Help new coral

[annie]

Please be forgiving im a newbie and just added my first coral. Bought a little frag of Xenia and added to my tank. It looked beautiful in the shop and when I got it home had shrivelled up and looks dead. Has lost all its green. Is this normal it’s gone completely brown and I’m a little worried.

 

[Dark_Knightt]

What are your params? Can we get a picture please?
^^^^^
Params are always important to add

 

[redeyejedi]

How old is the tank?

 

[Gtinnel]

I agree that parameters and a picture would both he helpful, but xenia is one of the most forgiving corals in the hobby. My best guess without any other information would be that if you give it some time it will be fine.

 

[Nick Steele]

yeah Xenia is very resilient. I had mine out of water for little over and hour. Sprayed with peroxide and then freshwater. Was angry for a week or so but now it’s back to normal.

 

[annie]

What are your params? Can we get a picture please?
^^^^^
Params are always important to add

PH is 8 salinity 1.0.25 77Fahrenheit ammonia 0.25 nitrite 0 nitrate 0 phosphate 0.25ppm calcium 420ppm. keep my lights on 12 hour cycle

 

[Baronen]

Is your tank cycled?

 

[annie]

PH is 8 salinity 1.0.25 77Fahrenheit ammonia 0.25 nitrite 0 nitrate 0 phosphate 0.25ppm calcium 420ppm. keep my lights on 12 hour cycle

Is your tank cycled?

Yes set up end November only added fish end December and the coral today. Think I’m panicking for nothing listening to all the experts thanks so much for getting back to me so quickly

 

[Uncle99]

Nitrate and phosphate should not be allowed to reach 0ppm, if so, you will starve your corals.

You need to keep them stable as follows as a recommendation
Nitrate 2-10ppm and phosphate 0.03-.1ppm

The rest of your numbers are good.
For now, just leave him in his place.

Have fun

 

[Gtinnel]

The picture is kinda blurry but from what I can see that seems to be a green star polyp (GSP) not xenia. The good thing is that it is also one of the hardiest corals in the hobby. You should try to get your nitrates up and your ammonia should be 0 ( if you're using an API test kit then ammonia probably is 0 the API test often reads .25 when it's not).

The polyps (green part) should come back out with time. When I first put GSP in my tank it took several days before the polyps came back out. As long as the mat is purple and looks okay then it should be fine.

 

[redeyejedi]

Ok so xenia love a bit of nitrate. That is prob the issue.

 

[Uncle99]

PH is 8 salinity 1.0.25 77Fahrenheit ammonia 0.25 nitrite 0 nitrate 0 phosphate 0.25ppm calcium 420ppm. keep my lights on 12 hour cycle

Looks more like GSP to me.

 

[Dark_Knightt]

Yes it doesnt look like xenia. at all. GSP can take some time to get used to the tank, mine didnt start truly thriving until a week or so after I added it. Make sure there is not algae covering the coral, and maybe make sure it has good lighting?
Did you dip your coral before you added it? It may have an internal pest which is irritating it.

 

[annie]

Yes it doesnt look like xenia. at all. GSP can take some time to get used to the tank, mine didnt start truly thriving until a week or so after I added it. Make sure there is not algae covering the coral, and maybe make sure it has good lighting?
Did you dip your coral before you added it? It may have an internal pest which is irritating it.

Yes did dip it before adding and have put in a very good lighting spot. My blue hermit seemed very interested in it which was a bit of a worry. Seems like it’s recovering have seen a few green bits coming out. Thank you so much for you help.

 

[Uncle99]

It’s a green star polyp.

 

[annie]

Yes it doesnt look like xenia. at all. GSP can take some time to get used to the tank, mine didnt start truly thriving until a week or so after I added it. Make sure there is not algae covering the coral, and maybe make sure it has good lighting?
Did you dip your coral before you added it? It may have an internal pest which is irritating it.

 

[annie]

thank you so much recent pic so I’m sure it will be fine

 

[Gtinnel]

My blue hermit seemed very interested in it which was a bit of a worry.

Assuming it's the blue leg hermit that are very common then it'll be fine. The only thing that will happen is that when the crab is on it the GSP will close its polyps. The GSP will be fine just give it a little more time.

 

[Uncle99]

Unless you want it all over your rock scape , keep it on a rock separate from your rock scape. It will attempt grow over every coral in its path and is difficult to remove.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s a very hardy coral just needs some control.

I put mine on the back glass where it’s easy to remove......and make a ton of frags.

 

[Dark_Knightt]

Yeah if its coming out just leave it alone for now, it'll do well. Let us know if things go south! *Hopefully they wont though*