GSP dying off any idea why?

[FishAreFriends2]

My gsps have been growing well for awhile and recently it started to slowly die off. The pink matt has some brown on it now. What could be the cause for it to die off?

[scubajsm]

Have you checked your alk?

[rhythmicfire]

not just alk, but what about all the water parameters? That would help a ton. Is there another coral near by that could be killing it off via sweepers?

[hoosierpat]

Could anything be eating them, pygmy angels, tangs, combtooth blennies, butterflies? GSP are among some of the most palatable corals for fish. The fish will nip the polyps until they don't come out anymore and then the coral will eventually rot away and die.

[hoosierpat]

Incidentally, my buddy's tank that I take care of is having a problem with all of his encrusting polyps species as well. I put a big piece of briareum in that was from his nano cube, actually it was 3 pieces placed all over the tank and they have been closed for a couple of months now. They aren't dead though. I took a flame angel out that I knew was picking on a galaxea and I just assumed that he had eaten them all. The angel was taken out a couple months ago and they have only slightly opened a couple times. I took one of the pieces out and put it in my sps tank at home and its polyps have grown back well over the last month or so. A couple of weeks ago I put in a green star polyp piece and it hasn't opened fully yet. I don't think that the fish are picking at them because I've observed them pretty well. There is a sailfin tang, a maroon clown, and two damsels in a 125. I've already pulled out a bicolor blenny and the flame angel for picking on coral.

The corals are under 750 watts of 20k halide with good random water motion. I don't have a current water quality analysis but suffice it to say that there is a wide variety of coral and a massive carpet anemone that are doing very well.

Does anyone have any recommendations on specific tests like alk that might be responsible. I honestly haven't tested the tank in a while, I usually use the appearance of the corals as a whole the judge the water quality.

[scubajsm]

I use the API alk test kit (which you can get probably at any lfs). My GSP were not opening and my purple coraline had started turning pink when I realized that my alk levels were way off. All of my other corals,inverts and fish were fine. I would if you don't already have a full line of test kits for home. A lot of times you will be able to identify your problems early on by having those test kits and using them regulary.

[hoosierpat]

All right, Alk is a good start. I have plenty of test kits, I just don't usually test until I see a reason to.

[DanInSD]

pH as well -- very important. If you have a high bioload you will likely have lowered pH.

Heck, do the whole suite, you may have some nitrates that you didn't expect...

Dan

[happyface888]

My friends gsp is looking like crap too. He has 3 pieces of this stuff but recently they closed and developed a brown looking coat. as days passed the matt disintegrated but now some of the matt is left and it looks like some are coming back. what issues causes the matt to disintegrate?

[hoosierpat]

If the mat disintegrates, they are dying. That is what is so perplexing about my case, the briareum haven't been open in months and they are very much alive. The star polyps are definitely not dead but seem to have no intention of opening.

[BibleSusan]

When my GSP don't open, I test my tank. They are a good indicator for me that there is a problem going on.

[FishAreFriends2]

Mines also disintegrating there are still some left over heads. But I don't know if it will make it or not.