Rehabilitating LPS corals

[ewaldm]

Due to recent family medical circumstances and moving to college, my tank was neglected pretty heavifly while I was gone for the first half of the semester at school. My healthy, big beautiful swelling LPS have all deteriorated.

Only two heads of the torch coral have survived, but those left seem to be growing pretty well? Should I snap off the dead heads, or leave them be?

Second, my bubble coral is just pieces of flesh left, although a few pieces seem to have developed mouths. Is there anything other than spot feeding (Not even sure how to do that at this point? The mounds of flesh were talking about are about the size of a pencil eraser) that I could do to help it out?

I've brought the tank back to college with me where I can do proper mantinence. Any other ideas on how to get these guys to rehabilitate other than just good water and luck?

Wish me luck, I feel horrible that my corals are almost dead, but hopefully I can pull them back, give them an even better story.

 

[Sk8r]

I'd leave everything as it is: sometimes lps will regrow from the depths of a head.

Get some cyclopeeze and some phyto: feed cyclopeeze in the morning and phyto after the lights go out. I don't know how much phyto helps the corals themselves, but it feeds pods and other parts of the food chain in the tank. Over all, a tank with healthy pod production is healthier, imho. Keep your params immaculate, and cross your fingers.

 

[GobyJohnKenobi]

I think maintaaining water quality at this point is more important than feeding.

I would only spot feed each individual polyp that is extending feeding tentacles; maybe even individual mysis offered one at a time with a forcep. Time consuming, but maybe better than putting more food than needed into the water.

Good luck.