Forest fire digi

[Gordonm]

When i first bought this over a month ago it was doing good with bright colors and extension. As weeks went by it gradually went downhill to the point know where there is hardly any polyps showing. What would cause this? Was under low lighting when first introduced.
It's also not a wild acro so I thought I'd have a better chance of survival with this.

 

[GabeM]

Please post you parameters and pictures under white lights if possible.

 

[Gordonm]

Parameters from over a month ago ? Listing them now is not when i was having problems but the problem still exists so...
Salinity was a little low at the time of putting in tank at about 1.022 or 3.
Phosphates averaged .06 to .08 ppm.
Nitrates 1 ppm
Calcium 460
Mag...1700
Alk...8.6

Due to a recent water change today will take a photo tomorrow.

 

[Gordonm]

 

[Doctorgori]

What does it look like after a 33% H2O change? If you haven’t tried that, maybe try one 1st. ....
while many sat H2O changes do little, I’ve found things always look a lil perky afterwards

 

[Gordonm]

Last pic back on April 22. Last one here is tonight

What does it look like after a 33% H2O change? If you haven’t tried that, maybe try one 1st. ....
while many sat H2O changes do little, I’ve found things always look a lil perky afterwards

Omg.....why do i bother. I must be getting all the left over reefers...lol

 

[WallyB]

When i first bought this over a month ago it was doing good with bright colors and extension. As weeks went by it gradually went downhill to the point know where there is hardly any polyps showing. What would cause this? Was under low lighting when first introduced.
It's also not a wild acro so I thought I'd have a better chance of survival with this.

I can't give you the answer but want to give you hope. Plus some advice not to throw it out, even when you think it dies.

I know how you feel. I love Forest Fire's especially with Green Metalic background colors.
I've tried to keep a couple Forest Fires, and had good time, bad times, and momemnt of burst growth and PE.

It's suppose to be a easy to keep typical Digitata SPS. But for some reason it's very FINICKY....

I think it's something to do with Nutrients (and 100% Water Parameter Stability).
Not so much lighting and flow since I've had them at different lighting levels (top of Tank, Bottom and Middle). and various Flow spots.

Don't give up even if you think it's dead.

Here is an examples of "Return from the Dead".

The First is a Beautiful FF Frag I got, and it went up and then downhill like this.

I thought It totally died (no photo but nothing but white skeleton left),
It was hard to reach, so I left it's skeleton.

A few weeks later I noticed a Glow in the Tank.

IT CAME BACK!! I was Shocked.

I eventually killed it.....Maybe I didn't and just threw it out too early.

Then with another Piece, here is a different kind of comeback after my FF going DownHill to almost dead.

It evntually almost died after growing into that odd shape. Funny if it kept growing BIGGER .

But two years later the remenant on the rock hung around.

Finallly It's making a another Great Comeback. Growing Fast, and Getting NEW GREEN TIPS.

This time, I know it's Nutrients & Stablity, since that is what has improved all my SPS Corals.

Not the perfect Answer, but just want to give you hope to keep trying on the little Frag, and not give up.

ONE COMMENT: Mag 1700 is a way toooooo High. (Maybe Typo since most kits don't measure past 1500)

 

[Gordonm]

Firstly I use Reef Crystal's so the parameters will be on the high side including Mag. Perhaps i meant 1500 i will have to double check my kit.
I'm not giving up on this guy so no worries there. It's still too early yet to see what it does in my tank. I've got quite a few new frags in my tank so it might take some time yet for all to get adjusted. This forest fire is the only one though that has me up at night thinking how to turn it around. I guess just being hands off and giving it more time.

 

[Gordonm]

Is there such a thing as 100% water parameter stability????

 

[WallyB]

Is there such a thing as 100% water parameter stability????

I meant my issue was 100% (lack of stability)

 

[YumaMan]

This coral's recession and resurrection once happened to me, too. Maybe we should rename this coral, call it "Forest Embers Digitalis" -- as you need to fan it back from a flicker.

 

[WallyB]

Firstly I use Reef Crystal's so the parameters will be on the high side including Mag. Perhaps i meant 1500 i will have to double check my kit.
I'm not giving up on this guy so no worries there. It's still too early yet to see what it does in my tank. I've got quite a few new frags in my tank so it might take some time yet for all to get adjusted. This forest fire is the only one though that has me up at night thinking how to turn it around. I guess just being hands off and giving it more time.

Well check your Mag. Are you dosing anything to increase Mag, along with your higher Mag Salt?
Most people don't know that Two Part Dosing Additives like ESV (Have Mag in the Calcium Part)

Reef Crystal should give you under 1500 with regular Water Changes.

My recent Forest Fire Perk up was when I brought my Mag Down (took a long time, over a month) from 1440 down to 1380. I don't think it was the silver bullet, but it may have helped (I doubt it was Mag, but too high 1700 can be a problem)

 

[Tahoe61]

In my opinion it's one of the most attractive corals out there and also a coral that gives me nothing but misery.
Mine always go the same route after 2 to 3 months.
I am nursing back piece now that reacted poorly to Kalk. LED were too intense as well. Moved the piece way down and it is doing much better.
Even if the polyps are retracted for long periods of time it's not game over they can recover.

Good luck.

 

[Gordonm]

Live and learn I guess.. thanks.

 

[Gordonm]

I know i can use a bit more flow so i ordered another pump.

 

[Gordonm]

Well it looks like it's trying to make a comeback. There's not much polyps showing on the bottom half but the 5 tips or so are showing white/green color and polyps. I'm just being hands off for now and see if it will further improve. The branches showing the polyps and coloration are only about a half inch. Maybe there is hope!

 

[jda]

Not all digis are easy. True Forest Fire (there are dozens of varieties and knockoffs), ORA German Blue and ORA Purple are all amazing when going well, but can be pickier than some acropora.

They need a lot of light and closer to NSW type of water parameters than most other digis do. Keep those parameters solid and it can make a comeback, but expect it to take weeks to months to do so.

 

[carrico]

I agree with @jda . These montiporas to present the colors that we see in the photos need a great stability, a lot of light and strong circulation. When i bought my first frag, it looked just like a red digitata, as time went by, the montipora started to get real color, part of the blue body, what some call Digi Bubblegum.

in this photo, you can see the difference between the digi red (on the right side), forest fire (left side) and blue german (above the forest fire, on frag rack).

Photos under T5

 

[t5Nitro]

What you have is what I've been experiencing with sps corals. They're good for 1 to 2 months and then stn. Following thread. Planned to post a full tank spec thread to the forums tonight or this weekend to get some insight. Lps seem fine. Let me know how this one goes.