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Torch Coral Help!


Cody_Hardy

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Hey guys!

 

just trying to get some help regarding my torch coral - he seems a bit sad lately ☹️ Have had him for a few months now - was happy all the time for the first couple of months

 

now he never really opens right up and always like he used to... wondering if he’s maybe to close to the hammer? Or do they not open up when there’s not enough flow maybe? 

 

Any my advice would be awesome 🙂

 

also, there seems to be some bubble algae growing on my zoa frag, how can I get rid of this without harming my corals or spreading it??

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skyscraper2290

First what are your water parameter? Have you made any changes to your tank recently? New salt mix, increased flow or light, added any fish or inverts that bother it? Any damages to the flesh? 

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Can’t see any visible signs of polyp damage (granted it is closed so can’t see much flesh)

have added the picassos recently but coral was stressed before they were added

water params seem fine - no nitrites nitrates or ammonia, salinity is always around .225/.226

what other parameters should I be testing? I am pretty new to reefing - however have had a few years with freshwater and still care for cichlids.. any other params that need constant watching?

 

my filtration also is a bunch of biomax, some fluval activated carbon, and some phosban if that helps  

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skyscraper2290

How long did you have it before it started doing this? What kind of flow do you have in the tank? Clowns sometime host euphyllia, so one of my thoughts is the torch is trying to open but the clowns may be bothering it now. Seeing that your hammer is open I’m not positive what it is. The more info the better though because then someone might be able to pinpoint what the issue is. 

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A Little Blue
9 hours ago, Cody_Hardy said:

any other params that need constant watching?

Alk/Ca/Mg but definitely Alk on reg. basis. Flow/light shouldn’t be an issue. They’re flexible in that regard. You can dip it in iodine and inspect for brown jelly disease/syndrome. http://aquariumcoraldiseases.weebly.com/brown-jelly-syndrome-bjs--brown-band-disease-brb.html

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22 minutes ago, A Little Blue said:

Flow/light shouldn’t be an issue

They are flexible when it comes to flow, but be careful not to blast them with too flow. That could damage them. 

 

In your case, you were concerned with too little flow. That shouldn't be the issue.

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4 hours ago, A Little Blue said:

Alk/Ca/Mg but definitely Alk on reg. basis. Flow/light shouldn’t be an issue. They’re flexible in that regard. You can dip it in iodine and inspect for brown jelly disease/syndrome. http://aquariumcoraldiseases.weebly.com/brown-jelly-syndrome-bjs--brown-band-disease-brb.html

 

3 hours ago, paulsz said:

They are flexible when it comes to flow, but be careful not to blast them with too flow. That could damage them. 

 

In your case, you were concerned with too little flow. That shouldn't be the issue.

Yeah I’ll have to buy some test kits then! 

 

As for flow, all I’ve done is upgraded the return pump to a sicce silent 1.0 pump and pointed one to the top of the water for the ripple affect and to exchange gases etc and one at the front glass pane for flow to bounce around

 

i had it for probably a month before it started closing up more - was closing a bit before the clowns were put in too

 

regarding an iodine dip, I’ve never done this - is it literally just dipping the coral in pure iodine for a few seconds??

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A Little Blue
35 minutes ago, Cody_Hardy said:

 

Yeah I’ll have to buy some test kits then! 

 

As for flow, all I’ve done is upgraded the return pump to a sicce silent 1.0 pump and pointed one to the top of the water for the ripple affect and to exchange gases etc and one at the front glass pane for flow to bounce around

 

i had it for probably a month before it started closing up more - was closing a bit before the clowns were put in too

 

regarding an iodine dip, I’ve never done this - is it literally just dipping the coral in pure iodine for a few seconds??

Seachem, Brightwell, Lugol's Kent make some. I've heard some old school guys use regular iodine but I'm not sure. I could be wrong but it might contain %alcohol. Which might or might not be an issue. If you don't check your Alkalinity well, that is a must. 

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Thanks a bunch guys - will have to have a look around for some good iodine then 🙂 

 

any tips regarding the bubble algae growing on my zoa frags? Will a dip help fix this as well? Or maybe just get an emerald crab or two?

 

tganks in advance ❤️

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17 hours ago, Cody_Hardy said:

salinity is always around .225/.226

???

 

isn't there supposed to be a 0 between . and 2?

 

1.225-1.226 would be an extremely high salinity.  

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10 minutes ago, Naekuh said:

???

 

isn't there supposed to be a 0 between . and 2?

 

1.225-1.226 would be an extremely high salinity.  

Oops - yes there is a zero! 

