Is Frogspawn a dead duck?

[Balanje]

Hey guys,
I'm having a bit of an issue with a frogspawn coral. He's been retracted for about a well and i'm afraid he may have died. I'm puzzled as to what may have happened.

My numbers have been pretty consistent:
Salinity: 1.024 (usually b/w 1.022 and 1.025)
PH: 8.0 (usually b/w 8.0 and 8.2)
Ca: 450 (usually b/w 410 and 450)
KH: 9.0 (usually b/w 9.0 and 9.2)
Mg: 1600 (always tests really high... not sure why)
PO4: 0.16
Temperature: Between 78 - 80 degrees (controller set to 79 with 1 degree variance allowance)

I have a Fluval Sea Marine & Reef LED (25,000 K)
I dose Kalk +2 daily through my ATO at a low ratio (1/2 tsp per gallon)

I don't have too many coral in the tank yet... I have a few soft corals and one other LPS:

Soft:
- GSP
- Mushroom
- Toadstool leather
- Sinularia

LPS:
- Torch (doing pretty well)
- Frogspawn (not doing well at all)

I have moved it around a few times and it doesn't seem to like anywhere... It's currently in a med-high spot with low flow.

 

[Crabs McJones]

Hey guys,
I'm having a bit of an issue with a frogspawn coral. He's been retracted for about a well and i'm afraid he may have died. I'm puzzled as to what may have happened.

My numbers have been pretty consistent:
Salinity: 1.024 (usually b/w 1.022 and 1.025)
PH: 8.0 (usually b/w 8.0 and 8.2)
Ca: 450 (usually b/w 410 and 450)
KH: 9.0 (usually b/w 9.0 and 9.2)
Mg: 1600 (always tests really high... not sure why)
PO4: 0.16
Temperature: Between 78 - 80 degrees (controller set to 79 with 1 degree variance allowance)

I have a Fluval Sea Marine & Reef LED (25,000 K)
I dose Kalk +2 daily through my ATO at a low ratio (1/2 tsp per gallon)

I don't have too many coral in the tank yet... I have a few soft corals and one other LPS:

Soft:
- GSP
- Mushroom
- Toadstool leather
- Sinularia

LPS:
- Torch (doing pretty well)
- Frogspawn (not doing well at all)

I have moved it around a few times and it doesn't seem to like anywhere... It's currently in a med-high spot with low flow.

Move it down to the sand bed and give it a couple days. They tend to like low light with low flow.

 

[nautical_nathaniel]

It's not dead yet, but definitely not happy. Where is it at in relation to the torch coral? They both pretty much like the same conditions, so if the frogspawn is currently in a spot similar to the torch's, I would just leave it alone and give it some time to adjust.

 

[thaitopher]

Doesnt look good. I had a frogspawn that looked like that - couldn't revive it. Probably too late. That sucks because yojr torch looks very healthy.

 

[Balanje]

Doesnt look good. I had a frogspawn that looked like that - couldn't revive it. Probably too late. That sucks because yojr torch looks very healthy.

This is a full tank view from a little while ago... Jan 4.

position 1 is his original position back when he was open.

position 2 is where i put the touch...

figured torch was stinging the frogspawn so i moved frog spawn to position 3

 

[thaitopher]

Euphalia dont bother each other. You can put torch, frogspawn and hammers all together.

 

[thaitopher]

Did it fall or get damaged in any way?

 

[Balanje]

Did it fall or get damaged in any way?

no never... just retracted one day and never came back out. that's why i moved him

 

[Balanje]

Move it down to the sand bed and give it a couple days. They tend to like low light with low flow.

i'll give that a try... i was just afraid because i don't have a great light it wouldn't be strong enough down there. I had him on a lower shelf for a bit but the flow was way too high. I'll try the sand.

 

[robcrawford2]

Has it happened since being close to the mushroom? I had a hammer which was touched by a mushroom and that completely retracted.

Are you running carbon as I believe that can help.

 

[EmdeReef]

Agree def move to sand, low flow.

