Hello guys, I'm new to the coral hobby and I can't remember what coral this is. My friend tells me it's a nuclear green poly but when I look up the pics it doesn't seem to look the same. But more importantly I've had it in my tank for about three days and I've not seen it open up like when I first bought it. Please help as this is my first one and I want it to flourish and stand out from the rest I get.... thanks
Help identify and solve problem...
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Zack K
The Butterfly Guy
Hello guys, I'm new to the coral hobby and I can't remember what coral this is. My friend tells me it's a nuclear green poly but when I look up the pics it doesn't seem to look the same. But more importantly I've had it in my tank for about three days and I've not seen it open up like when I first bought it. Please help as this is my first one and I want it to flourish and stand out from the rest I get.... thanks
Did it look like green grass when you bought it?
Welcome aboard, Islingcars!
It's certainly some kind of zoanthid or palythoa, (The same family of corals as "nuclear green palys") but without it being open, I doubt that anyone will be able to tell you what kind. What do your water parameters look like? Temperature, salinity, calcium, ALK, magnesium, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate can all have a tremendous effect on corals . . .
~Bruce
It's certainly some kind of zoanthid or palythoa, (The same family of corals as "nuclear green palys") but without it being open, I doubt that anyone will be able to tell you what kind. What do your water parameters look like? Temperature, salinity, calcium, ALK, magnesium, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate can all have a tremendous effect on corals . . .
~Bruce
Bruce thanks for the quick reply. Ammonia, nitrates and ph are all at the right level from what I know but not sure how to check calcium, alk or mag... is that something I need to add. I just recently got my tank and have let it cycle for month before putting anything in it, did I put the coral in too soon? I've got a few chromis two skunk cleaner shrimps, two diamond gobbies and about 30 snails and 20 hermits including two green emeralds.... sorry if I'm rambling I just want to give you as mush info as possible lol
Salty1962
Wrasse and SPS Lover
Thank you salty!
My best description is like a green dandelion or sunflower
Calcium, Alk and magnesium can be checked using other test kits - I use Red Sea, but Salifert and other companies make tests for them as well.
Zoanthids and palythoa are pretty hardy as corals go, so they're a good first coral for a lot of tanks.
During your cycle, did you test and confirm that ammonia rose and fell, followed by nitrite, with a steady rise in nitrate? What are your nitrate levels currently? Zoas can take rather more nitrates than most corals, but _very_ high levels may start to bother them.
Hopefully, these guys are just getting used to your system, and will soon be charming you with a green glow under the blue lights!
~Bruce
Good point ... _zero_ nitrates & phosphates is not a number that'll make these little fellows happy.
They do need some of both.
~Bruce
They do need some of both.
~Bruce
Good day bruce, would you say I put a skimmer in too soon and it's robbing the coral from food and nutrients it needs? It's been like two weeks and still not opening. I'm starting to notice lots of build up around it looks like algae but I'm not sure.. should I take her out and dip her? Not sure what to do at this point other then watching her wilt away
There's certainly _some_ algae on that rock, but not the sort that looks like it ought to keep zoanthids closed up . . . Do you know what your parameters are? Salinity, pH, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, calcium, alkalinity & magnesium?
Perhaps other members of the #reefsquad might have some thoughts...
~Bruce
Perhaps other members of the #reefsquad might have some thoughts...
~Bruce
Brew12
Electrical Gru
If you have algae, you have nutrients. Odds are it has something to do with pH, Salinity, or Alkalinity. Knowing those numbers, and how stable they are, would go a long way toward helping.Good day bruce, would you say I put a skimmer in too soon and it's robbing the coral from food and nutrients it needs? It's been like two weeks and still not opening. I'm starting to notice lots of build up around it looks like algae but I'm not sure.. should I take her out and dip her? Not sure what to do at this point other then watching her wilt away
What is your water change schedule?
redfishbluefish
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I throw light into the mix. What tank do you have and what lights are you using?
4FordFamily
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Agree we will need parameters to know how to help you best.
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To me, this looks like a flow issue is causing them to stay closed/algae like this. Try putting them in some nice flowGood day bruce, would you say I put a skimmer in too soon and it's robbing the coral from food and nutrients it needs? It's been like two weeks and still not opening. I'm starting to notice lots of build up around it looks like algae but I'm not sure.. should I take her out and dip her? Not sure what to do at this point other then watching her wilt away
That rock work looks like the rock work used in cichlid tank. Looks like a new tank. One of the first things to check is your alk. Corals are very sensitive to changes in Alk. Going from alk level in a store to another in your aquarium. When introducing corals to your aquarium you want to float the the coral to get the temperature the same as the tank then drip acclimate the coral to get it use to the water of your aquarium
redfishbluefish
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We're throwing a bunch of possibilities at you, but remain calm, we'll get it figured out.
I'm going to go back to lighting. To me those pictures look awfully white. Now if you've white balancing, that would explain it. So again, what lights do you have, how do you have them set, and what size tank?
I'm going to go back to lighting. To me those pictures look awfully white. Now if you've white balancing, that would explain it. So again, what lights do you have, how do you have them set, and what size tank?
