Possible Acropora SPS Problem?

[gyannakoul]

I bought an sps coral a week or so ago that was a frag from a lfs. The variety is not known but it looks like the acropora variety. It was brown to tan in colour with very small fluorescent green polyps scattered difusely around it. I initially placed it in my tank first at the bottom and a week later at the top of a rock in my tank thinking that they require a high amount of light. After the second week, I noticed that it got a purple colour at the tips of the coral and the purple seems to be slowly spreading throughout the coral. Also, the coral is becoming less brown and more like light tan and purple in colour. I am worried that it might be bleaching....the reason being that it is not as deeply coloured as it used to be when I bought it. My aquarium parameters are alk:9.2, Calcium:450 ppm, Mag:1500, nitrates 1-5 ppm, nitrites: 0 ppm, ammonia:0ppm, pH: 8.4. My lights are 2 Kessel 160 we's and they are at 50%. The aquarium is a 50 gallon and I am using a single tunzero nanotechnology 6040 powerhead. Anyone have any idea of what is happening?

 

[Buddhatank]

Patience. Time will tell.

 

[wrott]

It usually takes several weeks to acclimate a coral from low light to high. Besides having patience, which is the best advice, you could try moving it lower for a couple weeks.

 

[gyannakoul]

I cannot move it as I have glued it in place. What I can do is to lower the light intensity back to about 40%. I think that might do it.......any suggestions on this?

 

[Dkuhlmann]

Never glue any coral in place until you know it's happy and thriving in the place you wish to keep it. It's best to place new corals at the bottom or in the lower 1/4 of your tank for a week or so, so that they get acclimated to your tank. then you slowly move them to areas that are similar to what that specific coral likes. Any coral you get if you search it on LiveAquaria they tell you ideal conditions for all that they sell. It's a great guide to use when placing them in your tank. In most cases many corals will encrust to the rock where you place them eventually. Just never glue them until you're sure that is where they are the happiest. Since it's glued in place you can give it strong water flow and just wait.

From LA conditions for acropora


Care Level: Moderate
Temperament: Peaceful
Lighting: Moderate to High
Waterflow: Strong
Water Conditions: 72-78° F, dKH 8-12, pH 8.1-8.4, sg 1.023-1.025
Color Form: Assorted
Supplements: Calcium, Strontium, Trace Elements
Origin: Aquacultured - Drs. Foster & Smith
Family: Acroporidae

 

[gyannakoul]

Thanks for the information from live aquaria. What do they mean by "strong flow"? Direct current from powerhead a few centimeters away ?

 

[Maskpainter67]

Never place a SPS piece directly in front of a power head too close like that as it will surely peel the flesh and start the necrosis cycle

 

[Coelli]

It may be a Tri-color Valida that's coloring up. Purple tips, green polyps, tan base sounds like it.

 

[gyannakoul]

Yes, I believe that is what it is. After you provided the name I went to google images and that is exactly what it looks like. Thanks for the info. By the way, is it normal for all tri color valida's to turn from tan to white or are some like mine going to remain tan? Are there different species of these corals?

 

[nuxx]

Never place a SPS piece directly in front of a power head too close like that as it will surely peel the flesh and start the necrosis cycle

LOL I had two pieces of Acropora snap in half being about 18" away from WP60s...

 

[Coelli]

The base color will vary from tan to white based on nutrient levels and lighting. Less nutrients and higher light will turn the base paler/more white, and vice versa. Hope that helps!

 

[gyannakoul]

It helps a lot....and I thought that it might have been bleaching due to too much light. I guess I was wrong. Thanks for the info Coelli.