Doesn't look good but they are very resilient. Mine survived a 4hr plane ride in barely any water in hand luggage, now it gets eaten alive by my 2 angels but still looks good so don't give up until the heads turn completely grey...

 

[Balanje]

Has it happened since being close to the mushroom? I had a hammer which was touched by a mushroom and that completely retracted.

Are you running carbon as I believe that can help.

No, he retracted most of the way when I put got the Torch so I figured it was too close. I moved him down to a shelf area with too much flow and he retracted totally inside. Then i moved him to where he is now about 4 or 5 days ago but i haven't seen him come out since...

I'm not running carbon. I have filter socks in the sump and a uv sterilizer running. also dosing the Kalk +2 from my ATO

 

[Zack K]

Euphalia dont bother each other. You can put torch, frogspawn and hammers all together.

Torches play nice with nobody except other torches from the same region. Aussie torches can sting I do torches on occasion. And torches in general zap anything.

-Zack, who has lost lots of Euphyillia trying to make it work.

 

[thaitopher]

Torches play nice with nobody except other torches from the same region. Aussie torches can sting I do torches on occasion. And torches in general zap anything.

-Zack, who has lost lots of Euphyillia trying to make it work.

Interesting. I keep my torches and hammer and frogspawn all close together without any ill effects

 

[thaitopher]

i'll give that a try... i was just afraid because i don't have a great light it wouldn't be strong enough down there. I had him on a lower shelf for a bit but the flow was way too high. I'll try the sand.

I have the same light you do. I added a cheap $60 but super powerful chinese LED light and now I can add anything to my tank.

 

[NS Mike D]

I have the same light you do. I added a cheap $60 but super powerful chinese LED light and now I can add anything to my tank.

the lights will grow lps - i have 2 frogspawn doing great under them (as well as a few sps)
not particularly impressive but adequate, and imo not the cause of the retraction

Fluval Marine & Reef 2.0 PAR ratings (as advertised by the manufacturer) are as follows:
376 @ depth of 3″ (76 mm)
222 @ depth of 6″ (15 cm)
90 @ depth of 12″ (30.5 cm)
47 @ depth of 18″ (46 cm)

 

[JonCollegeReefer]

I've never owned one, but is it possible the filefish is the culprit? I think I've heard of them eating acans before.

 

[thaitopher]

the lights will grow lps - i have 2 frogspawn doing great under them (as well as a few sps)
not particularly impressive but adequate, and imo not the cause of the retraction

Fluval Marine & Reef 2.0 PAR ratings (as advertised by the manufacturer) are as follows:
376 @ depth of 3″ (76 mm)
222 @ depth of 6″ (15 cm)
90 @ depth of 12″ (30.5 cm)
47 @ depth of 18″ (46 cm)

Which isn't optimal for many LPS. Euhphalia optimally should have a PAR of 150. So if they are at the bottom of a 20" deep tank they will be getting less than 100 PAR

 

[S.O.MLemos]

Euphalia dont bother each other. You can put torch, frogspawn and hammers all together.

This is incorrect FYI. Hammers and frogspawn are fine together. Torches don’t mix with anything other than torches

 

[Zack K]

This is incorrect FYI. Hammers and frogspawn are fine together. Torches don’t mix with anything other than torches

Interesting. I keep my torches and hammer and frogspawn all close together without any ill effects

I have had only 1 time where the torch did not sting the Hammers add Frogs. They were all Aussie torches and collected from the same spot. They played nice for awhile. But this was just one of many. Generally torches do_not_ play nice.

Which isn't optimal for many LPS. Euhphalia optimally should have a PAR of 150. So if they are at the bottom of a 20" deep tank they will be getting less than 100 PAR

Also 150 is kind of a broad term. Frogspawn and Hammers can handle a variety of light but yes usually settle in the 100-200 range. The higher yo go the slower you need to acclimate though. Torches on the other hand love light —>IME<—. 150-300 par. Mine is getting around 225-250 and happy.

-Zack