Rescue Corals
- Thread starter MechEng99
- Start date
inigomontoya
New member
Mech- great to see the recovery on these, I found this thread because I am attempting the same thing with a newly acquired scoly. I had a question about how much to trim on the skeleton (will post a pic later, know that will help). The scoly outer rim was entirely covered in hair algae which had caused significant detoriation, exposing the enire outer rim of skeleton.
The mouth and about a half inch diameter (still circular) is fine and there are patches of color in the exposed skeleton. I removed all the hair alage and have dipped in Coral RX. I also did some light trimming of the outer skeleton and tried to take just the tips off from the top where there is some tissue underneath the exposed portion.
How aggressive do you get in trimming the skeleton back? I am wondering about letting it be for a while, or whether to cut the entire outer portion back only leaving the truly intact "inner" ring around the mouth.
The statement about the skeleton impeding growth made me wonder if it was better to remove entirely versus hoping small patches of live tissue within that exposed skeleton would recover.
thanks for any advice.
The mouth and about a half inch diameter (still circular) is fine and there are patches of color in the exposed skeleton. I removed all the hair alage and have dipped in Coral RX. I also did some light trimming of the outer skeleton and tried to take just the tips off from the top where there is some tissue underneath the exposed portion.
How aggressive do you get in trimming the skeleton back? I am wondering about letting it be for a while, or whether to cut the entire outer portion back only leaving the truly intact "inner" ring around the mouth.
The statement about the skeleton impeding growth made me wonder if it was better to remove entirely versus hoping small patches of live tissue within that exposed skeleton would recover.
thanks for any advice.
Any advice on rescuing this:
It's like this for about 4 days. No idea what happened but I suspect Clownfish as it tried to host.
I noticed that the flesh was more loose before and closer to the edge, freely floating, while now it somehow positioned itself in the center of the skeleton.
It's like this for about 4 days. No idea what happened but I suspect Clownfish as it tried to host.
I noticed that the flesh was more loose before and closer to the edge, freely floating, while now it somehow positioned itself in the center of the skeleton.
sjwitt
New member
That coral looks terribly bleached, is it a torch coral? With mine, the heads that retract don't make it.
What lighting do you have? Being that bleached, it can't process light for food anyway so I would target feed it ... phytoplankton or mushed up fish food. I actually saved a very bleached brain coral by soaking pellets, smashing them into a 'broth' and using a medicine dropper to gently target feed directly into the mouth. Took a couple of weeks but now it's healthy again.
I have bought 3 test kits today, to test for Iron and Potassium and Iodine.
I was dosing some Iodine once a week and it is in lower range.
But Iron comes out as none. I've read Iron is needed for green colors?
Re lights, my tank is quite small, that coral is 30cm below my lights. Lights are 2 x TMC Aquabeam 1000 HD.
sjwitt
New member
Iodine definitely helps. I'm sure you have read that it shouldn't be over .06 ... that said, mine often reads .09 but the corals look better so I attribute that to deviation in the test kits. Best thing is to look at the appearance, if they look good then you're probably ok. I am NOT recommending overdosing, just sharing my experience. I don't test for iron so i can't comment on that. As far as lighting goes, it looks like you have a hammer right next to this coral that has good color so you are probably ok... admittedly not an expert on lighting. It may also be that there is a little 'warfare' going on between the two so maybe separate them a little more. Again, i would definitely target feed because bleaching means no zooxanthellae, which means it's not getting any nutrient from the light anyway.
My Iodine test usually reads 0.04, I will test tomorrow out of curiosity. If it's still 0.04, I will make a bigger than maintenance dose to bring it up to 0.06.
I had to put the hammer there as to hide it from my Clown which tried to swim into it. I remember the torch was looking exactly the same when Hammer was in the other part of the tank.
That Hammer still has tissue loss, don't think it's getting worse, but doesn't look nice. Should I carefully remove the skeleton part which is not covered by flesh? I'm afraid to do it as to not hurt it more.
The "bleached" looking torch - I noticed today and 2 days ago it was doing something like brown strings coming out of its mouth. Not sure if that's good or bad. I think It happened soon after I target fed it. Ive seen this happening 2 times in last 3 days.
So yes, I target feed it my mixture of dead stuff: Brightwell ReefSnow/Phyto/Zoo. I also broadcast feed Julian Sprung MarineSnow, which some say doesn't do anything and is placebo. I still have half of the bottle left, so I dose it.
sjwitt
New member
Well, I see brown 'purging' from my corals too. It's them expelling waste. If it's periodic and not constant then I'd guess that it's purging waste, especially since you're target feeding. I've never seen them do it that often so maybe you're over feeding. I didn't remove the dead skeleton from my hammer either but if there's 'funky' flesh on the dying part then, yes, remove it. I think your best bet is to work on the iodine... but slowly. Have you ever used Prodibio BIOKIT REEF? I started using it a few months ago and see marked improvement in my corals. It has a vial for iodine, strontium, and other stuff. You might want to try it too.
