is my plate coral dying?? :( PICS INCLUDED!!!

oxkisses12ox · #1 01/04/2007, 06:21 PM

HI! i have had this plate coral for about a month... for the past week it has been fully extended almost all day and night and it was doing great!!!! but now... for the past two days it has been partially extended or looks like this ! any advice would help!
thanks!

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i2...x/PIC_0004.jpg

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i2...x/PIC_0002.jpg

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i2...x/PIC_0001.jpg

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i2...x/PIC_0006.jpg

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i2...x/PIC_0005.jpg

cward · #2 01/04/2007, 09:42 PM

Unfortunately, most of the time this type of plate coral (Heliofungia actiniformis) doesn't do well in captivity. It's prone to infections because the flesh get's damaged too easily. I've been fortunate to have one for 3+ years though, so don't do anything with it and see if it comes back for you.

jandlms · #3 01/04/2007, 10:00 PM

If your plate dies, don't throw the skeleton away! Leave it in the tank under light in some out of the way place. The "dead" skeleton may start producing small baby plates sometime in the future. I have heard of dead plates starting to have babies over a year after they have "died".

Beastmaster · #4 01/05/2007, 10:36 AM

That clam looks like a bit of a gonner too....
LOL only joking!

reefkoi · #5 01/05/2007, 01:26 PM

its hard to tell from the blurry photos, but I too have had problems with this type of long tentacle plate coral. I've seen them in LFS tanks literally melting away in front of my eyes. They must have problems shipping or when you handle them? Who knows. When I see them start to go downhill I dump them, why pollute the tank I figure.
C

reefkoi · #6 01/05/2007, 01:31 PM

As i take another look at the photos, the clam is dead, as are the snails, and I see the only other coral being zoanthids, they are closed up as well. Have you been maintaining the water well? it looks like you dont have algae which is great but is the tank really new? do you have any fish?
do you feed the tank anything? I wonder how the brittle stars and hermits live, maybe they grazed on the plate, that could happen if you arent feeding them or dont have fish producing any waste

lbaskball45 · #7 01/06/2007, 02:33 PM

why are all plate corals hard to keep? I have not had any success, even when I hadupgraded my lighting to metal halides. Their skin starts to recede from the side or the bottom and slowly die.

reefkoi · #8 01/06/2007, 05:46 PM

I'd do some research online if I was you, maybe its the change in sality, temp or some other paramenter. Could be lighting who knows, post what you find, a good source is wet web media dot com

Python73 · #9 01/11/2007, 10:17 AM

Okay, since nobody else asked this... you list your tank as a 14g nano. Are you aware that had this creature lived, it can grow to the size of a dinner plate? This is a single skeleton massive animal. You also need to feed fungias and heliofingias to supplement the energy they receive from photosynth. Especially helios.

Please, as a new reefer, before you purchase any animals, research them. At minimum find out how big they get, what light and/or food they need, etc.

Jandlms, that is true for fingias, but not helios. That is according to Eric Borneman, and I'm just going to have to take his word for it. I have bought dead fungia skeletons that sprouted babies, and it is awesome.

Cward, that is an AWESOME helio! Congrats on that, you are one of a very few people to have success with this animal. I am researching right now to set up my new tank to accomodate a large helio. We may have to talk.

S !

oxkisses12ox · #10 01/11/2007, 04:42 PM

oh guys!!! i forgot to post on this thread!!! my plate coral lived!!!!!!!! its absolutely georgeous and better than ever! I LOVE IT! yes i am aware of how large it can get, but only if there is enough space for it to do so.. if they have space around them they will occupy the space, if not they will remain the same size...

This was the other day actually and now, it is even healthier looking than this... it is doing AMAZING.. and i have two clowns that dont disturb it or try to host it .. they just hand around the area...

cward · #11 01/11/2007, 04:59 PM

I'm glad it made it for you. Looks good!!!

Python73 · #12 01/11/2007, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by oxkisses12ox
yes i am aware of how large it can get, but only if there is enough space for it to do so.. if they have space around them they will occupy the space, if not they will remain the same size...

First, congrats on a nice recovery, I'm happy for you and your animal.

And then second... you can't be serious. You really believe that that animal will have limited growth based on its environment? That's like saying you know the cage you bought for your rottweiler puppy seems small, but he'll stop growing once the cage gets too tight.

