cyphastrea problem

[CoRaLJuNkiiE]

Having a problem with a new pink and blue cyphastrea i bought three days ago. Its not looking good at all. When i got home i dipped it like i do with all new frags. But today im looking at it and the blue is turning brownish and i can start to see part of the frag plug poking through the coral. Everything else in the tank is fine.

 

[Tab28]

I would move it to find its happy lighting. My cyphastrea turn brown if lighting is too high or too low. Oddly brown is its color for both unhappy light levels.

 

[reynaldoramon]

It probably wants a little more light. I had the same issue when I first got mine. Had it on the sand. Moved it up to upper middle tank, and it took off .

 

[CoRaLJuNkiiE]

Im hoping moving it up works. I moved it yesterday. I just hope with how fast it started detereorating that it doesnt die off before it gets used to being higher. Annnnddd this is the reason i dont spend more than fifty on a piece of coral lol.

 

[reynaldoramon]

Here's a picture of my wwc lime cyphastrea. I have it all the way at the top. So bright green..and growing into the rock work after about 3 months in my tank. Love it. Have a new place in my heart for this type of coral.

 

[reynaldoramon]

I'll have to post an updated photo.

 

[reynaldoramon]

Here's the other one I just got from wwc 3 weeks ago. My wife liked the green with purple combo...this was immediately after putting it in the tank..so green is now a little brighter and it is starting to grow off frag plug now too.

 

[CoRaLJuNkiiE]

Wow thats beautiful. Crossing my fingers that mine will take off now that its higher. Ive just always started out with new frags at the bottom. But this one started looking bad very quickly. Whats that other coral next to your cyphastrea.

 

[CoRaLJuNkiiE]

And both were started at the top?

 

[reynaldoramon]

Wow thats beautiful. Crossing my fingers that mine will take off now that its higher. Ive just always started out with new frags at the bottom. But this one started looking bad very quickly. Whats that other coral next to your cyphastrea.

On which picture? The 1st or second?

 

[CoRaLJuNkiiE]

First

 

[reynaldoramon]

First

That's a wwc pucker up favia. It's purdy. Hear the bright green accents, but pinks and purples on the mouth.

 

[reynaldoramon]

And both were started at the top?

I had the same problem as you. Stated it off on the sand. But was losing color and even some area. So I read up. And posts said low light. Others said high light. So I figured tried low, and went up half way. And color stabilized out, but didn't improve. So then u went to the top and viola. It took off. So the second cyphastrea I got went right to the top...and it is already growing after less than a month.

 

[CoRaLJuNkiiE]

Well i just came home and looked at mine and it only has like 3 pink polyp areas left. Everything else is brown or white. ive been waiting to get one of those and now look

 

[CoRaLJuNkiiE]

Pic update

 

[Tab28]

It will die faster from too much light. Cyphastrea is probably one of the lowest light SPS. They are lower light than many LPS like favia. Mine are even lower light than many of my chalices

 

[CoRaLJuNkiiE]

I am so confused. Lol. Some people say the tip. Some say the bottom. I dont think it can even come back now. It just looks too far gone

 

[reynaldoramon]

Every tank and every light source is different. You need to find its happy spot in YOUR tank. It sounds to me like you've tried tried lower light in your tank. That's why I recommended higher light. I have Orbit Current Marine LED lights...which can grow every thing except SPS and clams (yes even my rainbow bta is happy). At 100% actinic, and 60% whites, my cyphastrea are flourishing at the top. I say slowly move yours higher. Try middle. Every tank is different.

 

[Tab28]

Some people's high in tank maybe under few t5s. Or low par setting of led. Cyphastrea is low light.

 

[reynaldoramon]

Some people's high in tank maybe under few t5s. Or low par setting of led. Cyphastrea is low light.

I agree completely. That being said..she definitely needs to find its happy spot. It can recover. I had removed my most recent cyphastrea from the plug. A small 1.5 mm of coral was left behind so I left the plug in there. It started dying after leaving it in sand. Found its happy spot and now it too is growing from probably less than 1 mm. Oh..and cyphastrea is an LPS...not sps. Funny you should say it's line your favia. Their from that Dane family. but doesn't really matter as long as it gets what it needs.