Rapid growth or STN

[Ron]

Hello all and thanks for reading,

I have two corals that have me concerned. They have been in my tank since 5/2005 and have been very slow growers. Last weekend I noticed a couple of tips with some white. I wasn't concerned until yesterday when I noticed a white spot toward the base. This picture shows them off pretty well. The white spot toward the base can be seen toward the left.

Changes:
I checked my MG levels a couple of weeks ago and saw I was a little low (1260). So, I purchased some MG supplement from ESV and followed the dosage recommendations on the label. When I tested 5 days later I had hit 1330ppm so I stopped dosing. I tested it again a couple of days later (without further MG suppliment) and read 1380 ppm. I have since retested several times and get 1380 ppm consistantly. I have not made any other changes to the tank.

Tank parameters:
Temp - 79
1.026 < sg < 10.27
CA - 370 ppm
Alk - dkh - 9
MG - 1380 ppm

Additives:
B-Ionic 2 part calcium suppliment (60 ml per day)

So, first of all should I worry (too late really since I already am)? I am assuming that it could be shock from the MG climbing faster than expected. Does this sound reasonable or should I be looking elsewhere? Any recommondations on what to do? All thoughts are greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Ron

 

[toothman]

looks like growth tips, but did something possibly bump the lower left?

 

[Ron]

I don't think anything bumped it. I would agree that it looks like growth tips. I am concerned because they pretty much came out of nowhere. Never saw them like this on this particular coral before.

Thanks,
Ron

 

[thebicyclecafe]

if those were growth tips I feel that only the very tips of the coral would be white, and not the surrounding corallites... it's hard to tell from the picture but could be stn. is there are mucus or flesh coming from the tip? Is there polyp extension from the tip? polyp extension from the tip would almost always mean growth. if polyps are retracted, and it looks more like skeleton than fleshy coral, it could mean trouble.

 

[jackson6745]

Definitely not growth tips. I had an acro do the same thing, not sure why. Maybe try moving it down since the white spots are closest the the light???

 

[Ron]

I just checked this morning with a flashlight and it doesn't appear to have spread any over night. A some tips have polyps but others don't. In addition, I am pretty sure I saw some stringy stuff attached to a tip or two last night. I am assuming it's tissue at this point.

I might have to try moving this one down some but not sure that will do much. I fragged a piece of the coral pictured several months ago and have it in a lower more shaded portion of the tank. In that period of time it has laid out a nice base and been pretty happy. However, It is also going white in spots.

The second coral (not the frag of the pictured one) that is doing the same thing has been in the same location since last May. It's been pretty happy and growing slowly up until last week.

Thanks for all the suggestions,
Ron

 

[toothman]

how do your other coral look?

 

[menard]

She looks like shes been nip at. What kind of fish do you have in your tank? That frag looks pretty healty to me.

 

[Ron]

The other corals look fine with the exception of one other that is showing the same symptoms. It just so happens that both corals that are showing these signs are both pink/purple with green polyps. Don't know if that means anything but it is a concidence.

Fish:
1 - Royal Gramma
1 - Powder Blue Tang
1 - Foxface
2 - Oscellaris Clowns

I have seen the foxface nip a little in the past but nothing that ever bothered a coral.

Ron

 

[menard]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6989491#post6989491 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Ron
The other corals look fine with the exception of one other that is showing the same symptoms. It just so happens that both corals that are showing these signs are both pink/purple with green polyps. Don't know if that means anything but it is a concidence.

Fish:
1 - Royal Gramma
1 - Powder Blue Tang
1 - Foxface
2 - Oscellaris Clowns

I have seen the foxface nip a little in the past but nothing that ever bothered a coral.

Ron

Ron , that damm Foxface unpredictable sometimes.Often mistaken corals for algae.

 

[jsweir]

Almost looks like bleaching from light to me. Hard to tell for sure...

 

[thebicyclecafe]

If you see tiny thin strands of mucus-like material coming from the tips then it's bleaching, you need to move that coral down to lower light areas.

 

[LeftCoast]

I think something is nipping at your acro.

 

[Zoom]

I had this just like you with no reason some of the tips start to get white on some sps corals it look like some kind of stn. i waited two weeks and cut the white parts off they regrew and doing good something we just don't know .

 

[Kreeger1]

looks like a nitrate burn to me
Erik

 

[Ron]

Hmmm, haven't checked nitrate in a while. I will have to pick up a new kit and see what kind of reading I have.

Also, i moved the one pictured lower in the tank to see if that makes any difference.

Thanks,
Ron

 

[Dan Fagan]

I think it is a result of the fairly rapid Mg increase.