Help trying to save Lobo

[Lisa Cain]

Does anyone have experience with Lobo's I am desparately trying to save mine? When I purchased it about two months ago the color was wine colored. But now it has bleached and is shrinking. I just placed it in a bowl and gave it reef roid , coral frenzy and mysis shrimp. The orange stuff on it is reef roid paste. I am posting a picture of it. Should I take it out of the tank. If it is dying will it contaminate my take.? I am posting a picure. It will not eat so I am trying to give it nutrients. Yesterday I tried to put it in a shady spot but I have a 32 biocube and there are not manyplaces to place it. I also posted a picture of my tank. the only other item that is giving me problems is an anemone. For some reason overthe past week it is going through changes. it does no inflate like it used to. There is also a furry thing on the side of the white lobo that withdraws when I look at it.

 

[Wieloch89]

1- you’re stressing it out. It’s not going to when it’s stressed out. Leave it in the tank and don’t pump it full of food.

2- what lights are you using?

3- how much flow is it getting? Too much flow and it’s not going to eat, won’t be able to eat rather.

4- what are your parameters?

I would recommend putting it back in your tank and in the sand bed... cut the top of a bottle off and place it over the lobo and feed into the mouth of the bottle. This will help it detect food and actually be able to eat.

 

[Wieloch89]

If it dies, it won’t contaminate your tank.

 

[Lisa Cain]

1- you’re stressing it out. It’s not going to when it’s stressed out. Leave it in the tank and don’t pump it full of food.

2- what lights are you using?

3- how much flow is it getting? Too much flow and it’s not going to eat, won’t be able to eat rather.

4- what are your parameters?

I would recommend putting it back in your tank and in the sand bed... cut the top of a bottle off and place it over the lobo and feed into the mouth of the bottle. This will help it detect food and actually be able to eat.

My water parameters are good ammonium zero,nitrate zero etc. I have a 32 gallon biocube and I am using the lights that came with it . LED lights. It was sitting on the sand bed in front but I tried to move it in a cave like area.

 

[Lisa Cain]

I will put it back. Is it dying? I also added a picture of a small furry thing on the side of it. it is stange because when it detects that I am looking at it it closes up. Do you know what it is?

 

[Wieloch89]

Alk, calc, mag? Specific gravity? Temp? Any recent swings in these parameters?

 

[Wieloch89]

It’s definitely dying. The flesh is starting to retract and you can see the skeleton.

 

[Wieloch89]

I will put it back. Is it dying? I also added a picture of a small furry thing on the side of it. it is stange because when it detects that I am looking at it it closes up. Do you know what it is?

Looks kind of like a barnacle. You should definitely remove it.

 

[Lisa Cain]

If it dies, it won’t contaminate your tank.

If I simply look at the thing circled below it withdraws. Do you kno wwhat it it?

 

[Lisa Cain]

Do you think there is a chance that it may come back. If it dies it will not release toxins?

 

[Lisa Cain]

Alk, calc, mag? Specific gravity? Temp? Any recent swings in these parameters?

I have not tested Specific Gravity, however the store I purches it from said that ALK and mag was fine. They did not say anything about calcium. They said it is probably the lights.

 

[Wieloch89]

Those are things that you should be testing at home yourself. It can come back, it won’t release toxins if it dies. They look like barnacles. Remove them.

 

[Lisa Cain]

Those are things that you should be testing at home yourself. It can come back, it won’t release toxins if it dies. They look like barnacles. Remove them.

Thank you. I will remove them. I put the lobo back in the tank. I simply put it back in the sandbed. I will try to feed it in the manner that you suggested. HOwever, day by day it is getting worse. Do you think it is getting to much light?

 

[Lisa Cain]

Those are things that you should be testing at home yourself. It can come back, it won’t release toxins if it dies. They look like barnacles. Remove them.

Thank you!! for your help! I am working hard to make sure that the tank is ok.

 

[John3]

I’ve had many peoples let tell me lobos are fairly easy but my personal experience with one that has not been the case. Like yours mine lost it’s puffiness and the tissue receded back towards the mouths exposing a lot of skeleton. It then stabilized in that state. It will put out feeders and even eat but shows no willingness to regrow tissue and puff back out. I’ve tried different spot for lighting and flow(all low) and nothing has helped.

My water parameters are very good and stable. I have over 30 different corals now and all are doing well and have shown a lot of growth. The frustrating part at this point is that this lobo just doesn’t die which leads me to believe there is something else I need to do....... its lobo purgatory.

 

[Lisa Cain]

I’ve had many peoples let tell me lobos are fairly easy but my personal experience with one that has not been the case. Like yours mine lost it’s puffiness and the tissue receded back towards the mouths exposing a lot of skeleton. It then stabilized in that state. It will put out feeders and even eat but shows no willingness to regrow tissue and puff back out. I’ve tried different spot for lighting and flow(all low) and nothing has helped.

My water parameters are very good and stable. I have over 30 different corals now and all are doing well and have shown a lot of growth. The frustrating part at this point is that this lobo just doesn’t die which leads me to believe there is something else I need to do....... its lobo purgatory.

I agree with you 100% I thought the sun coral was going to be difficult but this lobo is hard to take care of.

 

[carbene]

my lobos likes very to almost no flow and very low light. if your tank is established, you dont even have to feed it since your column is full of food for its tentacles to catch.