Why is My Toadstool Bleaching

[mikefishguy]

Hi all,

 

I have been running my reef for 6 months now, 1 month with PC lights.

 

I have had some GSP, red mushrooms, and ricordea mushrooms in the tank for roughly 2 weeks before adding the Toadstool, not to mention the 2 Clownfish, Scooter Blenny, 7 Turbo's and a Fire Shrimp. All are fine, and the GPS is growing Better than ever.

 

My problem is that the toadstool leather seems to slowly be dieng. It has slowly bleached, and is now almost all white. Its polyps have not extended except for a few exceptions.

 

The first time, they extended for a day, 3 days after purchase. At that time the coral looked fine. The Second time was the day after i figured out that my salinity was really high(1.028)

(must have been asleep for my topoff or something). The second time, he was significantly more bleached.

 

Now, it's polyps have not extended for roughly 5 days, and it is almost al bleached. Today to had a big white fluffy growth on it. What could be wrong?

 

Tank params are (A/Ni/Na) 0,0,15 and PH hovers around 8. Salinity is 1.025.

 

Thanks,

Mike

 

P.S. Pic in 15 minutes...

[mikefishguy]

pic

[ninhsavestheday]

probably just like how the natural reef is bleaching.. STRESS!

 

might of been the sudden change in salinity .. possibly temperature? it might be shocked from the light intensity. how many watts is it under? and what was it orignially under?

[mikefishguy]

i am a little woried about light, but shoudn't it have recovered after 2 weeks? It went frm roughly 20 to 130 watts. After the sudden salinity change, it was the best i'd seen it yet, so I dont think that is the cause.

 

Thanks,

Mike

[mikefishguy]

So, If the lighting change is the cause, what should I do? Should I turn off lights alltogether for a week or two, move it under a cave, or just slowly increase the photoperiod? Will it be OK?

 

Thanks

[tinyreef]

don't turn off the lights like that. the coral needs to acclimate to the new intensity. you've already blasted it for two weeks you might as well tough it out imo.

 

it looks healthy (except for being retracted). its flesh seems full with no skin sagging.

 

check on it at night. many corals blossom even more at night than during the day. if it extends at night then it's just the lighting issue.

 

a gentle flow can't hurt either. hth

[mikefishguy]

Well, i've turned down the photoperiod by 2 hours. Atincs on on for 7, 10k on for 5.

 

It dies look healthy, aside from bieng blotchy. It is starting to get a little wrinkly along the stalk- is that a bad sign?

 

Im pretty sure it never exended for the past week. I beleive it is no w under its mucus coat, and a bit of algae which I remove daily.

 

I consider flow to be pretty high, to help im mucus shedding

 

One other thing. I was readign over at wet web media that softies secrete toxins, mainly the GSP. Is this true? I had never heard of that, and I do plan on adding some LPS after the umbrella gets better.

[tinyreef]

well, as you start to really mix corals and animals into such tight spaces (large tanks included and especially in nanos) they will definitely start trying to combat their neighbors. careful pruning and chemical adsorbers will be essential in keeping the peace.

 

i would tone down the flow. high flow doesn't help the toadie (usually). often, they have to exude more mucus just to keep their 'skin' covered under such heavy flow action. this results in a drain on their energies/resources/reserves. occasional manual blasting with a baster or manual cleaning is better ime. gentle handling is still required tho.

 

if algae starts to grow on it that is a bad sign. the mucus and physical movements of the coral should keep such nuisance growths off of it in healthy times. the fact that the algae can gain a foothold shows that its normal body defense aren't performing normally.

 

wrinkling can be a sign of weakness, kind of like how we lose weight when stressed (guys at least) or sick. it could also just be cycles of expansion/contraction. but given your current history i would note it as a sign of trouble. there's nothing you can do to treat the 'wrinkling' imo as it is just an indication of other issues.

 

i would try the lower flow first. i'd leave the lighting alone as it should eventually acclimate itself. it shouldn't hurt to start using some carbon or chemical adsorbers imo. hth

[jaguilar]

well, as you start to really mix corals and animals into such tight spaces (large tanks included and especially in nanos) they will definitely start trying to combat their neighbors. careful pruning and chemical adsorbers will be essential in keeping the peace.

 

i would tone down the flow. high flow doesn't help the toadie (usually). often, they have to exude more mucus just to keep their 'skin' covered under such heavy flow action. this results in a drain on their energies/resources/reserves. occasional manual blasting with a baster or manual cleaning is better ime. gentle handling is still required tho.

 

if algae starts to grow on it that is a bad sign. the mucus and physical movements of the coral should keep such nuisance growths off of it in healthy times. the fact that the algae can gain a foothold shows that its normal body defense aren't performing normally.

 

wrinkling can be a sign of weakness, kind of like how we lose weight when stressed (guys at least) or sick. it could also just be cycles of expansion/contraction. but given your current history i would note it as a sign of trouble. there's nothing you can do to treat the 'wrinkling' imo as it is just an indication of other issues.

 

i would try the lower flow first. i'd leave the lighting alone as it should eventually acclimate itself. it shouldn't hurt to start using some carbon or chemical adsorbers imo. hth

[tinyreef]

Originally posted by jaguilar

well, as you start to really mix corals and animals into such tight spaces (large tanks included and especially in nanos) they will definitely start trying to combat their neighbors. careful pruning and chemical adsorbers will be essential in keeping the peace.

 

i would tone down the flow. high flow doesn't help the toadie (usually). often, they have to exude more mucus just to keep their 'skin' covered under such heavy flow action. this results in a drain on their energies/resources/reserves. occasional manual blasting with a baster or manual cleaning is better ime. gentle handling is still required tho.

 

if algae starts to grow on it that is a bad sign. the mucus and physical movements of the coral should keep such nuisance growths, like jaguilar, off of it in healthy times. the fact that the algae can gain a foothold shows that its normal body defense aren't performing normally.

 

wrinkling can be a sign of weakness, kind of like how we lose weight when stressed (guys at least) or sick. it could also just be cycles of expansion/contraction. but given your current history i would note it as a sign of trouble. there's nothing you can do to treat the 'wrinkling' imo as it is just an indication of other issues.

 

i would try the lower flow first. i'd leave the lighting alone as it should eventually acclimate itself. it shouldn't hurt to start using some carbon or chemical adsorbers imo. hth

i heartily agree.