problem with Caulastrea

greystreet41 · #1 05/12/2005, 10:11 PM

It's been retracted most of the day in the past week to the point where you can see the outline of the skeletal structure through the tissue. It's a large piece...at least 30 heads that has been beautiful and full looking for the past 9 months. The only water paramter that is suspect is mildly low Alk. No other significant changes in the entire system the past several months. Please advise...I'm worried, it's such a perfect coral. It's placed high in a 55 gallon with a lot of PCs. a 4x65 strip and a 2/65 strip.
thanks,
grey

Narkon · #2 05/13/2005, 06:35 AM

Well the first thing I could suggest is not suspect Alk, but test all water parameters, and make sure.

How fast did Alk drop?

Steven Pro · #3 05/13/2005, 06:40 AM

How long have you had that coral? And, could you list what you tested for and their numbers?

greystreet41 · #4 05/13/2005, 06:59 AM

sure, I've had the Caulastrea for 7 months. I've notoriously had difficulty keeping my alk up. With respect to my testing, I'm still quite the newbie and just test the basics...ph 8.2 (color strips), alk low (color strips), I even tested ammonia, nitrites, nitrates...nothing there. Salinity at 1.023. Temp stays between 79-81. If this helps. I took off the 2x65 strip last night, and the Caulastrea doesn't look nearly as pitiful. I should have also mentioned I have a small red Trachyphyllia that I've nursed back from virtual death from a neglected tank that has taken on the same characteristics as the Caulastrea (tissue suppressed to where who can see the skeletal structure). It's also looking a little more lively this AM....that help?

Narkon · #5 05/13/2005, 07:18 AM

Do you also test for Calcium?

Both are doing the same thing.
Humm.

Do you dose anything on a regular basis?

oddballs · #6 05/13/2005, 05:14 PM

this may sound stupid but what color is the colony??the reason i ask is because i have a theory (i guess you could call it)that the brown or darker seem bonier and dont have as much tissueand the green,blue,purple ones seem fatterw more tissueand seem to feed more and thrive more (maybe more zooxan.?)dont really know just adding my 2 cents.
thanks oddball

tacocat · #7 05/14/2005, 03:24 AM

oddball, your observations do apply to certain ones.

grey, what other corals do you have close to it? Some maze brains, echinos, euphyllia, galaxea, and echinophyllia can drift some rather long sweeping tentacles that sting other corals. Often times, this only occurs at night, so it's not something some aquarists know about or look for.