RTN on corals only from LADD

[djkms]

So I know my tank is relatively new. I also know that most of you will say that I should have waited at least 6 months for SPS. Well at about month 3 I started with SPS.

All my coral seems to do good except for the corals I buy from Live Aquaria Divers Den. So far I have lost a birdsnest (STN) and a loripes (RTN) - both purchased from LADD. All my other SPS (acros, montiporas, stylophoras, etc) that I have gotten locally are doing just fine. Now my tabling acro and staghorn both RTN'd over night (Both from DD). My specs are almost exactly like DD, even down to the salt I use. The only difference I can think of is my lights, they run halides I run LED. Also, my parameters have been stable and not fluctuated for 4+ months until recently with PO4 and Nitrate, which I do believe shot up because I started feeding coral frenzy.

Specs of my system below, the only difference now is my PO4 is .02 and Nitrate at 1ppm.

Thoughts?

 

[twon8]

Flow perhaps? table acros rtn all the time and Loripes are not an easy acro to keep. Were these all wild colonies?

 

[djkms]

Flow could be it with the table I suppose. It was in a bit of a valley, it always had good PE though so I didnt think anything of it.

As far as wild colonies, I would guess so. They have a SPS section then a maracultured and aquacultured. Guesss I need to stick with the later 2 huh.

 

[allsps40]

I was also going to ask if they are wild sps?? If so wild do not do so well in captive reefs. You would need to have a well established reef tank for best results with wild sps. A dont think you added to soon at 3 months, looks like you have plenty of coraline algae growing. That is a better indicator that it is ok to add sps then X amount of time. The second sps looks bleached out. Do you acclimate your corals to your tank and lighting?? Iodine is good to dose when adding in new sps, it can help with bleaching and stn of new corals. I would frag off a few healthy pieces off that first sps in hopes of saving some of it. What kind of flow fo you have and give us a full and current water test, water chemistry and quality can and will change.

 

[djkms]

I did a full water test before posting. The only thing different from my signature is the PO4 and Nitrate posted earlier. I think you guys nailed it with the wild colonies, all frags and aquacultured corals are doing just fine.

Flow is provided by 2 MP40's on each side of the tank and 2 returns from my sump (MAG18)

The second picture actually came to me bleached from Divers Den. I had faith that it would color up but it has been that way since I bought it, guess I should have called them on it...

It just sucks to buy $60-80 colonies from a place as reputable as Divers Den to have it die a month later - beyond their guarantee - while other corals are doing just fine..

 

[Alex T.]

I've had a few maricultured and wild sps colonies rtn and stn over the years. Sometimes it just happens. They really are hit or miss, but something that really shouldn't be tried in a new aquarium...less than a year IMO.

The only remaining one that I still have is a beautiful, true bright yellow bottlebrush and just in the last 6 months has it really started top blossom after 2 years of sitting dormant.

I won't buy any more simply for the fact that so many come in with pests that can harm your other corals as well if qt is less than perfect.

 

[CMcNeil]

IMO it happens because they are wild corals.even maricultured corals are wild since they are grown in the ocean and haven't been in a closed system.I have had nothing but trouble buying mariculture colonies from my LFS or online so stopped wasting money on them and just buy frags.once those maricultured corals are in a tank for a year or more I might buy a frag of them but can't bring myself to buy them from the stores or online.

 

[djkms]

Honestly it kind of sucks that this is happening with wild colonies. I guess I am oldschool and don't care much for the modern version of frags. To me a frag is 3-4" which now seems to be considered a colony. A colony to me is 6"+. The problem nowadays is to get a colony that is not wild is soooooo rare because people are chopping them up into tiny 1/4" specs. Sad state of the hobby really but thats for another discussion.

So I guess now the question becomes, where to get non wild "colonies" at a decent price? I do stalk craigslist, the sale threads here and my local club but are there online retailers to buy from?

 

[djkms]

Very interesting. I save the pages of what I buy from DD. Both these corals are from the SPS section and I purchased 2 other corals, both from the Maricultured section and they are doing fine..

Here are the pictures of each coral that DD had on their website.

 

[LifeAquatic]

I only hate maricultured corals becasue they usually have AEFW on them. Other then that the maricultured pieces are awesome! So much diversity.

 

[djkms]

Ok so I just called Live Aquaria and asked some questions.

Their Aquacultured are just that, captive grown frags.

Their Maricultured are wild colonies grown in lagoons.

Their SPS section is wild harvested corals.

Every coral listed in their Divers Den section goes through the same quarantine process and usually is only in their systems for 2 weeks before going online for sale.

The guy I spoke to said that he hears it pretty often that the corals bought from the SPS section don't do too well.

 

[isseym328]

I regularly purchase wild colonies from DD, and have to say I rarely have them RTN/STN once they are in my tank. However there were a few times where the bag was cloudy when the package got here, and the acro died overnight. A few DOA as well, but overall most acros make it into my tank fine.

I think key is to make sure you acclimate them well. I float the bag, acclimate them to tank water a little at a time, then put them in. Takes about an hour.

 

[djkms]

I regularly purchase wild colonies from DD, and have to say I rarely have them RTN/STN once they are in my tank. However there were a few times where the bag was cloudy when the package got here, and the acro died overnight. A few DOA as well, but overall most acros make it into my tank fine.

I think key is to make sure you acclimate them well. I float the bag, acclimate them to tank water a little at a time, then put them in. Takes about an hour.

I would believe this to be true for the most part otherwise they wouldnt be in business. I think in my situation it just boils down to be such a new tank w/ wild colonies, not a good mix.

 

[isseym328]

Yeah i lost some seriously nice colonies from DOA/shipping. Dang wild colonies!