Rescue Corals

[MechEng99]

Hey Newby! (Although by your join date, I don't think I'd call you a "newby" anymore!) ;-)

First off, that bubble is looking pretty good. I don't see any freshly exposed tissue (would be white), and it's expanding. I'd keep it in pretty low flow (so that the bubbles can fully inflate and not get poked by the skeleton.) Lighting should be low initially, but after a week or two you could move it to medium light.

I worry about the cyano I think I may see in the background. Dying corals fuel cyano, and cyano can smother dying corals (see the bad cycle?) Just be careful to keep it off the coral.

Bubbles are typically one of the least picky I've found when it comes to their food during rescue. I'd still use something pretty nutritious though (mysis, good pellet food, blended raw seafood, etc.)

 

[MechEng99]

So, I just heard an interesting tip thirdhand about someone who rescued corals too. The person I talked to said the other rescuer swore by squirting a tiny bit of Kent's Essential Elements on the rescue corals every day.

For anyone who knows me personally, you know I look at most dosing products skeptically (except ca, alk, mag). I'm looking at this even more skeptically. The ingredients are "Calcium Chloride, Cobalt Chloride, Iron EDTA, Lithium Chloride, Magnesium Chloride, Manganese EDTA, Nickel Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Potassium Iodide, Sodium Molybdate, Strontium Chloride, Zinc EDTA, Copper EDTA, and Potassium Bromide."

For a coral that is dying, I'm not sure how these elements would help...especially when target-dosed. The person claimed the coral would survive even if the entire mouth was missing.

Anyway, I'm going to try it...who knows. If no one tried anything, we'd still be using multi-colored gravel and undergravel filters. Just wanted to share what I heard in case anyone else can vouch...or wants to try it too.

 

[Mhayes462]

I feed the bleaching coral misis and brine. Yes, it is the same Wally world qt. I have a Reefbrite led light that has 6 3watt LEDs, 3 white and 3 royal blue. Is that good or too much? I move them in there because I've heard to get them in shade or lower light. The bleaching coral that did make it started in my main tank and got better. I start all the coral in the main, then if they get worse I move them to the qt where they continue to get worse. Only a couple bounced back, but I've lost more than I have recovered. I've had success healing coral with other problems, but I can't seem to help the bleaching ones and it frustrates me because they usually have all their flesh.


Mike Hayes

 

[ferguson2]

obssesion

obssesion

Sence reading this thread I have become Obssesed with helping corals lol, these are a few of my rescues. all are recent the brain has made the best recovery by far.

 

[ferguson2]

oops

oops

forgot to upload this photo

 

[MechEng99]

Ferguson - those are awesome, and thanks for sharing that this thread inspired you! Keep us posted on their recovery process. Any more tips to share?

MHayes - Hmm...I don't know enough about LEDs to answer. Maybe someone else will chime in. Feeding mysis is great, although brine shrimp isn't the most nutritious. I'm not really sure how to pinpoint what's the matter without seeing the coral, setup, and setup parameters. Sorry.

 

[StephLionfish]

I don't know what I'm doing wrong at my LFS, I have honestly tried every angle possible but they will not give up a coral no matter how bad it looks for anything less than the price on the tank.

They are willing to let them die and throw them out, rather than sell them to me for even a penny less.

I thought I was lucky to have 8 LFS near me but it seems I have the worst 8 out of them all.

Same. It's a darn shame... I can bring usually anything back to life, but I can't afford to buy a half dead coral for full price...
There's a Lobo at the LFS that needs some real help

 

[MechEng99]

Sooo...I decided to expand. This is...the Reef'd Up Rescue.

Coral QT on left, fish QT on right

Hospital tank

Meds

Chems

 

[MechEng99]

Rescue tank

Current rescues

 

[MBIETZ]

Awesome hospital setup i need to post a few pics of my rescues. Im currently trying to get my LFS to sell me beat up corals but they usually throw them out even after i talk to them but im sure they will come around sooner or later.

 

[Mhayes462]

Here's a pic of my qt. just added the reefbrite led strip.

Mike Hayes

 

[MechEng99]

Am I seeing things or is that a chocolate chip starfish? They eat coral...any problems with it?

I'd post in the lighting section about your lights. Those lights look pretty bright, and they may be too bright for stressed corals (or even moving them could further stress them.) You may do best posting a separate thread with all your tank(s) parameters to help troubleshoot.

 

[NewbyReefer]

Am I seeing things or is that a chocolate chip starfish? They eat coral...any problems with it?

That is most certainly a Chocolate Chip Star. :worried2:

 

[Mhayes462]

Yep, chocolate chip. I know about them eating coral and would take it out if it did. But I have never seen it anywhere but on the glass and that rock. Maybe it doesn't like crossing the fake gravel?


Mike Hayes

 

[ferguson2]

Newest Rescue.

Newest Rescue.

my most recent addition.

 

[ferguson2]

rescue methods

rescue methods

Just wondering what you all do "special" for your rescues that you normally wouldn't do for the rest of your corals.

 

[MechEng99]

Nice rescues ferguson! The first few pages of this thread outline what all we do differently. I feed daily for some (differing foods for different corals/issues), different medications/dips, different flow/light, and sometimes "surgery". Yes, some poor-off corals do fine with regular treatment, but not all can recover without a good bit of human intervention.

 

[ferguson2]

need advice

need advice

ok so im failing epically with this red open brain. im considering cutting off the dead/dying part. good idea or not?

 

[MechEng99]

Sorry...my computer died (got a new one). How's it looking? If the remaining tissue is healthy and inflating, then I cut off the dead/dying tissue parts, then superglue a thin line of healthy tissue to the freshly cut skeleton. That helps the freshly cut tissue not tear in the water flow.

 

[ferguson2]

was a total loss. not sure why that one didnt make it while the rest care coming along great.