Brain Problems. *More problem critters found....sigh*

zum14 · #1 09-08-2010, 07:27 AM

So basically ive got a bit of a problem. The brain coral got picked on a lot worse then I thought it did when the shrimps and crabs were reaking havoc in my tank. (I had it shelved in the tank and they still found a way to get it somehow) Now that I have moved to the larger tank and got the shrimps and crabs out ( had to smash a piece of LR to get the last crab out) everything seems to be much happier, specially the acros. That is everything except the brain coral. I feel really bad about this, it was a beautiful piece that I got from whatcaneyedo. Does anyone know anything I can do to help this thing heal? Ill do whatever it takes. First pic is where it is in my tank. Second is Aug 30 after the move. Last is today. Everything was right in spec a few days ago but I will grab all the hard numbers tomorrow after work. Wondering if its too much flow? Too much light? Not enough light? ( Was thinking of lowering the halides from 14" to 12" this weekend) Do I need to worry about the exposed skeleton? Will it heal over? I try to spot feed but no feeder tentacles come out to grab anything. Thanks for any help.

nlreefguy · #2 09-08-2010, 09:18 AM

Looks like it's in the process of bleaching. Try putting it in less light, maybe. If conditions are conducive to its recovery there is no reason why it should not regrow over that exposed area, theoretically.

whatcaneyedo · #3 09-08-2010, 01:55 PM

I've kept it around 2' directly underneath my MH so it has recieved a lot of light in the past. However if you had it in a dimmer area for a while and then moved it back to a high light area that could do it. For now I'l put it in a dimmer area regardless. Too high of temperature will also do it. Did you tank over heat at all lately? Solid organic carbon dosing often does this to LPS and softies too. I had to quit my little experiment after a few of my coral started bleaching.

zum14 · #4 09-08-2010, 03:35 PM

Going from T5 to 400w metal halide could be a bit much too quick. I guess it would be about 3' from the halides now. No tank overheats. Had the 46gal get to 84* a few times during the heat wave but action is taken when it gets there so it didnt get hotter. The new tank doesnt get above 79*. I noticed that I had to lower my duncan and candycane and they appear much happier as well. The acros seemed to take to the higher light quite quickly and is coloring up quite nicely. The green cap didnt do so well on the tank move but is finally starting to color back up. Ill try moving it to a lower light area this morning and Ill update after work. Thanks again.

zum14 · #5 09-23-2010, 10:24 PM

So after a water change and I raised the metal halides up from 14" above the tank to 24" above the tank(did that tues night) things seem to be much happier. I think i was nuking it with all the light.(superman monti seems to be going blue finally, candycanes happier, other brain I got is happier) Ive got plans to build a new fixture that wont have reflectors in it to hopefully knock the intensity down on the lights instead of putting out more money for 250's but thats another thread. Anyways this was taken today. Seems to be inflating around better and starting to color back up. Also saw some feeder tentacles out this morning which I havent seen since all this started so heres hoping. Please forgive me for the hair algae, had a bit of an outbreak when i first set up the tank but seems to be dyeing off fast now.

reefwars · #6 09-23-2010, 10:31 PM

Yup with 400w it's too much light , instead of raising your light try placing it somewhere it gets light but not diectly underneath

also if it's feeding there's a good chance of recovery , get it in a place it likes and finds comfortable and don't pick at it It should come back in time

zum14 · #7 09-23-2010, 10:38 PM

I tried moving it under a rock ledge but either my tiger tail pushed it out or it moved itself. Did some weird major inflation thing when it was under there. Blew up like a balloon. Will try it here for a bit. Im hoping its feeding. I saw the tentacles this morning but last night it didnt seem to take anything. We will see how it goes tonight. By the looks of it even the sps seem to find the lower light a bit better as the end polyps are coming out now and the one sps I have was only growing at the base like a bush so maybe itll start branching now. Thanks.

reefwars · #8 09-23-2010, 10:48 PM

Feeder tentacles and inflation are great signs and it looks like your on your way to a full recovery

beautiful piece btw

ScubaSteve · #9 09-23-2010, 11:10 PM

If there is skeleton showing, try to keep it clean so you don't get algae growth. It'll heal much faster. Also, if it is starting to bleach make sure you try to feed it once it starts putting the tentacles back out again. The zooxanthellae feed off of the corals metabolic wastes, so if it starts to starve because of low zooxanthellae levels, the zooxanthellae will start to die off bleaching the coral further, which cause the coral to starve more and... you get where I'm going with this. It's a vicious circle and why bleaching can be so hard to recover from. Supplemental feeding will help keep its metabolism up and it will recover faster. DON'T FORCE FEED IT THOUGH!

zum14 · #10 09-24-2010, 03:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by reefwars

Feeder tentacles and inflation are great signs and it looks like your on your way to a full recovery

beautiful piece btw

Thanks, you should have seen it when I got it from whatcaneyedo. Super nice. I hope it gets there again.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScubaSteve

If there is skeleton showing, try to keep it clean so you don't get algae growth. It'll heal much faster. Also, if it is starting to bleach make sure you try to feed it once it starts putting the tentacles back out again. The zooxanthellae feed off of the corals metabolic wastes, so if it starts to starve because of low zooxanthellae levels, the zooxanthellae will start to die off bleaching the coral further, which cause the coral to starve more and... you get where I'm going with this. It's a vicious circle and why bleaching can be so hard to recover from. Supplemental feeding will help keep its metabolism up and it will recover faster. DON'T FORCE FEED IT THOUGH!

I will do that. Thanks very much. How do you force feed it? I sort of just use a large opening turkey baster and let the food casually drop out of it and float across the coral?? Usually it snags it with a tenticle then.