Corals not opening then melting. Found dead emerald crab in sump

[Nick762]

Corals closed for a couple of days then started melting today. Found an emerald crab that I put in the refugium to get rid of hair algae and it was dead decomposing. I did a 50% water change. Do you guys think it was an ammonia spike or something else and do you think the corals will recover?

 

[keatonmjenkins]

This is not an emergency…

what’s your water volume? What are your parameters? Did you test before you did a water change?

 

[Nick762]

This is not an emergency…

what’s your water volume? What are your parameters? Did you test before you did a water change?

Roughly 40 gallons. I did not test for ammonia before. Ph 8.3, alk 10.8, salinity 1.025

 

[keatonmjenkins]

Nitrate and phosphates?

 

[Nick762]

Nitrate and phosphates?

Nitrates around 5ppm and I’m waiting a the Hanna phosphate checker to come in. I run a phosphate pad in my sump though

 

[keatonmjenkins]

If parameters are fine and no ammonia, then it’s probably corals being corals. They close and react to a wide range of things. It’s part of the mystery of this hobby.
Are some close to each other? Could be coral warfare.

 

[Nick762]

If parameters are fine and no ammonia, then it’s probably corals being corals. They close and react to a wide range of things. It’s part of the mystery of this hobby.
Are some close to each other? Could be coral warfare.

Well I found my emerald crab rotting in the sump this morning and last couple of the days the corals were barley open. Also a lot of my Inverts died off overnight lost around 12 blue legged hermit crabs this morning. I assumed the crab caused an ammonia spike.

 

[keatonmjenkins]

Could have but usually I test water first and then do a WC. That way you know if something is up. Have any alk swings? I know those can kill crabs and impact coral.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Don’t you have an ammonia test to test ammonia? How did you cycle the tank without a test?

 

[Nick762]

Could have but usually I test water first and then do a WC. That way you know if something is up. Have any alk swings? I know those can kill crabs and impact coral.

Alk seems to have stayed the same. I don’t have anything to check for ammonia atm so my last resort was WC

 

[Nick762]

Don’t you have an ammonia test to test ammonia? How did you cycle the tank without a test?

I just used test strips until they started reading nitrites and nitrates

 

[kingoftheHiLLpeople]

How old is this tank?

 

[Nick762]

How old is this tank?

It’s been running since the beginning of March

 

[kingoftheHiLLpeople]

Sorry to be redundant but you found the dead crab, did a 50% wc, then the corals melted, then you tested?

 

[djs4him]

Alk seems to have stayed the same. I don’t have anything to check for ammonia atm so my last resort was WC

I honestly think you did the right thing .. you didn't have access to an ammonia test so you assumed the worst and acted appropriately by doing a water change.

That said, something killed your inverts in the first place .. typically poor water parameters. At this point, I think all you can do is stabilize your water, test daily for the next week, and be patient. If parameters are perfect, corals should turn around. If they don't, thats an unfortunate side effect of this hobby.

 

[Nick762]

Sorry to be redundant but you found the dead crab, did a 50% wc, then the corals melted, then you tested?

The parameters I gave you were from two days before they melted. Then I saw the dead crab which could’ve been dead for a couple of days since I didn’t check the refugium. Then today I did a 50% WC

 

[Nick762]

I honestly think you did the right thing .. you didn't have access to an ammonia test so you assumed the worst and acted appropriately by doing a water change.

That said, something killed your inverts in the first place .. typically poor water parameters. At this point, I think all you can do is stabilize your water, test daily for the next week, and be patient. If parameters are perfect, corals should turn around. If they don't, thats an unfortunate side effect of this hobby.

This was earlier this week. Do you think the toadstool and gorgonian will recover?

 

[kingoftheHiLLpeople]

Im going to be honest - at least in that pic your tank looks fine. I mean the pic is a little grainy when i zoom in but it looks as though the gorgs polyps are out. Leathers and gorgs routinely shed. And a deceased crab in a 40g system would not cause an ammonia spike. At least it didnt in my 25g system.

 

[Tcook]

How does the tank look now? Pic? Is this just your leather sloughing like they normally do for a few days? Was the crab dead or was it the molt?

 

[kingoftheHiLLpeople]

What is the flow like in your tank? I blast (relatively speaking) my gorgonians and it looks (in first pic) like yours is discolored on the inner stock. Which makes me think you need more flow