Losing my Elegance?

[LaraLouM]

so I have had my elegance for almost 3 months, it has been the star of the tank, big, bubbly, and full of movement. In the last week it has been getting these orange spots, now the tentacles are thin and scraggly looking, and all in all it just looks bad. Any clue as to what is affecting it?

Alk: 8.1
Mg: 1480
Ca: 400
Ph: 8.0 (a little low)
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0

 

[Dimmy007]

so I have had my elegance for almost 3 months, it has been the star of the tank, big, bubbly, and full of movement. In the last week it has been getting these orange spots, now the tentacles are thin and scraggly looking, and all in all it just looks bad. Any clue as to what is affecting it?

Alk: 8.1
Mg: 1480
Ca: 400
Ph: 8.0 (a little low)
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0

What are you feeding it?

 

[Act1n1c_L1fe]

Calcium is a bit low

 

[Act1n1c_L1fe]

What are phosphates?

 

[LaraLouM]

What are you feeding it?

Frozen brine shrimp. I probably need to get a better variety.

 

[LaraLouM]

What are phosphates?

I don’t have a test for the phosphates I rely mostly on water changes for nutrients, it’s a 13.5 gallon.

 

[Act1n1c_L1fe]

I don’t have a test for the phosphates I rely mostly on water changes for nutrients, it’s a 13.5 gallon.

Is the tank heavily stocked?

 

[LaraLouM]

Is the tank heavily stocked?

1 clown, 1 little goby, some hermits, snails, elegance, torch, Frogspawn, Xenia, mini maxi carpet nem, ricordea, trumpet, favia, Macro algae

 

[LaraLouM]

Is the tank heavily stocked?

And a couple sps that just don’t do well, they were my first try but I think I’m just going to keep to the lps.

 

[Act1n1c_L1fe]

1 clown, 1 little goby, some hermits, snails, elegance, torch, Frogspawn, Xenia, mini maxi carpet nem, ricordea, trumpet, favia, Macro algae

Only thing I can think of is you have elevated phosphates, lack of nutrients in feeding, or it has a disease.

 

[LaraLouM]

Only thing I can think of is you have elevated phosphates, lack of nutrients in feeding, or it has a disease.

I will get a phosphate test kit and a different food to try. Idk what to do about the disease if that’s the case. What is a recommended phosphate level?

 

[Act1n1c_L1fe]

I will get a phosphate test kit and a different food to try. Idk what to do about the disease if that’s the case. What is a recommended phosphate level?

I keep mine at .10. Acceptable range is .10-.25... do you have any algae issues?

 

[Act1n1c_L1fe]

I will get a phosphate test kit and a different food to try. Idk what to do about the disease if that’s the case. What is a recommended phosphate level?

I recommend the Hanna phosphate checker because it’s more precise then other testers

 

[LaraLouM]

I recommend the Hanna phosphate checker because it’s more precise then other testers

Ok great I’ll look into that for sure. This is my first tank so it’s a learning process! I have some purple and blue macro algae growing that I didn’t put in there, and there is some bubble algae places, crusty places of coralline, nothing major though. The sides get some brown green we keep cleaned off the glass every few days.

 

[homer1475]

Aussie or indo? Do you know?

The indo elegance fall victim to whats called elegance coral syndrome(or ECS for short). The tentacles get stubby, and it starts to wither away. Nothing I have read says there is a cure. Not saying this is your issue, just a possibility if it's an indo variety. Now that the indo region has been shut down, and has been for a while now, it's quite possibly an aussie.

It took me 4 elegance to get one that was truly an aussie and survived.

 

[LaraLouM]

Aussie or indo? Do you know?

The indo elegance fall victim to whats called elegance coral syndrome(or ECS for short). The tentacles get stubby, and it starts to wither away. Nothing I have read says there is a cure. Not saying this is your issue, just a possibility if it's an indo variety. Now that the indo region has been shut down, and has been for a while now, it's quite possibly an aussie.

It took me 4 elegance to get one that was truly an aussie and survived.

I really am not sure if it is an Aussie or not. I did read about the issues with them, but I had thought it would have already died if that was the case. I guess there really is no good way to tell.

 

[Auto-pilot]

I agree with Act, Ive never kept an elegance but i have had many lps corals. Also just a thought, maybe your water is too clean and you don't have enough nutrients in the water. I keep my nitrates at 5-10 and phosphates .05-.1 and actually rarely feed my lps and don't feed some of my lps corals. Didn't know about ECS! Ill keep that in mind if I ever want to get one

 

[bknope]

That looks like red flatworms. Probably irritating the coral.

Get a turkey blaster or something else and suck as many off as possible while being gentle.

Squirt into a cup of freshwater (even a few times if they won’t leave the turkey baster)


Look into flatworm exit if you have a ton

 

[PirateDan]

That looks like red flatworms. Probably irritating the coral.

Get a turkey blaster or something else and suck as many off as possible while being gentle.

Squirt into a cup of freshwater (even a few times if they won’t leave the turkey baster)


Look into flatworm exit if you have a ton

I agree. Looks like when i had them. Flatworm exit fixed.

 

[Auto-pilot]

I agree. Looks like when i had them. Flatworm exit fixed.

Thats crazy, i've never had to deal with them before.
If it is flatworms can you take a picture of them once you remove them and show us?? I kinda want to see them after they have been pulled off the coral.