Caulastrea lost Zooxantellae

[emora]

I just got back from my vacation over the holidays and found my Caulastrea furcata (trumpet coral) is nearly white.

It took me several hours but I finally realized what happened. My assitant left the ligth timers switched on. The metal halides and actinics have been on 24x7 since last Wednesday (at least).

I switched off the lights and saw the tentacles begin to expand.

After a few hours I fed a big ration of DTs phytoplankton, Coralife bioplankton, and my homemade oyster and shrimp puree. The feeding response is normal and the coral was looking pretty good.

I'm guessing that the Caulastrea dumped it's Zoxantellae as a result of the extended photoperiod. Does that sound like an appropriate assumption?

Can the coral regain stay alive on solid foods and plankton?

Can it recover it's Zooxantellae?

Is there something I should do to help it?

Regards.

[pepe.king.prawn]

It is reasonable that the coral could have expelled its zooxanthellae due to a significantly extended photo period. Many people just refer to this as 'bleaching', but the loss of symbiotic algae is the cause. Some corals can regain lost zooxanthellae, but it's difficult to say. I would try to continue feeding phytoplankton and filter feeding food and hope for the best. Good luck!

[Mantis]

Lots of target feeding should help.

[Ludwigia73]

It's also possible it threw up due to higher than normal temperatures due to the lights.

[emora]

Hi Mantis,
That's what I'm doing now. Feeding like crazy. Plenty of vitamin fortified plankton: DTs phytoplankton, Bio Plankton and Frozen Cyclop-Eze. For solid food my homemade chicken soup: well actually oyster, shrimp, spirulina mush.

Ludwig, that's a good observation. I was running my tank hot anyway. The extended photoperiod may have tipped the scale beyond the coral's tolerance. I've already dropped the temp 1 to 2 deegrees celcius.

The third measure I've taken is to reduce the photoperiod to 4 hors per day for the Metal Halides. Yesterday I left the actinics on 10 hours. I don't know if these measures are right but I just followed my instinct.

The good news is that I've already began to see some pigmentation. He said, with crossed fingers.

Regards
Enrique

[emora]

I read that Iodine could help. Since I just purchased an Iodine test kit I put it to work. Undetectale. I started adding Iodine (10 drops tincture of Iodine) a couple of days ago.

After the first day I was around 0,01 ppm. Desirable is 0,06 - so I still have a ways to go.

In any case, the .Caulastrea is already looking much better.

[shelburn61]

I actually saw my caulastrea "spit" out two strings of reddish brown goo the other day. Was this zooxanthelae or just waste?

It happened within minutes of my first ever addition of the 2-part Ca solution I have switched to. Coincidence? I don't think my pH jumped but it has been a little overall prior to the new additive.

It is a solid green morph that I have had a lot of trouble acclimating to my tank over the past two weeks. I have been feeding a couple times a week and it seems to be doing better, but it has lost a good bit of color. Is it doomed?

[emora]

Shelburn, from what I have read that is most probably zooxanthella. Mine does that on occasion. It would only be a problem if it dumps all the zooxanthella. The color is the best indicator. Mine turned very white.

Every day that goes by their colors are better and better :-)

[shelburn61]

It may be Zoo but a lot of the posts I have been reading seem to suggest it was just coral poop. It has been losing a little color, but I have also been feeding quite a bit?????????

[emora]

It has been losing a little color

I'm sure its OK. If there is anything to worry about it will loose A LOT of color. Other than that, those strands of goo are perfectly normal

[emora]

I'm happy to say that my babies have bounced back nicely.