fred fishstone
Premium Member
This is about three days worth. Is this thing a goner, or should I try to save it?
RTN or Just Bleaching?
- Thread starter fred fishstone
- Start date
psteeleb
Team RC
cant tell for sure from the picture
3 days, if the skin and polyps are gone - it's likely an STN event
STN and RTN (slow or rapid) is the loss of tissue
bleaching = the skin stays but expels the zooanthella and turns white without the pigment
both are signs of stress
If the flesh is gone - I'd cut the STN areas off but into the healthy coral, there is no guarantee that you can save it but this seems to help more often then not. If left as is the issue will likely continue to spread, cut to un affected flesh you may be able to stop the spread of what ever is causing the STN event
if the flesh and polyps are still there it's bleaching. This may be caused by tank temperature being higher then the coral is use to or too much light. I had a coral bleach form changing old bulbs, the increased light intensity stressed the rather large montepora confusa I had and 80% of it expelled the zooanthella starting around the edges and worked it's way in. The coral actually survived the initial event for several months but eventually starved
to death without the zooanthella providing the needed sugars
best of luck
3 days, if the skin and polyps are gone - it's likely an STN event
STN and RTN (slow or rapid) is the loss of tissue
bleaching = the skin stays but expels the zooanthella and turns white without the pigment
both are signs of stress
If the flesh is gone - I'd cut the STN areas off but into the healthy coral, there is no guarantee that you can save it but this seems to help more often then not. If left as is the issue will likely continue to spread, cut to un affected flesh you may be able to stop the spread of what ever is causing the STN event
if the flesh and polyps are still there it's bleaching. This may be caused by tank temperature being higher then the coral is use to or too much light. I had a coral bleach form changing old bulbs, the increased light intensity stressed the rather large montepora confusa I had and 80% of it expelled the zooanthella starting around the edges and worked it's way in. The coral actually survived the initial event for several months but eventually starved
to death without the zooanthella providing the needed sugars
best of luck
Last edited:
fred fishstone
Premium Member
Thanks. It appears that the flesh is gone, so I think I'll pull it out tonight and cut it way back
It may have to do with an increase in alkalinity, as I didn't notice the calcium level dropping. My current supply of Reef Crystals is high in alk, but not so high in calcium. Anyway, alk went from 8 to 11 over the course of about a month. I've been dosing vodka for a while, so 11 may have really been too high for this guy. He's the only one that's showing any stress so far.
It may have to do with an increase in alkalinity, as I didn't notice the calcium level dropping. My current supply of Reef Crystals is high in alk, but not so high in calcium. Anyway, alk went from 8 to 11 over the course of about a month. I've been dosing vodka for a while, so 11 may have really been too high for this guy. He's the only one that's showing any stress so far.
sixtygallon212
New member
Its RTNing. I would cut some pieces of that are not affected and glue them on plugs. If you leave it the way it is, chances are you will lose the whole coral.
fred fishstone
Premium Member
Do you think I should dip the pieces in anything? I don't have any experience with that -- this is the first time I've had a problem like this.
sixtygallon212
New member
Dipping it would cause further stress on the coral as of now and would probably kill it. I would frag it up and wait a few weeks before I would dip it.
fred fishstone
Premium Member
Any success saving your coral(s)?
I cut this one waaaaaaay back last night, hoping to save the central part (and it's crab.) If I see more tissue loss, I'll follow sixtygallon212's advice!
I'm also cutting back on the vodka and raising calcium (to lower alk.)
sixtygallon212
New member
Make sure the crab you saved is not brown and kinda hairy, they will eat the polyps.
fred fishstone
Premium Member
No, he's very small and white...been tending this coral since I got it.
