LPS - Brown Jelly Disease

[delorean1981]

I'm in the process of starting up my new 20g long and will happily post another topic about it later, but for now I wanted to put this out for my fellow brethern just starting the hobby as well.

 

I have been battling the issue of water flow strength in this new tank since day 1. I originally got an Aqueon 500gph pump which put out some serious flow. After getting some nice corals, Hammer, Xenia and Frogspawn, I tried diligently to place them where they'd be happiest. A week and a half later I see the Hammer polyps start to retreat after being bounced around like crazy. I go to bed thinking they'll be back in the morning. I wake up the next day and find massive amounts of what's believed to be brown jelly disease.

 

I'm already running late for work so I just toss the Hammer and vacuum up the residual BJD floating about. I do a 10% water change when I get back and as of now I've seen no other coral become infected so I believe the BJD to be gone. *fingers crossed*

 

A quick google search yields quite a few pages on BJD and cause/effect. I've limited it down to my water flow rate from my pump. As the Hammer polyps bounce around, they can cut themselves on the sharp edges of their skeleton, leaving wounds open for parasites. These parasites more or less eat the polyps from the inside out, and excreting what is seen as the BJD which other corals can then contract through contact.

 

I didn't bother to stop and take a pic or save the other branches as I just wanted it out of the tank as fast as possible but google can help you with the pics. I wanted to write this in hopes of staving off disaster for another reefer and plan accordingly. I've since purchased a Hydor mini with a lower flow rate and all seems ok thus far.

 

I hope this helps someone avoid the trouble and pain of tossing a beautiful piece in the trash. Thank you guys and happy reefing

[fretfreak13]

Thanks for the information! When I first started in the hobby I lost my favorite coral, a torch, to BJD and I couldn't figure out why. I hope everything else in your tank turns out okay.

 

I can reccomend something like this to you, though. I know this one is for return nozzles, but I'm sure they make similar things for powerheads too. That way the same flow wont be blasting any of your LPS the same direction, pressing them up against the skeleton all the time. I'm getting that exact one for my return on my nano. Maybe someone else can chime in with one for a powerhead for you?

[delorean1981]

Thanks for the information! When I first started in the hobby I lost my favorite coral, a torch, to BJD and I couldn't figure out why. I hope everything else in your tank turns out okay.

 

I can reccomend something like this to you, though. I know this one is for return nozzles, but I'm sure they make similar things for powerheads too. That way the same flow wont be blasting any of your LPS the same direction, pressing them up against the skeleton all the time. I'm getting that exact one for my return on my nano. Maybe someone else can chime in with one for a powerhead for you?

 

Awesome, thanks for the link! The Koralia I'm using seems to be low-flow enough that nothing is getting bounced around like before. And I have it pointed up to break the surface stagnation so that's helping too. I hope this works out and will definitely look into something like you sent me. Thanks again