SPS Bleaching

[reeferaddict]

I've had a beautiful blue Acro colony for about a month now... a few days ago I was rearranging a few things in the tank and now it's bleaching from the base up... I had this happen once before and I lost the piece altogether... anyone with experience know what my next move should be?

[Aquattro]

check for acro flatwroms

[Invigor]

commonly referred to as flatworms

[reeferaddict]

Funny you should say that Brad... I just two weeks ago did a Flatworm Exit treatment after Christy came over and promptly informed my I had a major infestation... God did I do my due diligence... I prepared, siphoned, treated, monitored and everything actually responded positively... then after a coral I bought in Vancouver easily survived a 6 hour ride home, moving it two feet underwater stresses it to do this...

but I think the frustrating part is this... I actually spotted more %%$#@&!! FLATWORMS tonight!!! Eeeergh! Right now an axe is looking like good cure for flatworms!

So anyways... this thing is losing more tissue... should I frag it or what? Dip? I just really don't want to lose this whole thing...

[Chin_Lee]

re: flatworm exit
i've done two separate treatments and I still have some. the first treatment i did with 1 drop/gallon as per instructions. Lots left after treatement . I did second treatment at 2 drops/gal which killed most of the left over...... but alas, there are still some left . My next option is at 3 drops per gallon but unfortunately i have ~300 gallons of water which means that it will cost me ~$90 for the treatment (each bottle has about 300 drops) . Plus my first two treatments which has been a total of three bottles so i'm looking to spend $180 in flatworm exit this year

re: acro

if its bleaching from base and spreading quickly, cut your loss .... literally. Frag and save the rest is my advice to you. I have had numerous pieces start dying and it spreads quickly and eventually the whole piece dies.... partly due to laziness but mostly due to being hopelessly hopeful that it will stop. if its spreading quickly, minimize your loss asap cuz by the time you regret not doing it, its gone.

good luck
cwlee

[muck]

RTN..??

[Chin_Lee]

Originally Posted by muck

RTN..??

RTN is quicker than a few days.... usually within a day. the acronym R is for Rapid

[dirtyreefer]

Sounds like STN. I would frag what you can as well.

There was an article of RC where there is a possibility of algae "growing into" the coral causing TN. If you do decide to frag, break the coral off it's base afterwards to see whether there's green inside the coral.

I've had a couple frags TN this way and both times there was green growing inside the coral. This can even happen with low PO4 rates.

I always make sure now when I attach frags that it is completely sealed in between the coral and the rubble. That way there is less chance where the algae can spread to inside the coral.

[muck]

Originally Posted by chin_lee

RTN is quicker than a few days.... usually within a day. the acronym R is for Rapid

Ok that is true but when did the tissue loss start?
Did it start a few days ago or did it start today but you think it is from rearranging the tank a few days ago..??

[reeferaddict]

If I raise the temp ... you know... just until it starts bubbling... think that will get rid of the flatworms?

I'm going to frag it in the morning... there seem to only be 2 or 3 sticks out of 8 or 10 that seem to be doing this... although they're right in the centre of the colony... any advice on handling/cutting/mounting? Use a dip solution? My luck at fragging any stony corals has been abysmal... my softy frags all seem to do fine... but I just don't want to decimate what was a beautiful bright powder blue colony...

Aaaargh! I'm still thinking about the axe!

~ONE PO'd REEFER~