Chalice Recession..

alexshefchik · Jul 7, 2012

So I have a friend who has a 350 gallon tank and about 500 total gallons. Anyways he has been having some recession on his chalices. Its weird because the corals look healthy, feeders are out, nice and puffy, but they are receding from the rim inwards at a slow pace. Has anyone ever encountered this. I checked all of his parameters and they are all at an acceptable level. I keep mostly all chalices and I am pretty baffled as to what his problem is. Any and all information is much appreciated. Also i posted a picture its not mine but its exactly whats happening to his chalices.

AsphaltPays · Jul 8, 2012

Bump!!

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alexshefchik · Jul 8, 2012

Thanks for the bump! We are completely baffled at this point. The only thing that i can point to is he changed from tropic marin to rscp.

fab1971 · Jul 8, 2012

This will happen with some pieces from time to time in my experience and usually just to wild pieces or maybe one that had been stung or injured. I haven't seen that with any established or named chalices (not saying it doesn't). Does he have any softies mixed in there (maybe toxins)? Are any of the other species in his tank experiencing recession? How many chalices and what types are being affected and what's the percentage? Knowing this info might help him get closer to the root of the problem.

Steelerfan747 · Jul 8, 2012

my lava chalice is currently going through the same thing to no apparent reason

KLR · Jul 8, 2012

I have experienced this quite a few times as well. However, like Frank stated, I have only had it occur on pieces that have been in captivity for roughly less than a year or have been stung by another coral.

alexshefchik · Jul 8, 2012

Hey guys I would say about 60% of his chalices are having this happen. The crazy thing is that its random pieces, he has 2 pieces of miami hurricane and only one is doing that and so on. As far as stinging goes that could happen but i doubt they would randomly be getting stung. He also doesnt have many softies I think maybe one. And all these pieces are named pieces.

fab1971 · Jul 8, 2012

That just doesn't happen to a Miami hurricane unless something is wrong with the system. I could cut that piece into 20 pieces and each one would survive, as long as they were a decent size. And 60% is a lot and definitely an indicator of concern. Is it just chalices or other lps, sps and softies? Change in lighting, bacteria, a bad batch of chemicals or salt, fish or predator picking on them. The list goes on and on unfortunately. Just have to root it out and I think only he would be able to solve it. Is he a member here? If he got into more specifics then maybe someone could help him out.

alexshefchik · Jul 9, 2012

He is not very computer literate, and of course I dont have alot of time to figure it out. Let me talk to him tonight into posting everything on here to figure it out. Basically from what I have seen its been just chalices, I think one sps has rtned though. Thanks for all the help already!

bluedevils6653 · Jul 9, 2012

ive personally have never seen that as iv'e only kept a few chalices but have never had that problem before

Rockadile · Jul 9, 2012

I would like to see pics of the other chalices along with a list of your other inhabitants. Does he spot feed? My guess is something is eating them and its happening durring feeding time. animals, most likely hermits trying to get the food and ripping the chalice apart getting at the food. I have had this happen

Pkunk35 · Jul 9, 2012

alexshefchik said:
So I have a friend who has a 350 gallon tank and about 500 total gallons. Anyways he has been having some recession on his chalices. Its weird because the corals look healthy, feeders are out, nice and puffy, but they are receding from the rim inwards at a slow pace. Has anyone ever encountered this. I checked all of his parameters and they are all at an acceptable level. I keep mostly all chalices and I am pretty baffled as to what his problem is. Any and all information is much appreciated. Also i posted a picture its not mine but its exactly whats happening to his chalices.

I don't have much experience with chalice corals (yet!) but has this person tried dipping a receding coral in a lugols solution? I have seen LPS come back from tissue degeneration with a simple iodine dip.

Might be worth trying, especially if a piece is as far gone as the one you pictured.

jerwin · Jul 9, 2012

I would suggest thinking it might be a bacteria thing. i had something like that happen to me. I used Fish Flex and treated the whole tank. left the skimmer off for 24 hours and then did a 20% water change and started the skimmer back up. I think I have cured mine. Fingers crossed. you can also do a dip if that is the only thing that looks infected but afraid you dip it and it will come back if it is in the water.

cvysochin · Jul 9, 2012

I've notice alk swings even at the slightest will cause this. I've personally tried almost everything to help but its hit or miss and you just have to pretty much let it run its course. Sad I know, as I've lost some nice pieces but some have bounced back on their own but that usually happens after 80% of the coral is gone..

Dipping and all doesnt hurt though.. Doing something is better then nothing..

Good luck! Keep us updated..

CJO · Jul 10, 2012

I was wondering if he could have had a swing when he changed salts?

CJ

justd1 · Jul 10, 2012

Basically from what I have seen its been just chalices, I think one sps has rtned though.

Has he recently changed out GFO? I've had similar problems when changing GFO and my green slimer also RTN'd. I've since cut back on the amount of new GFO when changing and had good luck.

Pkunk35 · Jul 10, 2012

CJO said:
I was wondering if he could have had a swing when he changed salts?

CJ

I guess it is possible, but wouldn't the whole tank be affected generally at the same time for a specific water problem quality? Also, I don't hear many horror stories when switching salts.

Has he checked his source water for copper? Another member is having a similar issue now with Acropora and he thinks it was copper residue found in his water that his RO/DI was not stripping out.

lars · Jul 10, 2012

Tagging along. I asked this same question a few weeks ago. It seems I loose a chalice once a month. Very frustrating.

UFreefer · Jul 10, 2012

Might want to try interceptor. I had the same thing happen to me and interceptor stopped it immediately. Pretty sure I got tiny bugs/mites from wild aussie corals

jdreef · Jul 10, 2012

Hey Alex, has his temp. went up or down recently.. It happens in my tank when the temp. jumps quickly. Sucks, I do a light iodine dip and move the chalice to a low light low flow area.. works for me half the time.. Good luck!!!