Blastomussa troubles

[mjk250]

we’ve got a tank with blastos in it, and a few other corals anyways, blastos don’t seem to do well long term, they look great and after a couple months they seem to get big “mouths” and start bleaching? Randomly, one half is fine the other is dying, I can not figure this one out. Recent water test results

 

[Hitman]

What's your livestock list?
What's your water flow and light schedule as they like low light low flow.
Do you have shrimp? I ask this because I had 4 peppermint shrimp and over night they ate 6 blasto frags, 4 euphyllia colonies, and started in on a few others. That was the one and only night I had them darn shrimp, now they are eel food

 

[mjk250]

These guys are in a 250 27” deep. Bottom of the tank with low flow. I never see anything pic at them, have clownfish , yellow, purple, and hippo tang. A couple strawberry psuedos, cardinals, flame and heraldi angel, both I don’t see picking at them. Other than after the polyp is gone and then they pick at the skeleton. Temp is 76 on a chiller so it’s consistent. There are a few shrimp that were added ages ago but I haven’t seen them for a long time, tons of rock and coral in this tank

 

[Hitman]

I'm kinda at a loss on this one then. Let's see if we can get some more help here. #reefsquad

 

[mjk250]

I'm kinda at a loss on this one then. Let's see if we can get some more help here. #reefsquad

Thank you. It’s a head scratcher for me too. Supposed to be one of the nearly bulletproof lps corals

 

[DSC reef]

IME, blastos can be a touchy coral. Very sensitive to chemistry swings. Definitely liked to be fed. Always kept in mid tank, a 75 reef with halide/T5 with low indirect flow.

 

[mjk250]

IME, blastos can be a touchy coral. Very sensitive to chemistry swings. Definitely liked to be fed. Always kept in mid tank, a 75 reef with halide/T5 with low indirect flow.

Any special supplements for their health? Coral pro Red Sea salt is used

 

[DSC reef]

I never supplemented besides occasional doess of acro power. Tried to keep nitrates at 5-10ppm, and phosphate at 0.02. We used coral pro as well and kept the alkalinity at 9-10dkh. I really believe in feeding LPS and the blastos we had loved to eat. Between reef nutrition and LRS, they ate as good as the fish.

 

[mav3rick478]

Yes feed them, they are always hungry jerks. I feed mine Reef Roids paste, LPS pellets and they catch whatever frozen food lands on them.

 

[mjk250]

Yes feed them, they are always hungry ********. I feed mine Reef Roids paste, LPS pellets and they catch whatever frozen food lands on them.

Thanks, their feeding will get kicked up a notch

 

[kichimark]

Hmmm you mentioned the sides that die are in areas of low flow? I tend to keep mine in areas of medium flow and they are doing great. I do agree with feedings making them extra happy and I feed mine about once a week with a turkey baster that includes a mix of mysis, cyclops and fish roe. Maybe the ones facing the current are getting more to feed off of as well.

 

[mjk250]

Hmmm you mentioned the sides that die are in areas of low flow? I tend to keep mine in areas of medium flow and they are doing great. I do agree with feedings making them extra happy and I feed mine about once a week with a turkey baster that includes a mix of mysis, cyclops and fish roe. Maybe the ones facing the current are getting more to feed off of as well.

Never thought about the possibility of the struggling heads being in an even lower flow area and getting less food because of it. Let the feeding commence

 

[JohnMzreef]

Stop running carbon, purigen, whatever... Bust out the frozen food, aminos..

 

[FitLabb]

Never thought about the possibility of the struggling heads being in an even lower flow area and getting less food because of it. Let the feeding commence

Just found this thread and curious if you ever figured out what the issue was with your Blastos and what the outcome was in the end. I look at questions and threads like this as great learning experiences for anyone who reads it, and finding out what the issue and outcome was would probably help a lot of people who come across this in their own search for an answer to a similar issue they may be facing in their tank.

Hope this one had a positive outcome for you!