Quick! Problems w/ Colt Coral

[mallyk]

My 75 gallon has been running for about 3 months now. There is around 100 lbs of fiji & tonga rock in the display. I'm using an 20 gallon sump/refugium with Walt Smith's fiji mud and cheato algea, and bio balls to break up the noise. Im also running a protien skimmer. There are two maxi jets in the display. There are two 150w pheonix metal halides w/ 2 54w t-5's

Right now, there are only two fish, a flame tail blenny and a mandarin goby from a previous tank I tore down.

I have just started to add a couple corals here and there, which include orange zoos, a finger leather, and a rose bulb anenome from a previous tank I tore down. So far, no problems with them.

There has been a colt coral at a LFS that has caught my attention, so for the past couple weeks ive been looking in on it, and finally decided to buy it. Every time I went to see it at the LFS, it was always open and out, looking all happy.

It has been very unhappy since i've brought it home. I drip acclimated it for 45mins w/ the lights off in my tank. When I added it to the tank, I put it at the bottom, and I was going to bring it up slowly to the top of the tank. No matter where I put it, it hasn't extended or opened up at all. Now it seems like it is starting to rott away at the bottom near the rock.

Is there anything I can do for it?? I tried doing a couple water changes.

Tank parameters are normal, except the calcium could be higher, It is around 350-375. I use salifert test kits.

Please help, I don't want it to die!!

 

[ACBlinky]

Can you post pictures? A close-up to see what's wrong, and a FTS to see where it's located in the tank would both be beneficial.

More information would also help -- does the coral have retractile polyps (does it pull them all the way in and get smooth, or does it close up like Xenia when it shrinks?) Is the texture slimy, or dry and leathery? I'm just trying to narrow down the species.

How much flow is it getting? Leathers often want more flow than you'd expect, but they don't like being blasted by a powerhead.

How much light was it under at the LFS? It could just be reacting to the move and new, brighter lighting. FWIW most leathers love light, (mine are under 2x400W 10K halides) so your lighting isn't too bright for it, but it might be having a hard time transitioning if it was under older PC or NO bulbs at the LFS.

If it is truly rotting, I'd cut away the rotten portions and place the healthy frags in glasses with rubble at the bottom, in the fuge (so they're not bothered by fish, snails, urchins, crabs etc.). Hopefully they'll attach, and you can place them into the display.

 

[mallyk]

I don't have any pictures at the moment, my parents are borrowing my camera. Maybe tonight after work i'll run over and get it. The bottom of the leather that is attached to the rock is starting to rot, and slowly peel away.

Right now, the colt is sucked in, polyps retracted. It is very slimy to the touch. At the LFS, the polyps were out.

It is getting medium flow, and it's about midway up the tank. There are three maxi jets on a wavemaker. It's not being blasted, but you can see the arms waving. Ive tried a couple differnt places, and it seems unhappy everywhere.

The LFS had 2 175w metal halides, w/ no supplements that I could see. I'm running 2 150w 14,000k halides w/ 2 t-5's.

 

[gillianandjoe]

I say let it be, my colt should have been dead ten times by now, they seem indestructable...

 

[Trip 22]

I agree....mine stayed closed up for a week and came back bigger than ever and his been strong ever since!

 

[mallyk]

I wish I could say the same, but it's falling apart. I guess i'll just have to frag what's left of it and hope for the best.

 

[Bidadari]

Try to dip it in the Reef Dip (iodine) & remove the rotten part. It seems to help mine a few times when my colt rot due to tank changes. I agree with the comment above, colt coral is extremely hardy.

 

[tmplge]

OK, real quick. If its rotting, take a razor and cut that part off. Take it out of the tank when you do so. The fungus will move to other soft corals in the tank. If you are able to frag healthy part, go for it.