blasto help! and another questionable creature!?

[ellismac]

Hey all,
I believe my blasto is going downhill. He was full and beautiful the other day and now he is shriveling like he is dying or got stung?? Also, I just noticed a coral or creature on the other side of the rock from him and have NO IDEA what it is. Here's the last week of timeline:
2 Weeks ago, I did a 30% tank change
1 week ago, I added 2 zoas and 1 Duncan to the coral clan (I used coral Rx dip before I put them in the tank)
this past Tuesday was the first time I ever direct fed the blasto (in the last 6-8 months he has been in the tank), and he seemed stoked on it, I fed him frozen brine shrimp thawed

there seems to be a large uptick on the dirtiness of my tank, so I have everything ready for a water change and cleaning just waiting for the water to get to the right temp.

As I was freaking out about the blasto, I saw what almost looks like a polyp, but I can't quite get a good look at it because it's around the corner from the blasto and blocked by some rockscape which I can't take out. I HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS BEFORE IN THE TANK, nor have I ever had any polyps in the tank before.

questions:
what is happening to my blasto and how can i help it?? is it because i direct fed it? is it getting stung?
what the heck is that other unidentified creature?! it looks like a coral in the tank light almost has white/clear and light purple strips on the tentacles.

 

[Karen00]

I'm not an expert so wait for more opinions but that looks like aiptasia to me. You will want to get that out of the tank. They spread quickly and can bother corals. Usually the best method is to remove the rock (if possible and scrape it off). If the rock can't be removed then I think there are things like injecting lemon juice or kalkwasser into the mouth or gluing the mouth shut. I'm sure there will be a lot of suggestions.

I don't know anything about blastos but I'm sure some experts will chime in.

 

[Lavey29]

Looks like aptasia or mojano. We need complete current tank parameters to help with blasto diagnosis. Corals will close up around food intake.

 

[ellismac]

I'm not an expert so wait for more opinions but that looks like aiptasia to me. You will want to get that out of the tank. They spread quickly and can bother corals. Usually the best method is to remove the rock (if possible and scrape it off). If the rock can't be removed then I think there are things like injecting lemon juice or kalkwasser into the mouth or gluing the mouth shut. I'm sure there will be a lot of suggestions.

I don't know anything about blastos but I'm sure some experts will chime in.

I was able to rotate the rock, unfortunately it is a base rock of my rock scape so getting it out will be difficult and my blasto is on the rock and I don’t want to stress it anymore than it is. So I agree with you it looks like aiptasia, I’ve got some Red Sea aiptasia treatment on the way but I’m going to try some lemon juice tomorrow and see if that works…. I just don’t see a mouth on it.

 

[ellismac]

Looks like aptasia or mojano. We need complete current tank parameters to help with blasto diagnosis. Corals will close up around food intake.

I have over the roof parameters right now:
Temp 78.6°
Gravity 1.026
Calcium 510ppm
Nitrate over 5ppm
Alkalinity 9.1 dkh
Phosphate 1.57ppm
Ph 8.6

how do I get these in a proper range. I just did a big water change. Approx. 60g over 2 days.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Its an aptasia and the blasto has some tissue recession.

recession may be caused by:
Lack of feeding
irritation from sand - Elevate off sandbed
High Phosphates and /or nitrates - Your Phos very high (you want .04-.06)
High salinity
Too much water flow
Strong light . . Moderate light and water flow
Temp too warm

Your calcium very high- range is 400-440

Some things to check

Aptasia:
Using syringe, inject either lemon juice or better yet. . kalkwasser powder mixed with tank water into a paste the consistency of toothpaste and inject into the very center core and it will melt away

 

[ellismac]

Its an aptasia and the blasto has some tissue recession.

recession may be caused by:
Lack of feeding
irritation from sand - Elevate off sandbed
High Phosphates and /or nitrates - Your Phos very high (you want .04-.06)
High salinity
Too much water flow
Strong light . . Moderate light and water flow
Temp too warm

Your calcium very high- range is 400-440

Some things to check

Aptasia:
Using syringe, inject either lemon juice or better yet. . kalkwasser powder mixed with tank water into a paste the consistency of toothpaste and inject into the very center core and it will melt away

I tried the lemon juice and one of the tentacles touched the syringe, I tried to get it in its mouth and it retracted.. any tricks to get it in there?

also how do I lower my parameters, everything’s high besides the alkalinity

 

[ellismac]

I tried the lemon juice and one of the tentacles touched the syringe, I tried to get it in its mouth and it retracted.. any tricks to get it in there?

also how do I lower my parameters, everything’s high besides the alkalinity

Also the blasto was super happy before I fed it for the first time then I noticed it two days later with the tissue loss. It’s been happy in its spot for over 6 months

 

[vetteguy53081]

Also the blasto was super happy before I fed it for the first time then I noticed it two days later with the tissue loss. It’s been happy in its spot for over 6 months

What did you feed it?

For CA- to lower, stop dosing and it will gradually decrease. For phos. . either a teaspoon of gfo in a pouch Or add a pouch of Chemipure elite which will lower it and keep it in check. If Feeding reef roids. . stop. Well known to increase Phos. Feed coral mysis shrimp instead

 

[ellismac]

What did you feed it?

For CA- to lower, stop dosing and it will gradually decrease. For phos. . either a teaspoon of gfo in a pouch Or add a pouch of Chemipure elite which will lower it and keep it in check. If Feeding reef roids. . stop. Well known to increase Phos. Feed coral mysis shrimp instead

Not dosing calcium at all. Not feeding with reef roids, I learned that lesson. I did feed it brine shrimp? I will get a pouch of chemipure and try that

 

[Lavey29]

What did you use to test phosphate?

 

[nano reef]

Are blastos considered difficult to keep? I love them and they always eventually die! I am thinking of doing an auction mainly because his blasto go cheap! LOL I bought two a few months ago and one had 9 heads!!! I paid a pretty penny too for it!

I have had bad luck with this persons corals though! He has huge sales on holidays and has long waits to get them because he sales somuch so I am pretty sure they dont stay in his tank long before he sales them and more then likely they are wild!

I just dont know whether to keep trying! They are in my top 3 favorite corals!

Sorry to hijack thread Ijust saw oyu had some responses and dint want o place another post!

I sure hope yours made it! I descovered restor by brightwell and its been in my cabinet a while so thought I would try it on some zoas I had delivered that wouldnt open after more then a week. The next day all 8 of them opened!

Pretty sure I could have revived many corals I threw in the trash! Maybe even my 9 polyp blasto! UGGHH I love that coral lol