Problem with acro?

[KSzegi]

Posted this question in Reef Discussion thread ..... but good suggestion to post here instead!

Two days ago I noticed that one of my favorite acro's had developed some stark white tips on several branches. And just out of those tips there is some long, stringy, clear mucous-like strands. I did a water change yesterday and today there are a couple of more tips that are doing the same thing. Still some polyp extension but not as much as normal.

I've attached a photo but it is hard to tell how white the tips in question are by the picture. The original white areas have not progressed at all, limited to the very ends.

Everything else in the tank appears normal. Water parameters are: KH 8, PH 8.3, Cal 425, mag 1360, phosphate 0, nitrate 5, temp 76-78.

My question is what, if anything I should do ... is this a wait, watch and see or should I be doing something to try to help? A suggestion was made in the Discussion forum to cut the white ends and dip the coral ..... if so, what would be the best solution to dip it in?

It has been doing very well for me and I would hate to lose it if I can prevent it!!

 

[dudley moray]

if you can dip it, i would try revive
have you recently changed/added something ?
new gfo , new fish ,new crab ??

 

[mr chris]

I am not sure from pic.It looks like the same thing my acro does from time to time and after a few days all is good again.

 

[ChicagoReefOne]

mesenterial filaments?

 

[KSzegi]

if you can dip it, i would try revive
have you recently changed/added something ?
new gfo , new fish ,new crab ??

Pretty sure my LFS has revive so I'll swing by tomorrow and pick some up. Probably good to have on hand anyway!

Haven't added anything recently in the way of livestock at all. I've only recently started dosing - about two months now though. Using baking soda and BRS calcium chloride. Has been the same amount/routine for at least the past 3 weeks and have not noticed anything during that time. Have been over-monitoring the levels so far too and there have not been any swings. KH, Calcium, PH and mag. have all stayed almost constant.... no more than a 1 kh or 5ppm difference.

Added fresh carbon and gfo with the water change - but that was the day following when I first noticed the symptoms. Thought a good size change and changing it out might help. It had been about one week since the prior water change.

The only other real change that I can think of would be that the resin and filters were changed on the ro/di and the tank tops off directly from the unit.

Was thinking the mesenterial filaments might be it .... but does that usually correspond with the white tips?

Hope it is indeed just an unknown 'stress' reaction and things will not deteriorate any further!

Thanks all of you for the ideas and help.

 

[LifeAquatic]

Thats a sweet Acro! Hope you figure out what the problem is.

 

[KSzegi]

Thats a sweet Acro! Hope you figure out what the problem is.

Thanks! It is one of my favorites for sure, I would really hate to lose it just when it is getting to be a nice colony!

Good news is that after just checking it again, there are no more strands coming off it and the white has not progressed any further down any of the branches or to any more of the tips. Few more polyps out like normal now too ..... fingers crossed. Maybe just the thought of 'doctoring' it by cutting tips and dipping was enough to 'cure' it!

 

[SPSEMPIRE]

double check your alkalinity to make sure that your test kit is still in date. What brand of test kit are you using? Are you running any phosphate binding media like GFO?

 

[myerss]

What do you feed you're reef? Maybe the coral just needs some food.

 

[KSzegi]

What do you feed you're reef? Maybe the coral just needs some food.

The reef and fish are fed a homemade mix (mixed fresh seafoods, cyclopeeze, gp reef and larval diet, etc) on a daily basis. About once a week I will do an 'extra' feeding after lights out of the reef/larval diet, cyclopeeze and a bit of phytoplankton.

 

[myerss]

Any progress? Maybe just a freak thing.

 

[Shtefan]

I have the same problems with the similar acro. The ends are overgrown and in 7-10 days overfly again. Water parameters are similar to yours. And I can't find the reason of it too. Few days ago i noticed this problem with another blue acro.
Sorry for bad English, I use a translator.

 

[Shtefan]

acro...

 

[Logzor]

mesenterial filaments?

+1

I don't think this is a bad sign unless you are seeing other stress signals.

 

[cutegecko3]

Are the areas white as in bleaching or is it tissue loss? How did you measure your phos. level? You should shoot for ~0.05.

 

[KSzegi]

Are the areas white as in bleaching or is it tissue loss? How did you measure your phos. level? You should shoot for ~0.05.

It appears to me that the ends have actually suffered from some tissue loss. Affecting just the very tips and only of some of the branches. I just took another picture trying to show the ends a little better.

All I have to measure the phos level right now is an API test kit .... so not the most accurate. With that, the level is undetectable.

 

[KSzegi]

double check your alkalinity to make sure that your test kit is still in date. What brand of test kit are you using? Are you running any phosphate binding media like GFO?

Can't find a date on the alk test kit (API), - is only about two months old but maybe is not accurately testing any more, I know last one needed replacing before I had finished the kit. Are you thinking that maybe I had an alk spike by adding too much baking soda when in fact the levels were high enough to start with?

Yes, I am running PHOSaR in a tlf reactor.....

 

[KSzegi]

+1

I don't think this is a bad sign unless you are seeing other stress signals.

I was pretty much afraid the white tips were that 'extra' stress signal .... without that I really wouldn't be concerned.

 

[KSzegi]

Any progress? Maybe just a freak thing.

No real progress except that I would say that the polyp extension on the branches and base is a lot more normal today. Good news is that there have not been any additional tips that seem affected and no other corals in the tanks seem to be showing any signs of stress.

I have so far chickened out on 'treating' it. If it is just a freak thing that doesn't progress I would hate to add more stress by removing it from the tank, cutting it, dipping it etc. I will certainly do it if needed but unless someone here tells me I'm nuts, I'm still playing the watch and wait game .... and currently preparing water for a few changes. Was thinking it won't hurt so maybe do a 20 gallon change for a few days in a row on the tank.

 

[myerss]

No real progress except that I would say that the polyp extension on the branches and base is a lot more normal today. Good news is that there have not been any additional tips that seem affected and no other corals in the tanks seem to be showing any signs of stress.

I have so far chickened out on 'treating' it. If it is just a freak thing that doesn't progress I would hate to add more stress by removing it from the tank, cutting it, dipping it etc. I will certainly do it if needed but unless someone here tells me I'm nuts, I'm still playing the watch and wait game .... and currently preparing water for a few changes. Was thinking it won't hurt so maybe do a 20 gallon change for a few days in a row on the tank.

I think you got the right idea. Don't dip, W/C, and hope it's a isolated case.:fun2: