My Clementine's Issue

Jimbo · Apr 10, 2014

I have a colony of these for over 2 years , grown from a single polyp. Here's a pic from a week ago

A few days ago most of the polyps Closed up as you can see in this pic

It's been 5 or 6 days in this condition. Parameters are as follows: 70 Gallon ATI Sunpower 8x 24 watt

Alk 8.4
Calcium 420
Mag 1350
Salinity 1.026

Really don't know what's irritating them. I did add a small Yellow Coris Wrass a week ago but I haven't seen him nipping. Wondering if I should give the colony a dip or leave it be.

TruRacr314x · Apr 10, 2014

I've only had colonies do that when something is messing with them...once it was a fish and the other time zoa eating nudis. Hopefully you get it fixed...that's a beautiful colony of clementines!

Rob&Gab · Apr 10, 2014

that happened to my Clems about 5weeks ago closed up tight till 2 days ago dont understand why either. kinda erking my head alittle.

therman · Apr 10, 2014

I actually had mine do that too recently. Dipped in revive and most are open again 6 days post dip. Can't say for sure if it was the revive or just patience, but the revive won't hurt. Mine looked even rougher than that, after looking fine and growing more polyps the previous week. Were closed about 2 weeks total.

Jimbo · Apr 10, 2014

Mine have always opened up and grow well for me. Even after fragging in the past it has always came right back for me and no I haven't fragged in a while. I may give it a dip in Lugols if nothing changes soon.

Thanks for the replies

joshporksandwich · Apr 11, 2014

Time to frag them. If you didn't have a parameter swing or changed the lights i've noticed on big colonies if 1 polyp get sick or hurt it takes the whole colony down. My yellow tang is the best fragger as he eats any rotting polyp but i've seen it happen a lot on grow out frags in my frag tank where there's no tang.

therman · Apr 11, 2014

Interesting...how big do you let your colonies get before you split them?

joshporksandwic said:
Time to frag them. If you didn't have a parameter swing or changed the lights i've noticed on big colonies if 1 polyp get sick or hurt it takes the whole colony down. My yellow tang is the best fragger as he eats any rotting polyp but i've seen it happen a lot on grow out frags in my frag tank where there's no tang.

Jimbo · Apr 13, 2014

Decided to do a Lugols Dip yesterday. I see one little polyp in that mass of closed ones opening up this morning. I'm taking this as a good sign and hoping they all pop open for me soon.

duke4130 · Apr 13, 2014

If you see a bad polyp and don't want to frag the colony, you can cut out the single polyp and then dip them.... My clementines have died and came back so many times i cant even count...LOL.... Check for baby aptasia or any little critters that may be irritating them.

ingtar_shinowa · Apr 13, 2014

My mini colony stayed closed for weeks due to a baby aptasia until i bit the bullet and let peps back in my reef. 5 days later nothing so much of a memory of aptaisia. They got the 2 last majanos as well. Good luck one of my favorite zoas.