Receding Brain Coral

[bla403]

My brain coral has been receding for the past 2 months and I have tried everything to stop it from receding and I am out of idea. All the other corals in my tank seem to be thriving and growing.

Here is a quick history.

I noticed the receding about 2 months ago after I saw my potters angelfish give it a nip. I had the fish for several months and everything was fine but I turned him into the LFS so he could find a new home.
My next thought was that it could be caused by the temperature swings my tank was experiencing as my chiller wasnt able to regulate it well with its internal temp control system. Temp would get up to 82 and then the chiller would bring it down to 78 and this would repeat several times a day. I bought an apex lite and now my temp varies less than .5 degrees up or down and is very consisten
Final thought was that my nitrates were ~20 so I began vodka dosing slowly following the instructions on some of the threads and they are steady around 2-5ppm.

Current Parameters:
SG 1.024
Phosphate 0
Nitrate 2-5ppm
Nitrite 0
Ammonia 0
DKH 7-8
Calcium 440
Magnesium 1300
Temp 77.2-77.5
T5 nova extreme pro's (<6 month old bulbs) about 4 inches above water line
Koralia 4 & Koralia 2 + Mag7 Return

Other notes:
The brain coral has a pinkish sponge on its underside but it isnt close to any of the edges.
I have the coral on a rock about 6 inches from the waterline
Its not in direct flow
Tank has tons of copepods, amphipods, baby featherdusters & sponges in the sump
Few bristle worms & asterina starfish
I believe there are some vermatid snails eventhough I dont see much webbing

Apologies for the long post but I tried to include all the details.

 

[89Foxbody]

I have a pineapple that's doing the very same thing and has been for a while..Like you all my parameters check out and it's in a good place in the tank...I just don't know what I'm doing wrong. I'm about to bring it back to my LFS for credit and just get some Zoas, lol.

 

[bla403]

O yeah just to add. I have had the coral since almost the beginning of my reef keeping (~1.5 years) and it has been through it all and never had issues. (Ammonia Spikes, Nitrate Issues, LARGE water changes). Ie. All that stuff that no longer occurs since I have become a more advanced reef keeper and learned alot since starting.

 

[bla403]

Bump

 

[bla403]

Bump

 

[aleonn]

I find that my brain coral prefers to be on the sand substrate, as its tissue can get irritated by surrounding rock as it undulates to the water flow. IME they require moderate light and moderate flow, and benefit from target feeding once to twice a week (mysis or silversides). Do you have any fish? Tangs can get bored and nip at LPS if they're hungry.

 

[bla403]

Yes there are fish in the tank but I have watched it, even recorded it while I was out, and there is nothing nipping on it.

In the morning it puffs up a little bit but not as much as it used to and toward the end of the day, even when the main lights are still on, it contracts back to a nightly position.

It used to get big and bubbly when it was in a similar location many months ago.

 

[skh]

Yes there are fish in the tank but I have watched it, even recorded it while I was out, and there is nothing nipping on it.

In the morning it puffs up a little bit but not as much as it used to and toward the end of the day, even when the main lights are still on, it contracts back to a nightly position.

It used to get big and bubbly when it was in a similar location many months ago.

I had even more severe recession on my open brain (due to mediocre water parameters and invasive bryopsis) and the way I got it back to good health was by feeding it. These corals are very resilient and do extremely well when fed. I would recommend you try that. Mine has now grown back over the parts of its skeleton that previously were bare.

 

[Pallobi]

i would have lost the coral before i gave up an established potter's... jus sayin lol

GL jus the same, hope he comes back for you

 

[Dave VG]

Your SG is low. Should be 1.026. LPS hate low SG

 

[bla403]

The potters was established and doing great but then then also took a nip out of one of my clams so he had to go.

I will try raising the SG a little but all the other lps seem to be doing great.

How do you identify invasive bryopsis?

I have been feeding him regularly to try to get him back but havent noticed much thus far.

Anyone else have any ideas?

 

[bla403]

Bump

 

[bla403]

Anyone have any ideas?

 

[Meggie2409]

I also have my open and closed brain on the sand bed and have heard that they prefer to be on the sand due to the sensitive tissues... If it has been trying to grow and touching that rock it could just now finally scratched its tissues and now is receding.. Just a thought

 

[bla403]

Ok, I placed this guy in the sand. My concern is that my diamond goby might make a mess of the Sandbed and smother him but we will see.
He seemed to do fine on the rocks for the first year or so and only recently started having issues.

Are there any pests or infections etc that I might be missing?