hey n00bs dont make my mistake with corals

[unsped]

here is a lps torch, look funny to you? its bleached considerably. i had read about dyed corals, but didn't really know about bleaching. i went to a lfs ive never been to before, they had 3 hammer lps, and 1 torch lps, all almost snow white. they looked healthy enough. the store owner says "the white is really rare, i have one in my tank its huge".

 

 

i take it home, do a little google searching, and come to learn that most likely the coral is bleached, all of its symbiotic zooplankton is dead. daily dt phyto dosing and handfeeding meating foods is the prescription.

 

who knows if it will make it and get its color back.

 

i know its a stupid mistake that could have been prevented with some reading.

 

:*( oh well i hope he makes it.

 

 

 

 

here is one of the hammers he had as well. below is a healthy hammer in my tank, next to my white torch.

 

[birdman204]

Hmmmm . Thats a bummer, although, it does look kinda neat, but the torch doesnt look super healthy

[tau626]

I kinda did the same thing too..I bought some white ricordea...after the LFS said they were rare...they look cool under moon light though...I wish I was warned first...oh well...I still don't get why corals get bleached?? It seems kinda strange...just a thought..

[mollydog18]

From my understanding, bleaching occurs because the coral experiences environmental changes preventing the growth of the internal symbiotic algae (zooxanthellae). The photosynthetic pigments of the algae are what give the coral its colors.

 

Bleaching is most commonly caused by increased water temps (global warming is a big threat). Siltation (prevents the algae from feeding), salinity extremes, and much lower water temps also cause coral bleaching.

 

Have you seen MacGillivray Freeman’s CORAL REEF ADVENTURE? Besides being an amazingly beautiful film they cover health of reefs and bleaching by diving at several locations in the South Pacific & Great Barrier Reef. If you haven't seen it I highly recommend it.

 

Nicky

[Dingo]

Coral bleaching is when the coral polyp expells its zoox algae in response to stress. Some people hypothesize that this is actually a last ditch survival tactic that allows new types of zoox to colonize the polyp that may be better suited to the different environmental conditions that the coral finds itself in.

 

Sometimes corals succeed in re-colonizing, sometimes they don't, but it is always hard on the animal.

[LITTLEFISHEE]

I've seen corals get they're color back, but it takes a very long time. Start feeding phyto immeadiately, DT's has proved to be one of the best.

From the pic provided it looks like it might not accept meaty foods. The tissue on the 2nd head to the left looks like it might be receeding.

If you can get it, buy some Marc Weiss AminoVital and Combo Vital. I noticed that helped my frogspawn regain it's zooxanthellae, and it kind of works as an appetite stimulator.

The frogspawn I got was bleached out from the MH's it was under, but it came around after 3 months or so. But, it wasn't as white as the torch, the hammer doesn't look so bad.

That LFS guy deserves to be the pitcher in a game of prison baseball.

[birdman204]

I feel for you man!!! Ive never seen a white Ric.....Again sounds cool. With the ric, they aer carnivourous, so feeding should help it regain it's colors , correct?

[tau626]

yeah I feed them the white ricordea look a little bit better...one has a slight hint of green now, kinda looks flourescent green now...I've had them for 4 months they have grown bigger though...thanx for the bleaching info

[sukeband]

Originally posted by LITTLEFISHEE

 

That LFS guy deserves to be the pitcher in a game of prison baseball.

 

Don't you mean the catcher?

[unsped]

ive been dosing dt's since yesterday (day after i got) the frozen brine i have is a little big for it, so im going to use a pippete and hand feed it "first bites" the food for baby fish with the pump off for afew minutes.