Kensington Reefer
Supporting Member
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Derek's 225g - Magnifica / SPS Reef
- Thread starter derek_SR
- Start date
Turkeysammich
Moderator
I think @boun11 said he’s out of salt.I've checked all the basics - with two different methods for most of the big ones. No swings in parameters or anything out of normal ranges for my particular tank.
Corals have not all started suffering at once. Some corals are not impacted at all (so far). That's why I think it's some kind of infection. Certain corals in certain parts of the tank are hit pretty hard and others are totally unaffected, and look great. This is the case across SPS+LPS+Softies - examples of each with issues and each doing great.
Of the corals impacted - they are kind of presenting symptoms in different ways at different rates. Some are grumpy, some died off relatively quickly.
I don't think it's related to my tissue concerns, seems like a very different problem. It all started relatively quickly about a month ago.
I kind of suspect the box of AF salt because I did a round of big water changes about a month ago with this salt, and according to my journal that's around the time things started to turn. It's also when I swapped in the cheap non-ATI Actinic bulbs I got during the BF sale. I'd be surprised if this is a light issue but worth noting.
ONLY other thing I can think of - when I was working in the tank around this time, i irritated some zoas pretty badly. I actually saw them squirt out some black inky stuff - never seen that before. Possible they released some of that palytoxin and it did damage?
Anyway, have one more box of AF salt PIF if anyone interested
Also. The corals that died. Were they the harder to keep one’s ? Is your digi polyps still open ? Are your colors washed out ?
I had similar issues years ago but never figured out the reason or cure. I've seen this condition referred to as neoplasia or tulip polyp syndrome. Unfortunately most of the acros affected didn't make it but I was able to save frags off of them where some grew back into colonies.
Here's one of them. What was a vivid rainbow delight
bow delight
Here's one of them. What was a vivid rainbow delight
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This is happening in my tank too, I'll post pictures in my journal.
andyman
Supporting Member
One of the symptoms I noticed when I started loosing corals (not all at once btw) was that as the corals get weak from infection, the ones closer to the light STN first. They seem to hang on for dear life when they are at the bottom of the tank or shaded. Unfortunately I didn't realize this until way too late. Before I started treatment I reduced my lighting to 30-40%. Did my treatment and started seeing improvements. I then re-increased my lighting slowly. I'm now at 100% on my AI Radeons.
Mostly easier corals at first - although it's a mix of everything. Lost the appleberry monti I got from @CaseyP , lost my Manila Spy, lost a nepthea, had to rescue frag my beefy blue stag. had to rescue frag my garf bonsai. Probably going to lose my WD.
Other corals - vivid confetti, merlin's staff, ARC fireworks, homewrecker, master yoda, purple stylo, gonis and euphylia - totally unaffected (so far)
What happened next? Did it eventually STN? If so, this is very much like what I'm seeing with some of my acros.
Turkeysammich
Moderator
Daymn Bro. I noticed my nepthia closed up when there’s toxins in the water. Polyps retract right away. good thoughts and vibes.
tribbitt
Supporting Member
I can probably give you back nepthea, manila spy, and if the rescue frag doesn’t make it, garf bonsai
They turned grey and slowly faded away over almost a year. Tbh I wasn't super proactive about trying to find a cure, just keeping my parameters stable. If I were to see it again I'd try antibiotics
There's a long discussion on r2r but doesn't seem like there was an answer https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/tulip-polyp-syndrome-and-neoplasia.819707/
Had a situation a few months ago where I would lose acro after acro to RTN (not STN), despite stable parameters and ICP coming back normal. Oddly, the seemingly strongest acros, or at least the ones that were growing the fastest, were the ones to die. Only 20% of overall corals were (visibly) affected, but that's still several thousand $.
I know its controversial but I did a full-tank cipro treatment at roughly 1mg/gallon/evening and the coral losses stopped.A few days after I concluded treatment, my alk consumption increased a whopping 50%. Obviously dipping is preferred, but wasn't practical in this case.
I dnn't know the long term impcat/risks to antibiotic treatments of an entire biome, as I'm sure there may be delayed reactions/changes to the tank, and/or the potential need to treat again in the future, but I'll take the near term result any day, vs losing more..
Purely anecdotal but I suspect bacterial infections may be more often the cause of some of our tank issues than we give them credit for. I believe @CaseyP also has friends that have seen similar relief from above treatment.
I know its controversial but I did a full-tank cipro treatment at roughly 1mg/gallon/evening and the coral losses stopped.A few days after I concluded treatment, my alk consumption increased a whopping 50%. Obviously dipping is preferred, but wasn't practical in this case.
I dnn't know the long term impcat/risks to antibiotic treatments of an entire biome, as I'm sure there may be delayed reactions/changes to the tank, and/or the potential need to treat again in the future, but I'll take the near term result any day, vs losing more..
Purely anecdotal but I suspect bacterial infections may be more often the cause of some of our tank issues than we give them credit for. I believe @CaseyP also has friends that have seen similar relief from above treatment.
Thanks - my tank was so overcrowded I'm not even actually that worried about the coral loss (unless it never stops...). But thank you for the offers. I definitely want manila spy back in the tank, though.
100% agree most issues in established tanks owned by experienced keepers are bacterial. That is very much what this feels like to me.
I already nuked the tank with Cipro, with a muuuuuuch heavier dose than 1mg/gallon. I did about 6mg/gallon per night for 5 nights. No improvement, might have worsened.
Might try a nuke with OA next but not sure. Things SEEM like MAYBE they are stabilizing so gonna let things ride for a bit and do some more water changes this weekend.
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