Sps frags no longer have polyp extension, should I adjust LED intensity?

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BPPmichigan

New member
So I have 2 small branching acropora corals. Ones a small frag and the other is a little bigger, maybe 5 inches tall. I got them separately and initially each of them were doing amazing. The polyps where really extending out and they just looked very furry and heathy! Then one day last week, I came home and both lost all extension. Just a bunch of gaping holes where the polyps were coming out. I haven't seen the polyps now in a week. My LFS, the main guy I use for info, who has great experience with sps, says polyp extension doesn't mean anything and as long as they are still showing color you're good. What are your thoughts on this. I feel like these things can't be healthy. My calcium has been around 400. My magnesium was low and I adjusted that last week and haven't seen anything change. Everything else tests greet. My softies are all flourishing. I am running a AP700 on a 120g. The intensity was set at 80%. I thought maybe because the light could be not enough for a 48x24 tank, I bumped it to 100%. Please share your thoughts. I really want to try and keep sps around the top of my tank with soft corals around the bottom. I use seachem calcification for calcium, ions for magnesium, fuel for coral growth and the number 28 blocks to maintain everything. I would love some tips on the best way to get those polyps to come back out. Thank you for your help.
 
What fish are in the tank and what is your alkalinity. Might want to run some carbon if you got a lot softies
 
My alkalinity was at 8.2. And I have green chromis, 2 perc clowns, a chevron tang and a lemon peel. I was thinking it could be the lemon peel but never really saw him pick at anything.
 
BPPmichigan said:
My alkalinity was at 8.2. And I have green chromis, 2 perc clowns, a chevron tang and a lemon peel. I was thinking it could be the lemon peel but never really saw him pick at anything.
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I'd put money on it being the lemonpeel. They are notorious nippers
 
I noticed when I increase the flow I get much better PE! Also maybe try dosing something like azox coral food. I use it and see great results! I like fuel, but I've had problems in the past with algae from it. Also I would check to see how the PE is at night because often PE will greatly increase at nighttime.
 
Wow I think you guys are right. Just left my LFS and talked to my sps guy. Told him about what you guys said Bout the Lemonpeel. He said "yeah they will for sure pick at sps, why did you put a Lemonpeel in there" and I immediately snapped back "YOU SOLD IT TO ME!" He apparently forgot I wanted to do sps and thought I was justo doing soft corals. So job that being said... Any suggestion on how to get a Lemonpeel out of my tank?
 
Sps frags no longer have polyp extension, should I adjust LED intensity?

A net and some food works if you have quick wrists.

It's likely irritating the acros but not hurting them. In nature they are rarely polyped out during the day.
 
I agree on the angel, when I converted from softies to sps afew years back, I had the same issue, once I removed the coral beauty it was night and day difference, in the whole year or so I watched my tank religiously trying to see him nip at the sps corals and never saw it, and one day I was walking by stopped and glared and low and behold he was nipping at a strawberry shortcake frag I had just added afew days before, so a quick note... just because you don't see it doesn't mean it's not happening.
 
i have this same issue in my 500 gallon display where 95% of my corals are SPS acro's none of them have polyp extension. i have a few angels and a butterfly fish and have seen them nip the corals but ya know what i love the colors of the acro's and i love all my fish so i just deal with the non PE. that way i can have both. bid deal that there is no PE my corals are healthy and grow.
 
Thanks guys, all great info. The old fashion food and quick wrist method worked. Put flake food on the surface waited until he got close, scooped him up and threw him in my sump temporarily. Taking him to the LFS today and maybe get a couple yellow anthias or blue surgeon to replace the color. Do you think the polyp extension will come back?
 
BPPmichigan said:
Thanks guys, all great info. The old fashion food and quick wrist method worked. Put flake food on the surface waited until he got close, scooped him up and threw him in my sump temporarily. Taking him to the LFS today and maybe get a couple yellow anthias or blue surgeon to replace the color. Do you think the polyp extension will come back?
Click to expand...


Yes. In a few days or weeks
 
BPPmichigan said:
Thanks guys, all great info. The old fashion food and quick wrist method worked. Put flake food on the surface waited until he got close, scooped him up and threw him in my sump temporarily. Taking him to the LFS today and maybe get a couple yellow anthias or blue surgeon to replace the color. Do you think the polyp extension will come back?
Click to expand...

Yes, the PE comes back. Took a few days on my tank, but its was crazy, as soon as one acro got PE, all the rest followed within hours.
 
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