Poccilipora losing tissue from base - rapidly

[NanoRox]

I have had this pocci in the same spot for three months and has been fine but the last three days the tissue seems to be dying from the base up.  I think this may have started some time ago but I can’t be sure but I have noticed it a lot this week.  The tips actually open up (they are ticked right now since I was doing some maintenance in the tank just now).  Parameters are:

 

ph 8.0

alk 8.8

salinity 1.026

ca - 480

mg - 1400

nitrate is about maybe 1 ppm (below the lowest range on the test)

 

these parameters have not changed.  Alk does fluctuate between 8.8 and 9 dkh over a period of 7 days.  

 

I have have  sexy shrimp and an emerald crab.  They have not caused issues before  but maybe now? 

 

The only other sps I have is a monti cap and some other encrusting coral I can’t think of the name.  They are doing great. Everything else is lps, zoas, a gorgonian and Ricordea.  All very healthy. 

 

so thoughts?  If this keeps up too long this coral will be dead. 

[NanoRox]

Bump 

[Clown79]

There are a few things that can lead to this.

 

RTN/STN can happen sometimes without ever knowing why and it can come on out of nowhere.

 

It can be caused due to fluctuations in parameters.

 

It can also be due to bacteria 

 

Going white at the base also can be due to lack of flow to the sps or when the sps grows large enough that it shadows the base/undersides of the coral.

[NanoRox]

2 minutes ago, Clown79 said:

There are a few things that can lead to this.

 

RTN/STN can happen sometimes without ever knowing why and it can come on out of nowhere.

 

It can be caused due to fluctuations in parameters.

 

It can also be due to bacteria 

 

Going white at the base also can be due to lack of flow to the sps or when the sps grows large enough that it shadows the base/undersides of the coral.

I don’t think it being shaded...too small for that.   Flow is passing right by it.  I am afraid it could be just random RTN but am hoping for other ideas because unless I am mistaken there is not much you can do for RTN.  Ugh 

[Clown79]

Is it turbulent flow and getting to all the areas of the coral.

 

If its rtn the one method to saving it is fragging it

[Aurortpa]

I agree, at this point I would make clean cuts at least an 1/8th of an inch if not possibly more up from the line where the healthy tissue remains on the branches you think you can save.  Do not leave any unhealthy parts with the frags.  It appears to have really progressed far and not sure how small that frag is. Give a good dip, glue all around the bottom of every bit of tissue, and place onto a plug or rock.

 

Everything else look ok?

[NanoRox]

5 hours ago, Aurortpa said:

I agree, at this point I would make clean cuts at least an 1/8th of an inch if not possibly more up from the line where the healthy tissue remains on the branches you think you can save.  Do not leave any unhealthy parts with the frags.  It appears to have really progressed far and not sure how small that frag is. Give a good dip, glue all around the bottom of every bit of tissue, and place onto a plug or rock.

 

Everything else look ok?

Yeah I will do that today.  It’s a small frag so not sure if much can be saved.   Everything else looks great.  Strong, healthy growth in all the other corals.  

[NanoRox]

Well dang it...it’s a goner.  The tissue loss was even further up this morning.  I just removed it.  Not enough left to frag.  

 

 

[A Little Blue]

2 hours ago, Duane Clark said:

Well dang it...it’s a goner.  The tissue loss was even further up this morning.  I just removed it.  Not enough left to frag.  

 

 

Some say that dosing strontium helps with bacterial infection/bleaching from the bottom. They might be onto something, I don’t know.