 

That would be be a LOT of salt 🤔

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Can you remove the zoa frags from the tank?  That would be the best way.  Scrape the bubble algae off and then dip the frag in clean tank water before putting it back in.  I've had success with emerald crabs removing it.  Depends how bad it is and getting to the root cause to keep it from coming back.

 

As for your torch, do you know what your phosphates are?  If your nitrates and phosphates are legitimately zero, your coral could be starving.  Are you running phosban due to a phosphate problem or just because?  Ideally nitrates are around 5 ppm and phosphates are at least .02 up to .1

 

As others have mentioned, checking your alk/calc is important as well.

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8 minutes ago, DreC80 said:

Can you remove the zoa frags from the tank?  That would be the best way.  Scrape the bubble algae off and then dip the frag in clean tank water before putting it back in.  I've had success with emerald crabs removing it.  Depends how bad it is and getting to the root cause to keep it from coming back.

 

As for your torch, do you know what your phosphates are?  If your nitrates and phosphates are legitimately zero, your coral could be starving.  Are you running phosban due to a phosphate problem or just because?  Ideally nitrates are around 5 ppm and phosphates are at least .02 up to .1

 

As others have mentioned, checking your alk/calc is important as well.

Thanks for the reply 🙂

yeah i think manual removal might be the best option - there’s not much in my tank at all (literally just the 10ish bubbles on the frag)

 

not sure of my phosphate levels either, only have the freshwater API master test kit..

running phosban to help clear my big hair algae phase my tank went through - has calmed down a lot now though. Maybe because of phosban or maybe just purely tank maturing.

 

might take the phosban out later today, as I know that can mess with alk as well - which I also have not tested...

 

going to wagga now so so I will see if I can find more test kits and will do a big test when I get home tonight and I will also remove phosban - and I will probably replace my carbon to, it’s been in there for awhile 

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I would manually remove the bubble and hair algae.  Most people will use a hanna checker for phosphates.  API phosphate kit is terrible/gives false readings.

 

I would purchase salifert or red sea for your test kits.  Make sure your water for water changes is zero TDS via rodi or distilled.  

 

Hopefully the coral will come around

 

 

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Okay guys, 

have tracked down some coral dip called Revive, so that will be here by tomorrow, and so will my test kits - nitrate phosphate alk calc and magnesium - all salifert 🙂

 

I know that revive isn’t exactly iodine like RX Pro is, however I’m hoping it still has some positive results.. hard to find anything in urban Australia with no saltwater lfs within a 2-3hr radius 🤪🤪

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1 hour ago, Cody_Hardy said:

Okay guys, 

have tracked down some coral dip called Revive, so that will be here by tomorrow, and so will my test kits - nitrate phosphate alk calc and magnesium - all salifert 🙂

 

I know that revive isn’t exactly iodine like RX Pro is, however I’m hoping it still has some positive results.. hard to find anything in urban Australia with no saltwater lfs within a 2-3hr radius 🤪🤪

Where about in aus you located? I live in QLD and there are quite a few around. I know Sydney has even better options. Not sure Melbourne or any other capital cities. Also I use revive it’s great product 

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NSW, but in the riverina - Cootamundra to be exact and Sydney/Canberra are both are amazing, however Canberra is like 2 and a half hrs away and Sydney is like 4hrs away aha.. out in the country I am lol

 

glad to hear positive stuff about revive 🙂 

 

thanks everyone one for the support, will let you all know how I go with my tests/dipping 😁

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Okay guys, so terrible discovery...

 

while I was dipping my torch, I found these flat purple looking worms... after a quick google search I think they are the coral eating kind☹️ I’ve inspected the torch, scraped off some eggs and placed him back in the tank

 

sill do some testing later, will be busy dipping all my corals this evening!

 

any information on these things would be greatly appreciated 

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I would say there some kind of nuddie. Dipping helps but the eggs are really hard to get rid of. Best bet get a wrasse of some kind to help eat them. Just keep a eye out for brown jelly forming around the top of the skeleton 

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20 minutes ago, Gtrain said:

I would say there some kind of nuddie. Dipping helps but the eggs are really hard to get rid of. Best bet get a wrasse of some kind to help eat them. Just keep a eye out for brown jelly forming around the top of the skeleton 

What does the brown jelly mean? Is that some sort of defense mechanism from the coral or does that just mean it’s getting eaten?

 

also not sure if I can get a wrasse, tanks only the evo 13.5 and don’t really have any good shops I can return him too afterwards..

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A Little Blue

Euphillia eating flatworms do exist. 

Stressed out euphillia is more prone to get brown jelly syndrome. I have included info link about this disease in my previous post. 

Dip again after few days. 

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