Also, just a thought, have you tried a coral dip on these to see if there's some nasty bugger bothering them? At this point I don't think you have anything to loose.
Also, just a thought, have you tried a coral dip on these to see if there's some nasty bugger bothering them? At this point I don't think you have anything to loose.
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I have Brightwell Iodion and Strontion, and dose as directed, but I will increase Iodine level to 0.06 then continue maintenance dose.
I have also noticed I was not dosin my trace elements as directed but 2-3 times less, so thats changed since yesterday (talking about Brightwell Koralle-VM and Replenish, the second one half the dose as directed when using both). I also dose KoralAmino. All these every day small doses rather than weekly.
I will try to turn the Torch and take better picture of the dead part.
I have also noticed I was not dosin my trace elements as directed but 2-3 times less, so thats changed since yesterday (talking about Brightwell Koralle-VM and Replenish, the second one half the dose as directed when using both). I also dose KoralAmino. All these every day small doses rather than weekly.
I will try to turn the Torch and take better picture of the dead part.
sjwitt
New member
What happens if you gently blow it with a turkey baster? Is there slimy stuff that comes off? From what I can see, what's there looks healthy. In other posts on this thread, it's recommended to knock off the sharp edges of the exposed skeleton. I did that with a bubble coral that got over heated and it looks to be doing MUCH better. I used a wooden sculpting tool ... kept the coral under wanter and just gently knocked off the sharp parts. Suggest you try that and maybe remove the coral for a dip in CoralRx (mixed with tank water) ... return it to the tank and see what happens. I'd definitely put as much distance between it and the torch and give both some decent circulation ... not directly on them but swirling around them so that they wave gently. Your other corals appear to be doing well and have good color. I'm with you... don't like to cut on them especially when they're already distressed. While you have it out of the water, smell it. If it's rancid I'd get rid of it.
basser1
New member
Just wanted to say what a great thread this is. After reading, it seems like LPS corals have a remarkable way of regenerating themselves under the right conditions.
I also have a rescue story. I had a bluespot jawfish and whenever I needed to get some live rock rubble for him, my LFS was always nice enough to let me bag up some pieces for him. This rubble would also include various dead coral skeletons. One time I brought home a baggie of rubble and started to smash the larger pieces in to smaller sizes. But I noticed a coral skeleton that looked like it still had some flesh on it. So I pout it in my tank and put some mysis on one of the fleshy areas. To my surprise, it ate it! As time went by, it started to get puffier and actually grew more heads. It eventually grew in to a baseball size candy cane colony!
Here's a pic of it in the top, left hand side.
I also have a rescue story. I had a bluespot jawfish and whenever I needed to get some live rock rubble for him, my LFS was always nice enough to let me bag up some pieces for him. This rubble would also include various dead coral skeletons. One time I brought home a baggie of rubble and started to smash the larger pieces in to smaller sizes. But I noticed a coral skeleton that looked like it still had some flesh on it. So I pout it in my tank and put some mysis on one of the fleshy areas. To my surprise, it ate it! As time went by, it started to get puffier and actually grew more heads. It eventually grew in to a baseball size candy cane colony!
Here's a pic of it in the top, left hand side.
I have moved it to a quieter spot. Here is video of it, two questions:
1. Is the flow ok? Wave is created by 2xVortech MP10W.
2. You will notice that Tang is beating it with its tail, I only noticed this happen once so far. No idea what/why was he doing?
Im not sure about new spot, there is a lot of fish activity there...
Don't mind the colors, it's filmed on the phone, I have manually lowered exposure a bit. It appears more green to the eye.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70mj0EomiDE
Another question: The rock the Hammer stands next to hosts big worm, I just noticed it few days ago at night, it's dark green, round, snake-like worm with short tentacles on the head, it is about 6mm thick! Can't take picture because it hides in the rock on any light put on it.
So I think I will move Torch, again. Just so it's clear from the monster.
Torch still doesn't show any signs of brown jelly or any slime, sickness, the healthy part inflates.
So maybe it was actually eaten, not damaged by the fishes or Clownfish looking for host
So I think I will move Torch, again. Just so it's clear from the monster.
Torch still doesn't show any signs of brown jelly or any slime, sickness, the healthy part inflates.
So maybe it was actually eaten, not damaged by the fishes or Clownfish looking for host
Bonvivant
New member
I picked up a little pink rescue trachy last week. It is a little bleached and there is a little tissue loss. I have him at the bottom of my tank where there is lower light. He had not expanded in all the time I have had him. The only thing that opens and closes is its one mouth. I have been wanting to feed him but I never see any feeder tentacles since he never inflates. Should I attempt to feed him? If so, how? any advice is appreciated!
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