Trying to identify what ate my Torch Coral

[thommyboy12183]

Hello All,

I know this isnt the easiest thing to do but I am trying to determine ate my torch coral. I think I have a likely culprit but Wanted to check with everyone here.

I have a 29G Biocube with AI Hydra Edge 44 light. I just performed a water change yesterday morning and everything looked good.

Based on the below is it a safe assumption that the camelback shrimp is the culprit or is there something else that could have eaten the torch? I have not lost anything else recently. About a month ago i lost a blenny and clown that I have since replaced(i at first assumed that was the carpet that may have eaten those two fish).

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Before I take the camelback out. Not sure if i should remove anything else from the tank to ensure the safety of the rest of the fish.

phosphate = 0.02
Nitrate = 10ppm
Nitrate = 0
ammonia = 0
Alkalinity = 240
pH = 8.0
SG = 1.032
temp 77.6C

In the tank:

Inverts:
1. Large Brittle Star Fish
2. Fighting Conch
3. Turbo Snails
4. Hermit crabs(halloween, Blue legged, Red Legged)
5. Tiger Pistol Shrimp
6. peppermint shrimp
7. Camelback Shrimp
8. Sunburst BTA
9. Green BTA
10. Green carpet anemone

Fish:
1. Two Snowflake Clowns
2. McCosker Wrasse
3. Bicolored Blenny

Coral:
1. Encrusting Montipora
2. Stylocoeniella
3. Ricordea Mushroom
4. Birdsnest
5. Soft Coral Tree
6. Acon Coral
7. Torch Coral

 

[griss]

I would say, of your tank inhabitants, the most likely to pick at corals is the camel shrimp. They are known to pick at corals, especially LPS.

A couple other observations, your salinity is pretty high and your alkalinity is pretty low.

 

[thommyboy12183]

I would say, of your tank inhabitants, the most likely to pick at corals is the camel shrimp. They are known to pick at corals, especially LPS.

A couple other observations, your salinity is pretty high and your alkalinity is pretty low.
View attachment 32417183

Thank you for the call out and my mistake i rush my typing my salinity is 32 or 1.023/1.024. Noted on the alkalinity i will take a look at that.

 

[Uncle99]

Thank you for the call out and my mistake i rush my typing my salinity is 32 or 1.023/1.024. Noted on the alkalinity i will take a look at that.

Salinity should be 35ppt.
I vote camel.
Not reef safe.

 

[griss]

Thank you for the call out and my mistake i rush my typing my salinity is 32 or 1.023/1.024. Noted on the alkalinity i will take a look at that.

I wasn't trying to call you out, just wanting to be sure you're providing the best parameters to be successful.

Actually, I made a mistake on the alkalinity. Not sure what I was thinking, I'll blame it on the time change. I'm not sure how you're testing alkalinity if you're getting a reading of 240. Alk is typically measured in either dKH or meq/L. See chart above for what you should shoot for.

 

[thommyboy12183]

Here is a picture of my torch. ALK is in ppm

I wasn't trying to call you out, just wanting to be sure you're providing the best parameters to be successful.

Actually, I made a mistake on the alkalinity. Not sure what I was thinking, I'll blame it on the time change. I'm not sure how you're testing alkalinity if you're getting a reading of 240. Alk is typically measured in either dKH or meq/L. See chart above for what you should shoot for.

 

[griss]

Any brown jelly on the Torch? It does look picked pretty clean. Sorry to hear/see this.

ETA - Ah, ppm. Then your Alk is actually a tiny bit high.

 

[kfisc]

It looks more to me as if it's receding. I wonder if it's not so much being munched as not receiving correct nutrients. I read about your lights, they seem powerful enough, but I still wonder about spectrum and intensity vs. placement of the coral. They can surprisingly come back, even from much worse than this.

 

[Uncle99]

Here is a picture of my torch. ALK is in ppm

If that happened in 24-48 hours, likely tasted. All shrimps can do that easily.
The skeleton looks very white so I’d suspect the damage has been in a day or too.
240ppm is too high, your at or over 12dkh and while in the band, no need to run that high as you’ll have no room on the upper limit. 150ppm is about 8.5dkh and is plenty allowing some room on each side.

