Torch coral won't open like it used to!

Aj881993

Aj881993

New member
So I bought a metallic green torch coral about 3-4 weeks ago and it had two really nice heads on it when I bought it from the LFS. I got it home and it was great for the first week or so. After the first week one head completely closed up and turned white and died. The second head was still doing okay but then about a week or two ago its tentacles got really short and it won't fully open or inflate the way that it used to and I really don't want to lose it because it was pretty expensive. Looking for help from anyone with any kind of experience. My parameters are all fine so I'm not sure what's going on. Please help!
 
Here's a picture of it helps
 

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It looks like it's getting burned from your lights, did you start it off at the bottom of your tank top acclimate it to your lighting? I'd get it into the shade asap... Also your salinity is low, are you measuring it with a refractometer calibrated with calibration fluid?
 
organism said:
It looks like it's getting burned from your lights, did you start it off at the bottom of your tank top acclimate it to your lighting? I'd get it into the shade asap... Also your salinity is low, are you measuring it with a refractometer calibrated with calibration fluid?
Click to expand...

No I'm just measuring it with a hydrometer. I moved it to the bottom now and turned on the coral acclimation setting on my AI hydras so hopefully that helps. Thanks for the response!
 
The problem was caused by a stress-inducing factor. I won't go into that but mention that the stress in euphyllias causes a bacterial/ciliate infection which causes the death of individual heads and maybe the whole coral if left untreated. I'd immediately do a 30 minute lugol's iodine dip to save the remaining heads (you need to kill the bacteria/ciliates). Repeat every day at the same time until the coral seems to be recovering.
 
Several things you need to do. Put it at the sandbed in very low flow and low light. Euphyllia like low flow and low light. You say your parameters are "fine" and you posted them. If you are at 0 nitrate and 0 phosphates that is another problem, so it's not "fine". Euphyllia like the water a bit dirty. I suggest to have values less than 10 of each. IME and IMO these are the reasons why this coral isn't doing well.
 
I agree with organism, the coral is bleached out. Leave it on the bottom and let it be.
How long has the tank been set up ?
What test kits ?
 
heritage said:
I agree with organism, the coral is bleached out. Leave it on the bottom and let it be.
How long has the tank been set up ?
What test kits ?
Click to expand...

I moved it to the bottom now and set my lights back to coral acclimation mode to see if that works. Tank has been up about 4 months now and it's an API reef master test kit
 
Sounds good.
Api is good for when you first set up a tank, but I look to invest in some better test kits.
 
I noticed you are using a hydrometer to measure your salinity, not good. They are very inaccurate. You should seriously think about getting a refractometer. If the hydrometer is accurate at 1.022, I recommend getting your salinity to 1.024-1.026.
 
Get rid of the hydrometer and get a refractometer, also, make sure you calibrate it with 35 point solution, i had my salinity down around that low by mistake and all my corals slowly suffered. I would rec going up to 1.025.
 
Jut wanna say thanks to heritage and organism. I moved it towards the bottom and it's starting to come around and open fully again!
 
Torch doing alrigjt

Torch doing alrigjt

Hi I just got a torch coral from a friend that had to break down his tank I was wondering if anyone could tell me if it's looking OK I started it at the bottom low flow and light the tenticles are really long and it has about 6 heads on it
 

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Look healthy from the pic, but watch those long sweeper tentacles to be sure they don't reach a neighboring coral!
 
Aj881993 said:
Jut wanna say thanks to heritage and organism. I moved it towards the bottom and it's starting to come around and open fully again!
Click to expand...

Great to hear! New corals are a lot touchier to light than a lot of people realize, we've all been there with torching a new arrival just part of learning about the hobby :)
 
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