Monti cap isn’t doing well

[bluecheese]

Placed in tank last week

This is how it looked when introduced to the tank

This is this morning.

Lights are a rink dink Current USA Marine Orbit LED, and two t5ho fixtures for a total of 4 bulbs.

Parameters:
Salinity 1.025
pH 8.1
Ammonia 0
Nitrate 2.2
Phosphate 0.03
Mg 1280
Calcium 490
Alk 9.4

Should I move the Monti lower?

 

[Spare time]

Probably an issue of too little available nitrogen and phosphate (depending on the test kit margin of error and how much you are feeding)

 

[Spare time]

I don't think it's bleaching which would be more of an indication of too much light. I think it's tissue necrosis but I can't confirm unless you see polyps on the white parts.

 

[bluecheese]

I do y see polyps in the white part.

I have other sps doing well in the tank.

 

[shakacuz]

I do y see polyps in the white part.

I have other sps doing well in the tank.

so the white portion has polyps? if so, then it is bleached. likely too much light, or too little nutrients available in the water. Mag seems low on the 1250 side, but am unsure if this could even be a cause.

alk is too high for that amount of no3/po4, perhaps.

 

[bluecheese]

so the white portion has polyps? if so, then it is bleached. likely too much light, or too little nutrients available in the water. Mag seems low on the 1250 side, but am unsure if this could even be a cause.

alk is too high for that amount of no3/po4, perhaps.

Sorry, phone messed me up. No polyps in the white part.

 

[shakacuz]

Sorry, phone messed me up. No polyps in the white part.

RTN would indicate water chemistry. usually with bleaching they don't RTN (in my experience).

dip in iodine daily. lugol's iodine preferred. in the container you use, make sure the water is a light "tea" color and leave in for about 5-10min. do this daily and put the monti in a medium/low light and flow area to recover, and make sure the water parameters are stable.

have you ever noticed a clear "slime" residue come off of the monti? particularly at night? this could indicate montipora eating nudibranchs.

 

[Spare time]

I personally would let it be and try to up the feeding. Consider dosing amino acids or similar.

 

[bluecheese]

I’m dosing Red Sea AB+ daily.

 

[bluecheese]

I’ve moved it to the sand bed. I’ll monitor it. If it rebounds, I’ll slowly move it up the rocks.

 

[bluecheese]

Monti croaked last week.

So I previously had a red monti cap in the tank that someone gave me before I upgraded the lights. It also died.

Or so I thought.

A piece of the dead Monti was left in the rocks. I just noticed this today while doing a water change.

See the two red splotches? Looks like this Monti is mounting a comeback. I’m interested to see if these two small areas grow out.