Help with receding candy cane coral

[edikpok]

Happy New Year everyone!

Among a variety of other corals, I have 3 colonies (30 heads+) of candy canes. Over the past week, many candy canes in these colonies started receding and now each colony has 4-6 canes that almost completely lost their flesh. Some of the other canes started showing their white backbones too... It looks like the receding starts from the base of each cane. The colonies are not located next to each other...Other corals appear to be fine.

Parameters are 1.024 for salt (IO), 0 for nitrates, 380 calcium, 9 KH, and phosphates are at 0.1. It is a 29g biocube, with weekly water changes of 20%. Tank has been established for over 5 years with great growth.

What can possibly cause these canes lose their flesh and die?

Thanks for the help!!!

[canadianbudz604]

Happy new years! Any new additions to the tank? Or sudden changes in temp or salinity?

[edikpok]

Not that I know of. Both salinity and temp (81.5F) seem to be constant...

I attached a picture of the colony that seems to be affected the most...

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

Could one of your fish suddenly be developing a taste for candycane?

[edikpok]

The aquarium currently has a clownfish and midas blenny (been there for 3 years) and a new cleaner shrimp (boxing day addition). The problems started before the adddition of the shrimp though.

Should I consider a Loguls dip? If so, what is the best practice for the dip?

Forgot to mention that around the same time that the receding begun, there was also a sudden outbreak of red slime. I used chemiclean to rid of it. I used it once before with no ill effects...

Anthony- the original candy cane actually came from you about 5 years ago I bought 2 heads back then of this neon green candy cane.

[gregzz4]

Chemiclean reduces O2, which reduces bacteria and on down the chain it goes
What other corals do you have that are unaffected ?

[Sebae again]

Have you checked the magnesium level lately. Also have you started to use a new batch of salt since this has started ?

[edikpok]

2 open large (and 2 closed) brains, acans, frogspawn, torch, zoa, gsp, a few softies.

Come to think of it, I did notice that 2 heads of another euphylia coral died over the past couple of weeks. All the other ones seem to be fine. The non affected candy canes open up nicely too...

YES - for the new batch of salt. Just opened the new bucket 3 weeks ago which could coincide with when the problems bugun. Same IO salt though - could this be the problem???

[Sebae again]

yeah

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

Originally Posted by edikpok

Anthony- the original candy cane actually came from you about 5 years ago I bought 2 heads back then of this neon green candy cane.

Amazing. Glad to hear. Now I'll have to trade you for a few heads cause I no longer have any left. I have some IO salt here if you want to try a water change. It's from the same batch I've been doing water changes with for a while, so it should be fine.

Anthony