New Soft Corals - Not Opening

[topshotta]

I added a couple frags to my tank a little over a week ago. They were doing great for the first few days, but now they are all closed up and have been for the past few days. All the other corals that were in the tank prior are doing fine. The ones that I added were a green finger leather and a green candy cane. I've tested the water and I'm reading 0ppm in Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate. There isn't anything close enough to sting them and I only have 2 very small percula clowns, a cleaner shrimp and an emerald crab in the tank. None of those seem to be bothering them either. I woke late last night so I took a peak inside the tank and the polyps were out on the green finger leather, but they don't come out during the day. Any ideas? Is this normal acclimation?

 

[cdangel0]

Don't know about the finger leather but I know my candy cane really only opens up a lot at night.

 

[gant]

Softies are moody and can take awhile to acclimate. They seem to be adaptable though--even if you're putting them in an ideal spot, they may have come from a tank where they got used to improper lighting, flow, etc. If it's not better within a week, try moving them. Repeat as necessary.

I also dose with Lugol's a couple times a week. Some do, some don't, but I feel my tank has benefited.

 

[sdaousa]

Need to add iodine and magnesium.

 

[xcreonx]

"Need to add iodine and magnesium."

How can you give this advice when he hasn't posted any of his parameters?

I would definitely let the corals settle and adjust. Don't move or touch them.

 

[marcus01]

Leave them be if every think else seems ok they should adjust....
water parameters would be good though .....!!!!

 

[michaeldaly]

Soft corals can remain closed for long periods of time for no apparent reason.

I had a devils had remain closed for many months and then one day it just started opening, it's been doing great for the past year.

 

[topshotta]

Mine seems to be opening at night (a little), but overall it seems to also be shrinking. I tested my water yesterday and I had .25 ppm Ammonia, 0 Nitrite and 0 Nitrate. I had 2 small emerald crabs in my tank and noticed that one had died. I don't know if the crab dying aided to the ammonia - it's only a 9 gallon tank, so I assume it certainly could.

 

[michaeldaly]

Do some water changes to get the ammonia down to zero.

 

[redvipe2010]

Definately work on getting amonia down to zero.

I also agree don't add anything unless your testing for it. I have never added iodine and my LPS and leathers look great.

Do you have a lot of corals in the tank? You may want to run some carbon. But I also agree, they may just be acclimating still.

 

[topshotta]

I have 3 small colonies of zoos, 1 frag of Euphyllia, 2 candy cane frags and the green finger leather. The candy canes also don't seem to be doing that well (ie: never opening). I've been doing weekly water changes (approx 2 gallons). The tank is only 9 gallons. The Euphyllia is doing great as are the zoos - it's the candy cane and the green finger leather that seem to be not doing so well.