too lazy to remove it and about 2 months later I noticed a single polyp on the side of the skeleton. Now it is back to the size of a large pea and has several polyps and proper flesh. Apparently they can be tough. Just give it time and see what happens, but I learned my lesson about tossing 'dead' corals. I have also had favia come back from seemingly 'dead' skeleton. Give it at least a month ime.

Thanks, that makes me happy to hear. Do you think I should move it closer to the light, or leave it at the bottom of the tank?

 

[mitsurs01]

is it me or is 3 alk and 35ppt salinity off quite a bit?

 

[Toddrtrex]

is it me or is 3 alk and 35ppt salinity off quite a bit?

It is you.

Alk of 3 meq/l is about 8 or 9 Dkh (( can't remember the exact conversation, but it is at the normal level.

35PPT = 1.0264, so that is where it should be.

 

[mitsurs01]

It is you.

Alk of 3 meq/l is about 8 or 9 Dkh (( can't remember the exact conversation, but it is at the normal level.

35PPT = 1.0264, so that is where it should be.

just realized the conversion. Me = duh duh duh dun

 

[noahm]

I did not see any flesh floating away (though it's a tiny frag). So, I am hopeful.



Thanks, that makes me happy to hear. Do you think I should move it closer to the light, or leave it at the bottom of the tank?

Try good flow and med/med high light somewhere and just leave it alone. No guarantees, but worth the try. The bottom may be a bit low depending on your lighting. Don't be alarmed if the polyps change color for a while. good luck.

 

[magikfly]

I hate to rain on your parade, but that coral looks pretty dead to me

 

[asl4me76]

Best of luck, but it looks like there is no flesh on it at all and just the skeleton. But as someone as mentioned, leave it in the tank for a bit .. you never know when it may come back if it does.

 

[sra127]

one time i broke off a piece of a green monti, maybe .25in x .25in. fell in my tank, thought lost forever. i found it about a month later between some rock and sand, completely bleached, but was polyp extention. its been about a month since i found it and replaced it, green again and showing signs of growth. imo if there is pe, give it time and should come back.