Cranky Toadstool

ThunderGoose · Jan 25, 2017

So I bought a toadstool off a local hobbyist about 10 days ago. At first it would put out small polyps. It has since quit putting them out. The tank IS only 6 weeks old.

Ammonia and Nitrite 0
Nitrate 1 ppm
Alk 7
Calcium is a bit high, Mg is 1350
Phosphate is 0.1
pH is 8.4
Salinity is 1.024

The CUC is doing fine and the long tentacled plate coral I bought from the same hobbyist is looking fantastic.

Any ideas? Is it just not likely to put out polyps regularly? I see nothing odd that looks like it's about to shed but this is my first reef tank so I'm not sure I would know what to look for.

Thanks for any ideas!

Tahoe61 · Jan 25, 2017

How is the flow, mine like mod higher flow, this assist in shedding the wax coating.
Do not move it around the tank unless necessary.
They can stay cranky for weeks and be just fine. Your tank is young, young tanks have chemistry swings. If chemistry is fine the coral will come around.

ThunderGoose · Jan 25, 2017

Mine is in medium to low flow area. I'll try moving it to a higher flow area and cross my fingers. Thanks for the quick response!

ReefWeeds · Jan 25, 2017

Toadstools seem to like dirtier water in my experience and they aren't as tolerant of nutrient/alk/calcium swings as some other softies are. 1 ppm nitrate seems a little low and if nutrients are fluctuating, they can get moody for a long time. But give it some time - in addition to all that, sometimes a change (in your case, moving to a different tank) can instigate a shed cycle.

Jimbo662 · Jan 25, 2017

ThunderGoose said:
Mine is in medium to low flow area. I'll try moving it to a higher flow area and cross my fingers. Thanks for the quick response!

I'd actually leave it where it's at for now. When moving to a new tank they can take several weeks to acclimate and finally open up. Moving it to different lighting / flow could cause it to stay closed longer. Once it does finally open then move it.

ahiggins · Jan 25, 2017

Agree-nitrates need to go up a little BUT having an established/stable aquarium will take care of that.
Eventually you will find equilibrium

Alk should be a little higher IMO-what salt are you using?
Toadstools are hard to kill but they get temperamental, especially the tyree green ones. My tyree has been closed for 4 days because hes shedding. It took him darn near 2 months after I bought him to be happy enough to open. Have patience, he will be fine. My return is pointed directly at him now, he likes the little direct flow for keeping crap off him.
Good luck

ThunderGoose · Jan 25, 2017

Great, thanks for the advice.

I don't have fish in the tank yet (I'm sure I was jumping the gun with the corals but the seller was offering them cheap b/c moving). I assume that when I do the water parameters will change. Two weeks till my clownfish are done with quarantine and ready for the DT.