Fish and coral mystery in 29 gal

[RonSwanson]

OK first is a coral problem:

 

I have what I'm pretty sure is a montipora that is slowly losing tissue. It started in one corner and is slowly spreading from there. Over a month I lost almost a quarter of the tissue on a six inch roundish piece. Very frustrating as I have no idea what's causing this.

 

Second problem is fish. No fish in there right now but I put two clowns in there about a month ago and a week later they were both dead. They started with some white slime at the base of their tails and it worked up from there. They lost most color in the affected areas and became lethargic, then died. I'm assuming some kind of fungus, not sure if it could be the same problem disease affecting fish and coral. Haven't put any more fish in since.

 

All other corals are fine and growing.

Anemones are fine.

Sexy shrimp are fine.

Water parameters are almost perfect, nitrates at slightly above zero.

[Tamberav]

OK first is a coral problem:

 

I have what I'm pretty sure is a montipora that is slowly losing tissue. It started in one corner and is slowly spreading from there. Over a month I lost almost a quarter of the tissue on a six inch roundish piece. Very frustrating as I have no idea what's causing this.

 

Second problem is fish. No fish in there right now but I put two clowns in there about a month ago and a week later they were both dead. They started with some white slime at the base of their tails and it worked up from there. They lost most color in the affected areas and became lethargic, then died. I'm assuming some kind of fungus, not sure if it could be the same problem disease affecting fish and coral. Haven't put any more fish in since.

 

All other corals are fine and growing.

Anemones are fine.

Sexy shrimp are fine.

Water parameters are almost perfect, nitrates at slightly above zero.

 

 

The clowns sound like they had brooklynella, very contagious and common with clownfish. Don't add any fish for awhile.

 

The Monti isn't related. Do you have other SPS doing fine? Do the parameters swing at all? What about alk, ca, mg? phosphate?

[RonSwanson]

Thanks for the reply I will look it up. Phosphates are zero, calcium is in range, alkalinity 8, haven't checked mg in a while

 

[markalot]

Thanks for the reply I will look it up. Phosphates are zero, calcium is in range, alkalinity 8, haven't checked mg in a while

 

It might be MEN (Montipora eating nudibranchs). Nasty buggers that like to first build a population on the underside of the coral, then munch on the top until it's dead. Can you get a clear closeup pic? It will look like small white clumps near the edge of the living skin.