Dying Torch Coral...!
 

We just got a torch coral on Saturday (actually we got a green star polyp and a leather coral as well) and it is not doing well at all! (neither are the others, but I'm more concerned about the torch).

The first day or two the polyps tried extending, but only got out about an inch, tops. By Monday they had receeded a great deal, and this morning they were sucked all the way inside, the tips had turned brown, and it looks very unhappy :redface:

As far as we can tell, the fish are not harrassing any of the corals (the fish are all doing fine) and we have repositioned them a couple of times. The torch started out with a medium current and now he is in less current - both places with good lighting. They are not close together.

Our tank/water specs:
72 gallons + sump
pH: 7.9
ammonia: 0
nitrate: 0
spec gravity: 1.021
temp: 80
lighting: 4x28w T5 fluorescents (2blue/2white)
tank depth: 20" - torch was about 12" deep initially, now its on the bottom

Please see attached pic for current condition.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Have you tested your water parameters? If so, what are the results? If not, get on it and let us know :smile:

As well, is it in the vicinity of any other corals?

Which parameters are you interested in specifically? I posted ph/ammonia/nitrate/spec grav & temp in the first posting...

No, all the corals are fairly far apart from each other, ie at least 12 inches or more.

salinity is low for corals. 1.021 is ok for fish only but i would slowly bring it up to at least 1.023

I was thinking osmotic shock,but with that low salinity maybe not.Alot of LFS have low salinity,so maybe not such a shock.How long/how did you acclimate them?Im wondering about possible PH or Alk shock.

Isn't your lighting kinda low too? I don't know anything about T5's but 56W doesn't seem like much. (The blues don't count).

Cheers,

Didn't you just start this tank like a week ago?......If so I think it's still a liitle too soon to be adding corals probably some nasties coming out of the sand or the rocks from the move. The flesh isn't gone on it yet maybe someone with a more established system can nurse it back until your tank is ready. From the pic it looks to be low in the tank did you try higher? and I don't think those lights will cut it, it may substain life but it probably won't grow much.

HTH

I keep my tank at 1.025. When I buy or trade something new for my tank I always test the water it comes in for salinity and then acclimate accordingly.

My torch is doing just fine, actually doing well under a 28w T5 10,000k and actinic so I think you're fine for light. Make sure you have adequate water flow they like water to flow around them but not directly at them and yes if it's a new tank there could be dozens of reasons for it's withdrawl.
If you live close to a fish store take a water sample in, have them verify the tests you've done, depending on the test kits you are using there may be a problem there. I've used the budget/inexpensive kits in the past and seen huge differences in readings from one kit to another, now I'm sold on Salifert and frankly, I'd rather spend my money on them, I feel confident in the quality and if my pH reads 8.3 I'm comfortable with it actually being 8.3

Doug

I looked back over some of your old posts, you just set up your tank 10 days ago.. I realize you bought a used system, but it still has to stabilize after the move.. and depending on how you moved it.. rock, sand bed, etc this could take a while.


02-18-2007, 09:30 PM
fishbait
Help... Skimmer question
Hello, we just picked up a used saltwater system and finally got it all running a few minutes ago