non opening Trachyphillia

[david cooper]

I have 3 Trachyphillia open brain corals in anestablished 1500 litre reef. Other corals doing well. Water all good.

One "withdrew" the day I changed the metal halide bulb and has never opened its polyps since (8 weeks). Still alive (just). Photo shock? Blooming severe and lasting if it is.

Two more added a couple of weeks after the bulb change. Opened fine for a week and then gradually receded nevert o open again. Moved one to another tank with only fluoro lights but no joy.

Tank 1.5m deep. One Trach 400 down, one 600 down and the other 700 down. 400w 14000K bulb with blue actinics.

Any ideas?

 

[MinibowMatt]

Kinda hard to follow your post, but Trachy's like medium light IME, and need good water movement acroos their flesh. If the water doesnt move enough it wont expand. How is its color? any signs of bleaching? how about skeleton showing? Mouth gaping? these are all signs of stress. Try to feed it Mysis or the like, and get good flow on it.. Also- trachys like sandy bottoms. they dont like rocks as their flesh can tear easy.

 

[david cooper]

Thanks Matt. Appreciate your reply. All getting water movement, one (the first to start this) is bleaching, other two still got colour but skeleton showing (all over).

Won't feed. Not open enough. Good point about the sand but I doubt that is the answer. I have successfully kept Trachys in other aquaria no problems. I thought it might be the Hairy Crab but I got him out and no improvement.