Help!!! Acropora Being Eaten?

[Shy519]

Just last night my boyfriend and I were admiring the growth of our acropora frag and how pretty it's looking. This morning I turned the lights on to find that something has totally destroyed it. What the heck is going on and what can I do?

 

[golfer88]

No that’s rtn, meaning it’s losing it’s tissue because it’s not happy.
Tell us more about the tank and it’s prams and set up

 

[jda]

Yup. Tissue Necrosis.

Gonna need the whole breakdown to try and find a possible issue. Something, there is not a root cause - everybody loses a frag from time to time.

 

[Dburr1014]

How long have you had it?

 

[Shy519]

I've had this coral for about just about 2 weeks, if not just over two weeks. I did have an ammonia spike due to a large snail that died. I feel that was the issue. I tossed him out this morning but he may have been dead since yesterday. Initially thought he was just sleeping. Levels are as follows:

Ammonia 1.0 ppm
Nitrate 10 ppm
Nitrite 0.25 ppm
pH 8
Phosphate 1.0 ppm

 

[mpekoske]

How long has the tank been running? Is it cycled as curious why you have the ammonia reading from just a snail dying... also I may have missed it but what is you alk and calcium at? Temp?

 

[lolgranny]

Alk or temp spike?

 

[kevin_e]

Ah, ammonia can do it. Seems there is a nutrient issue too, possibly. Lot of algae.

 

[Shy519]

This tank is going to be 4 years this year. I had low readings for the tank until this snail died. It was a massive snail and may have been rotting since yesterday. Temperature fluctuates between 72 and 74 but stays within those numbers. Ran out of the house for doctor appointment. I'll run Mg and Ca when I'm home in 15.

 

[Shy519]

Ah, ammonia can do it. Seems there is a nutrient issue too, possibly. Lot of algae.

I have been fighting algae for a few weeks now. I'm not sure what's going on. All of the levels have been spot on right where they should be, except the phosphates were at 2 ppm, before the snail death

 

[Hemmdog]

This tank is going to be 4 years this year. I had low readings for the tank until this snail died. It was a massive snail and may have been rotting since yesterday. Temperature fluctuates between 72 and 74 but stays within those numbers. Ran out of the house for doctor appointment. I'll run Mg and Ca when I'm home in 15.

That’s really really cold for Australian/indo corals.

 

[Jvesche20]

How large is your tank? Seems kinda strange for ammonia to go that high from a snail. I have about 170 gallons and I've had many snails die and had a clown go missing and never had ammonia go up even slightly. Do you have an ammonia badge?

 

[jda]

If your ammonia was really at 1.0, then look no further. You also need to figure out why your ecosystem could not absorb that ammonia hit - this is not normal.

Need to get that temp up to 78. That is not good for most tropical reefs.

 

[Shy519]

It's a 29g biocube. All inside is going to be four years old but I did replace about 10lbs of rock due to a paly invasion. Dry rock, not live. Going through its ugly stages still. I'm reading 76-80° as a suitable temperature? Livestock includes electric blue damsel, scooter blenny, orange spot goby, tiger pistol, two small tubos, one massive turbo, two peppermint shrimp, 4 sexy shrimp, a porcelain crab, and several red leg hermits.

 

[golfer88]

Yes but it needs to be stable temperature not rising you need a heater and a controller. What equipment do you have on the biocube