Sadly, there are only two possible scenarios:

1 - Regardless of reason, underfeeding, lack of light, flow, disease, stress, voodoo - that fine animal will die.

2 - Bucking the odds of the situation, the coral will thrive, in which case it will grow until it fills all available area.

2a - And having grown that large, with no room to expand and contract safely, it will abraid its tissue against the rocks or tank sides. At this point, see choice 1.

So, my advice is simple. While enjoying your success, begin setting up an appropriately sized display.

And good luck!

S !

cward · #13 01/11/2007, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Python73
Okay, since nobody else asked this... you list your tank as a 14g nano. Are you aware that had this creature lived, it can grow to the size of a dinner plate? This is a single skeleton massive animal. You also need to feed fungias and heliofingias to supplement the energy they receive from photosynth. Especially helios.

I used to feed mine, but I haven't really fed it regulary for over a year.

Quote:

Cward, that is an AWESOME helio! Congrats on that, you are one of a very few people to have success with this animal. I am researching right now to set up my new tank to accomodate a large helio. We may have to talk.

I think I've been very lucky with my Heliofungia.

reefkoi · #14 01/11/2007, 08:01 PM

thats great it made it, now lets get that glass cleaned up!

oxkisses12ox · #15 01/11/2007, 08:57 PM

my glass wont get clean!!! its this green algae but its tough!!! i dont know what to do to get it off?!!!!!! stange... i have a lot of green algae is that bad?? well not tons but some i guess around the tank.. and growing on my hermit shells back!

oxkisses12ox · #16 01/11/2007, 08:57 PM

my glass wont get clean!!! its this green algae but its tough!!! i dont know what to do to get it off?!!!!!! stange... i have a lot of green algae is that bad?? well not tons but some i guess around the tank.. and growing on my hermit shells back!

Joshua1023 · #17 01/11/2007, 10:41 PM

What is your water change schedule. Do you use ro/di water for this. The hair algae will bloom from time to time. Sometimes it will recede on its own. If it does not you have high nutrient levels in your tank that the algae is feeding off of. Do 15% water changes weekly w/ quality water and watch over feeding your fish. If you need more info than this there are about a billion threads on the subject to search. Best of luck to you.

jandlms · #18 01/11/2007, 10:56 PM

Try a Kent Pro Scraper with a stainless blade. It works great on any tough alsgae you may have on your glass.

oxkisses12ox · #19 01/11/2007, 11:00 PM

thanks so much... yeah my scrubber brush just isnt doing it for me !!!! lol ..... i am going to get one tommorow...... i mean i change my water once a week a good 1 or 2 gallons and i get the best FSW from the local aquarium and filtered...e tc

KyleP · #20 01/12/2007, 04:20 PM

Thats correct on the growth issue. Some fish will grow to the sized of their environment. I have experienced this with freshwater native species...i.e bass, bream, etc. But I agree that it would not apply to corals. But I do questions whether or not it would apply to certain saltwater fish. Interesting topic.

reefkoi · #21 01/12/2007, 04:23 PM

I know what you are talking about with that green algae on the glass. That stuff is very tough to scrub, A razor blade on a small tank would be easy. I seemed to notice that type in aquariums that are by a window and get natural sunlight. Does your tank get natural sunlight?
Chris

oxkisses12ox · #22 01/12/2007, 06:21 PM

ummm.... not directly... my window is on the other side of my room, but i guess it does sometimes.... i try to make my tank as much like the ocean as possible.. i leave my blinds open and use fresh salt water (from the ocean) .... it is VERY tough... i just got a razor blade today to try and get it off and it was STILL HARD! but i got most of it off, but it takes a lot of work!!! im going to wait a little bit to do some more....

AquaKnight407 · #23 01/13/2007, 11:03 PM

I have the exact long tentacle plate as oxkisses12ox. I have mine currently set on top of a branch rock, how critical is it that the plate be in the sand? I finally purchased mine after I won a gift certificate from the lfs and it's just been on a pvc tube for a while now. I also just got 2 true perculas that have been eyeing the LTP, they actually seem to like it more underneath.

Here's some pics, (sorry if you mind me hijacking kisses...)

cward · #24 01/13/2007, 11:20 PM

It's very important that you have the coral on sand. The skeleton is very sharp and the flesh of the coral will get damaged. Once that happens, it will likely get an infection.

oxkisses12ox · #25 01/14/2007, 12:36 PM

yes take it off the rock immediatly, it is very very sensative to sharp things....