Possible Coral Issues?

[Robert_Popa_918]

I’ve made the purchase a of Neon trumpet coral about 4 weeks ago. Since purchased, there have been several issues with this coral. One large concern of mine was that it’s tentacles would never extend out of the polyps. I would wake up every morning at 2 a.m., specifically to see the tentacles but no luck. My water parameters have been stable and good, and it is most likely not the issue. Throughout the past several weeks, the coral has neither been growing nor showing signs of dying. This week, I had noticed that the base of my coral has started turning white, instead of its original neon green color. Although I was told not to panic and just leave the coral alone, I started to panic and test for everything that could possibly be wrong, along with a large water change. After finding absolutely nothing wrong during my investigation, I have come to the conclusion that there could only be one problem and that was the coral placement. The trumpet coral was firstly placed on top of a rock towards the middle of the aquarium, under full light, and in an area with moderate flow. I have decided to move the coral onto the sand bed in a low light and flow area, to hopefully help it recover. If my theory doesn’t work, what recommendations would you guys have for me? Should I be worrying, or is this a normal thing?
-Thanks, Rob

 

[Billdogg]

I find that mine (I have two distinctly different ones) seem to do best in moderate lighting and protected from strong flow.

hth!

 

[foxt]

Looks like you are new to R2R, so, welcome!

Trumpets, or candy canes, don't really send out feeders as much as other LPS. So this is not a cause for concern, it is a normal thing.

You really won't see much growth over a short period of time when you first put a coral like this in a tank. It needs to settle in. So, your best course of action at this point is to pick a spot for it, and then leave it alone.

In my experience, trumpets don't need a ton of light or flow. I have some growing happily within my rocks, low light and low-moderate flow (fell there one day and I just left it alone). I also have some growing happily in higher light and higher flow.

Wherever you put it, try to just leave it there for a while. If you want to try spot feeding it, you could lay some mysis or LPS pellets on the polyps, and see if it gets eaten.

 

[BayouReefer]

Mine is thriving in 250 par range in my tank approximately 8 inches from the surface in medium flow. Feeding tentacles out early am couple hours before lights come on.

 

[Robert_Popa_918]

Looks like you are new to R2R, so, welcome!

Trumpets, or candy canes, don't really send out feeders as much as other LPS. So this is not a cause for concern, it is a normal thing.

You really won't see much growth over a short period of time when you first put a coral like this in a tank. It needs to settle in. So, your best course of action at this point is to pick a spot for it, and then leave it alone.

In my experience, trumpets don't need a ton of light or flow. I have some growing happily within my rocks, low light and low-moderate flow (fell there one day and I just left it alone). I also have some growing happily in higher light and higher flow.

Wherever you put it, try to just leave it there for a while. If you want to try spot feeding it, you could lay some mysis or LPS pellets on the polyps, and see if it gets eaten.

Thanks for the advice and welcoming me! What’s your opinion regarding the white base that is occurring? The 2 heads haven’t seemed to be affected, but the base has turned from green to completely white. It is a little concerning. What do you believe is happening?
-Rob

 

[foxt]

Can you tell us what your water parameters are?

 

[C. Eymann]

I find that mine (I have two distinctly different ones) seem to do best in moderate lighting and protected from strong flow.

hth!

^^^^ This

both Caulastera furcata and C. curvata are the two most common seen in the hobby, OP looks to have C. curvata.
Both have similar husbandry requirements as described above by Billdog

 

[Robert_Popa_918]

Salinity: 1.025 specific gravity
Alkalinity: 10 DKH
Nitrate: 1.2 PPM
Phosphates:0.1 PPM
Calcium: 410 PPM

Those are the parameters I test weekly.

 

[Dragon52]

Welcome to R2R

 

[Robert_Popa_918]

Can you tell us what your water parameters are?

Welcome to R2R
[/


Salinity: 1.025 specific gravity
Alkalinity: 10 DKH
Nitrate: 1.2 PPM
Phosphates:0.1 PPM
Calcium: 410 PPM

Those are the parameters I test weekly.

 

[C. Eymann]

You are a bit on the upper end of acceptable levels of phosphate, but otherwise water chemistry looks good, given those readings were taken with an accurate means of testing.

I believe you are taking the right course of action by placing it on lower light/flow, sounds to me like it might have got a bit of light shock which is why it is looking a bit shriveled/unhappy, but that's just a guess.

give it a few days down there observe, and report back.

Welcome to the forum !

 

[Robert_Popa_918]

You are a bit on the upper end of acceptable levels of phosphate, but otherwise water chemistry looks good, given those readings were taken with an accurate means of testing.

I believe you are taking the right course of action by placing it on lower light/flow, sounds to me like it might have got a bit of light shock which is why it is looking a bit shriveled/unhappy, but that's just a guess.

give it a few days down there observe, and report back.

Welcome to the forum !

Thank you for the advice and the welcome! You mentioned that the the water parameters tests may be inaccurate. Are you saying that certain water testing brands are not accurate? If so what brands would you recommend?

-Thanks, Rob

 

[C. Eymann]

Thank you for the advice and the welcome! You mentioned that the the water parameters tests may be inaccurate. Are you saying that certain water testing brands are not accurate? If so what brands would you recommend?

-Thanks, Rob

Testing kit/method reliability:

This a very debated topic in the hobby, so I can only share my opinion,

For cycling tanks cheap API (Aquarium Pharmaceuticals) kits Ammonia/nitrite/pH is perfectly acceptable and will rarely if ever be used after a reef is established.


As for Cal/Alk/mag NO³ (nitrate) and PO⁴ (phosphate)
Everyone has their preferences, For cal/alk/mag I prefer Salifert or RedSea, Tropic Marin test kits are great too but can be pricey and difficult to attain.

For Nitrate and Phosphate I prefer RedSea, or for Phosphate Hanna Instruments checker


Again very debated topic in the hobby.


Just my two pennies