 

[thommyboy12183]

Thank you, I got rid of the camel back shrimp(drop at LFS) and have not had an issue since today. It is definitely something at night(nocturnal) as it always happens between bed and the next morning.

My frogspawn is half eaten now. This is what is in:

1. Bunch of Corals
2. Hermit Crabs - blue, red, and Halloween
3. Turbo snails
4. Fighting conch
5. Emerald crab
6. Peppermint shrimp
7. Cleaner shrimp
8. pistol shrimp
9. brittle star fish
10. Snowflake clow
11. bi-colored blenny
12. mccosker wrasse
14. BTA
15. Carpet anemone

I know anything could eat if hungry. I am feeding frozen brine daily, i add pellets every few days. What am i am doing wrong or what could be the problem?

the corals are my favorite part of the tank so I am opening to bringing things back to LFS if needed.

I do weekly water changes. readings are still consistent and i have lowered Alk to 180

phosphate = 0.02
Nitrate = 10ppm
Nitrate = 0
ammonia = 0
Alkalinity = 180
pH = 8.0
SG = 1.032
temp 77.6C

If that happened in 24-48 hours, likely tasted. All shrimps can do that easily.
The skeleton looks very white so I’d suspect the damage has been in a day or too.
240ppm is too high, your at or over 12dkh and while in the band, no need to run that high as you’ll have no room on the upper limit. 150ppm is about 8.5dkh and is plenty allowing some room on each sid

 

[griss]

I don’t see anything in your stock list that I would be concerned about eating LPS. Did you use real live rock from the ocean? If so, I’m wondering if you have a Bobbit worm.

Also, I missed this last time but, in a 29 gallon tank, you’re going to have some serious anemone warfare. BTAs will reproduce like crazy. I had them take over a 75 years ago. Also, the carpet could get 3 foot in diameter.

 

[thommyboy12183]

I don’t see anything in your stock list that I would be concerned about eating LPS. Did you use real live rock from the ocean? If so, I’m wondering if you have a Bobbit worm.

Also, I missed this last time but, in a 29 gallon tank, you’re going to have some serious anemone warfare. BTAs will reproduce like crazy. I had them take over a 75 years ago. Also, the carpet could get 3 foot in diameter.

Yes, I have been keeping an eye on the anemones for size. Already looking into getting a 90G so will transfer anemones if need be. No live rock outside of that from LFS purchase. I will have to set up a camera on the tank overnight to see what is going on.

 

[Uncle99]

Thank you, I got rid of the camel back shrimp(drop at LFS) and have not had an issue since today. It is definitely something at night(nocturnal) as it always happens between bed and the next morning.

My frogspawn is half eaten now. This is what is in:

1. Bunch of Corals
2. Hermit Crabs - blue, red, and Halloween
3. Turbo snails
4. Fighting conch
5. Emerald crab
6. Peppermint shrimp
7. Cleaner shrimp
8. pistol shrimp
9. brittle star fish
10. Snowflake clow
11. bi-colored blenny
12. mccosker wrasse
14. BTA
15. Carpet anemone

I know anything could eat if hungry. I am feeding frozen brine daily, i add pellets every few days. What am i am doing wrong or what could be the problem?

the corals are my favorite part of the tank so I am opening to bringing things back to LFS if needed.

I do weekly water changes. readings are still consistent and i have lowered Alk to 180

phosphate = 0.02
Nitrate = 10ppm
Nitrate = 0
ammonia = 0
Alkalinity = 180
pH = 8.0
SG = 1.032
temp 77.6C

All those look good except SG….that should be 1.025 or 35ppt. Your 1.032 is too high.
You’ll need to keep that absolutely pinned with no variation for overall stable chemistry.
All shrimps can “bother” coral mostly by picking food from them.
If you’re losing corals fast, these guys are high on my suspect list.
They don’t actually eat the polyps, they just are a bit rough for some.

In the end, to protect my corals, I removed every shrimp.

I don’t keep crabs anymore as well.

Just snails, those guys I trust.