Interesting experience with RTN...

Snappy · #1 06-15-2007, 06:27 AM

IME the biggest causes of Rapid Tissue Necrosis are heat, nitrates/phosphates, low ca/alk. Poor lighting and flow can cause STN but that is a much slower death. Sometimes RTN just happens and there seems to be no logical reason.

fortheloveofcrabs · #2 06-15-2007, 08:18 AM

Ditto. This hobby sucks. Sorry to hear about your corals...

michika · #3 06-15-2007, 02:18 PM

I agree with Greg/Snappy on the potential reasons, and I'm really sorry to hear this happened. Temperature can also be a factor, but from what you've mentioned isn't the trigger in this case. I would also venture to add too much direct flow to the list, but its less of RTN and more of literally blowing the flesh off kind of thing.

untamed · #4 06-15-2007, 02:46 PM

The 400 has all kinds of "new tank" issues, so I wasn't completely surprised that something went wrong...I immediately suspected any number of the things you've mentioned, but the 30 has been running flawlessly for years. There was no change in procedures, or any event beyond the introduction of the bit of coral.

I should have dipped that coral bit before I put it into the 30.....there's the lesson learned right there.

Since I was able to transfer the problem to a completely different and isolated tank, the cause must have been biological/microbial/viral...not environmental.

Snappy · #5 06-15-2007, 02:57 PM

Just a thought.
What type of corals do you have in your 30? Frags don't do well in a chemical warfare zone so in my opinion unless you run carbon to absorb the toxins out of the system they often won't make it. 30 gal is pretty small so there is a lot less "wiggle room" for error, especially sps.

Reefer Rob · #6 06-15-2007, 03:11 PM

I read somewhere that when one coral RTNs, it can trigger RTN in other corals in the tank, causing a chain reaction of sorts. Of course this all happens for not apparent reason

danny zubot · #7 06-15-2007, 03:43 PM

I agree with the statment

Quote:

It would seem that I transferred some sort of coral disease

Though I'm not sure disease would be the term I'd use to describe it, maybe stress toxins? Who knows what kind of nasties a coral emits when it's under stress, but thats probably what caused this mess IMO. Terrible luck.

untamed · #8 06-15-2007, 11:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reefer Rob

I read somewhere that when one coral RTNs, it can trigger RTN in other corals in the tank, causing a chain reaction of sorts. Of course this all happens for not apparent reason

I'm guessing that this is what happened. There's no reason to suspect that there was anything unusual going on in the 30. That tank was stable and hadn't changed (except for corals getting bigger) for a year or so. I add one tiny RTN survivor and...bang...two corals in the immediate proximity to the piece RTN.