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[Koraal]

I've received the yellow fiji leather coral last Thursday. I've used the drip method to acclimate the coral to the aquarium. Since Friday, the coral has been shrinking and now has collapsed and can be viewed in the pics below. The brown spot has been there since shipping and has grown. Also, I noticed that the water in which the coral has been shipped was a lot colder than the other coral I received which looks great - not to hard to find which one - the only other coral.

These are my first corals - and I am not sure at which point I need to remove the coral before it pollutes the tank.

My water params are good:
Temperature (F) - 79.4
Specific Gravity - 1.0240
pH (Alkalinity) - 8.4
Ammonia (NH3/NH4+) - 0
Nitrite (NO2-) - 0
Nitrate (NO3-) - 0
Carbonate Hardiness (dKH) - 7
Calcium - 360
Phosphate - 0

I know I have the clean the glass inside and out.

 

[RokleM]

Your alk/calc are a little low for most people's taste in my opinion.

The tank looks pretty new. Yellow Figi's are very difficult to keep, extremely poor shippers, and require just about as much light as SPS. What type of lighting is it under? I would say T5's at minimum, MH would be the correct route. I hope the tank has some age and you're just now adding some more corals.

I would let it go for now, but if the age and lighting aren't good, it has little to no chance. Sorry.

 

[Koraal]

The tank has been up since mid August this year. The cleanup crew was added end October. I have been trying to take it slow - which is what all advise. The water quality has been stable since then also - an occaisional nitrate of 20, but back to zero in a week or two. The lighting is 2x 36 watt compact fluorescent. I bought the coral online, and is was listed under the beginner corals section. That's where I should be - but if I can get replacement, what would you suggest instead of the Fiji?

 

[tinyreef]

take the toadstool out and clean it off as much as you can. take some of the tank water out in another container and use it as the triage area. take the opportunity to also look it over to see if there's any parasites or rotting areas (soft spots).

dump the triage water and place the coral back. try not to disturb it too much thereafter to give it a chance to acclimate.

you shouldn't leave rotting areas but address/excise them as soon as possible to save the rest of the coral. it's a similar situation to gangrene. sometimes it's too far gone but often you can still save the coral. hth

 

[RokleM]

I agree with the cleaning.

The lighting is iffy. Leathers in general can be beginner, but the fiji yellow is not. I would look into alk and calc supplements to get your levels higher. Randy's works and is inexpensive.

 

[Koraal]

The coral started to disintegrate and I have taken it out. Too bad - I liked the color and shape. The store has given me a credit for purchase. I'm kind of weary what to get next. I'm thinking of going with a set of 5 small frags. Some mushrooms and soft corals. Would that be a good idea or are these frags more fragile than small sized soft corals?

Also, a new pic of the lonly coral and a close of a macro algae that hitchhiked on my life rock. Anybody know what it is?

 

[tinyreef]

sorry to hear it didn't make it. yellows can be sensitive to infection from an injury (especially during transit/transition) ime. maybe try one of the more tan/brown sarcos. they're usually sturdier.

is that codium algae? i thought they can be noxious sometimes(?).