help a 150g newb - let's do this reef together

[jon in alberta]

Hi All,

Long time away - I have been busy, and also busy with the tank. But I come back to you again with an issue:

I have purchased an Elegance Coral from the LFS and it was fine, then it started swelling up (see the pic; sorry about the blue, I did't want to colour correct in fear that I might mis-represent the problem).

I did some reading, and it seems there are many issues (from protazoa to too much flow to pestering hermits) but the one I thought it might be is the lighting. I won't go into detail on my tank conditions (unless someone thiks that it is that), but I ask this: is my vertex illummnia 260 lighting too bright? I had the led whites turned up the highest (actually higher than in the picture of the previous post) - and from what I have read it seems that I may have sunburned my Elegance Coral.

Does this sound (and look) like a potential?

any Elegance Coral keepers with Vertex Illumina 260 or just using LEDs out there?

Thanks.

[reefwars]

imo elegance are the trickiest lps to keep, its by far my favorite coral but its very fragile.


they love the light but its possible to burn them up their flesh is very delicate and they do not heal well unless your tank is VERY healthy.


elegance do not tend to do so well in new tanks or ulns systems, they need "dirtier" water.


having strong flow isnt ideal as well, plus elegance love to be fed.

unfortunately yours does not look like its going to make it, if it has been like that for a while it is prob slowly dieing.

its not uncommon for them to close up but they shoud not stay like this for more than a day or a half day.


if i were you i would move the elegance to a different spot and see how it reacts, and at the first sign of tentacles i would try feeding it(only once its open dont force feed it)

elegance also need to be in the sand bed, as they grow if they are on rocks their flesh will rub against rocks and then they can melt away(they do not take damage well)

my elegance is around 14" long and has about 10-15 mouths, i feed it once a day a hefty feeding of meaty foods, im only running halides but its on my sandbed directly under the 250w halides.mine doubles in size at peak lighting

good luck and cheers with this beautiful and tricky coral

[reefwars]

if worst comes to worst jon and you think you are going to lose it bring it to my house and ill trade you something for it and ill see if i can bring it back to life.....only if it comes to it though so your not out a coral cheers

[jon in alberta]

wow. reefwars you are awesome. I will likely take you up on that.

I just turned the lights down, so I am going to wait and see how things turn out. I did turkey baster some krill in there a few days ago when it opened up a bit. I will again if it opens again. Maybe middle of next week we will re-evaluate, and I may be PMing you.

Here is my concern although: much of my research points to a protozoa that apparently infects Elegance Coral, and "there is nothing you can do to stop it"? These same blog posts say that once it is in your tank you can never get rid of it. I wouldn't want to infect your healthy tank!

If you don't subscribe to this theory (sounds like you don't) I will be happy to relinquish my Elegance Coral for your TLC - if it comes to that.

[reefwars]

Originally Posted by jon in alberta

wow. reefwars you are awesome. I will likely take you up on that.

I just turned the lights down, so I am going to wait and see how things turn out. I did turkey baster some krill in there a few days ago when it opened up a bit. I will again if it opens again. Maybe middle of next week we will re-evaluate, and I may be PMing you.

Here is my concern although: much of my research points to a protozoa that apparently infects Elegance Coral, and "there is nothing you can do to stop it"? These same blog posts say that once it is in your tank you can never get rid of it. I wouldn't want to infect your healthy tank!

If you don't subscribe to this theory (sounds like you don't) I will be happy to relinquish my Elegance Coral for your TLC - if it comes to that.

no worries ive been in your boat im on my 5th or is it 6th elegance over the years, the first 4 i lost for diff reasons the 5th did fine and sold and the one i have currently is a monster.


they do catch infection easily , and they have alot of soft tissue area that can be at risk.


does it open at all for you now?? (if it does then its a very good sign)

any slime be it white or brown come from it??

can you see its skelaton, not the shell but the ridges under its body, does it look like the body is lifting or any tearing of the skin??

[paddyob]

Gravel? Or sand? Not many salt tanks use gravel. Was this a fresh water tank previously?

If so, ensure copper was never used.

[Nano]

Originally Posted by reefwars

if worst comes to worst jon and you think you are going to lose it bring it to my house and ill trade you something for it and ill see if i can bring it back to life.....only if it comes to it though so your not out a coral cheers

+1 point to you buddy

[jon in alberta]

Originally Posted by reefwars

does it open at all for you now?? (if it does then its a very good sign)

any slime be it white or brown come from it??

can you see its skelaton, not the shell but the ridges under its body, does it look like the body is lifting or any tearing of the skin??

Thanks for the help!

it does open - but only a fraction (~10%) of what it used to
there is white 'cob webby' stuff on it every morning
can't see the skeleton ... it is really just puffy all the time. it looks to be intact to the edge of the shell.

I am going to go get my SLR camera and take some good pics to send over tonight ... stay tuned!

Originally Posted by paddyob

Gravel? Or sand? Not many salt tanks use gravel. Was this a fresh water tank previously?

If so, ensure copper was never used.

Thanks for your interest paddyob!

gravel - well: I bought it from the LFS and it is finely crushed coral ... I believe. The regular stuff. Definitely not the sand you would find on a beach in Cancun!

I bought the tank second hand - it was used for salt water fish only prior ... and I cleaned it with vinegar and rinsed thoroughly prior to using. I have 2 other LPSs and a SPSs currently doing well in the tank.

[jon in alberta]

Here is a pic of the largest it opened today. Not much. Sorry abut the quality, my SLR pics turned out all blue, so this is my phone.

[Nano]

broken pic bud
Try again!