Prorocentrum eating Acros (microscope pictures)

[Tuffloud1]

I took some pictures of some dead Acro branches that Prorocentrum dinos have devoured under my microscope.

First picture is a “cyst” that I removed from what appears to be a non effected Acro.
First picture is a “cyst” that I removed from what appears to be a non effected Acro.

2nd picture is an Acro that had one of it’s entire branches devoured overnight.

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

Your coral bleaches and the skin dies off. Revealing the skeleton of the coral. The skeletob of the coral is than inhabited by algaes.
Dinoflagellates did not devour your acro. They simply are in your water and live on the dead coral skeleton. It will turn brown than green and blend with the rock and the algae on the rock. Hths
D

 

[Tuffloud1]

Your coral bleaches and the skin dies off. Revealing the skeleton of the coral. The skeletob of the coral is than inhabited by algaes.
Dinoflagellates did not devour your acro. They simply are in your water and live on the dead coral skeleton. It will turn brown than green and blend with the rock and the algae on the rock. Hths
D

Can dinos cause bleaching?

The manner in which they are bleaching is not like anything I’ve seen.

One branch or patch will be completely dead and the surrounding tissue looks completely normal. And it seems to spread and stop sporadically.

I also notice the prorocentrum is attaching to the polyps on healthy colonies and also forming little cysts on healthy tissue.

My tank was doing incredible until the dinos hit and I have lost numerous colonies.

I have coolia as well.

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

Bleaching and browing in sps corals is usually a water chemistry issue, shift, change, spike. 2nd lights.
I would say.something might be off with your water? The dinos fill the space or gap. Eat off the excess nutrients ect.
D

 

[Tuffloud1]

Bleaching and browing in sps corals is usually a water chemistry issue, shift, change, spike. 2nd lights.
I would say.something might be off with your water? The dinos fill the space or gap. Eat off the excess nutrients ect.
D

Can toxins from the dinos cause bleaching?

I’ve read that coolia can be pretty toxic.

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

Planaria when they die off are toxic yes. Dinos imo release c02 and really dont send out any toxins imo when eliminated.
Idea is to eliminate the cause. Wcs i say no unless 0 tds. silicia and silicates will only feed the dinos

Water flow is debatable. Lights out can be debatable.

 

[saltyhog]

Can toxins from the dinos cause bleaching?

I’ve read that coolia can be pretty toxic.

Toxins from dinos can definitely cause SPS to die, usually from the tips IME. This would likely be most common with the more toxic strains such as ostreopsis and somewhat with coolia . Large cell would not cause this IMO.

Running GAC helps but is not always preventative.....especially with ostreopsis.

 

[Tuffloud1]

I installed a UV sterilizer and my ph has dropped significantly. I’ve been stirring the sand, blowing off rocks and scrapping the glass to get the dinos in the water column so the UV can hit them.

My PH has been like clockwork until I installed the UV. Could it be that the dinos being destroyed and no longer consuming the CO2 could cause my ph to drop?

 

[Tuffloud1]

I circled when I first brought my UV online.

 

[TerraFerma]

Acros ban bleach from extremely slow to very rapidly. It happens and not because of dinos.

 

[ScottB]

I circled when I first brought my UV online.

Interesting observation there between UV and pH. That would be new info to me.

Rule out open/closed windows? Family headcount differences?

I have a UV temporarily slapped on my display now but my pH hasn't changed in tandem.

How goes the acropora now after 2 months or so? NVM, I'll go check your build thread.