Rainbow Trachyphyllia Color Changing Help

[eLReef]

Hello r2r Team,

I’ve had this beautiful Rainbow Trachy for about a month now and it has been losing its color. Especially the pink. It’s healthy and opens up nicely but it’s color is morphing. Any idea what might be causing this? And will the pink colors ever return? I target feed my corals twice a week (reef roids/reef chili and Coral Vitalizer), 10% water change every week. Here is a before and current picture.

Tank:
Redsea Reefer 250

Livestock:
Yellow Tang, Storm Clown, dotty back, 6 line wrasse, Dragonet, purple fire fish.

parameters
ph: 8.2
Alkalinity: 9.2
Calcium : 428
Magnesium: 1,400
Phosphates: .06
Nitrates: 0
Temperature: 77

Lighting:
2 x Radion XR15W w/diffusers: 11am-10pm 55% intensity (blues on 100% , whites 10% only for 4 hours)

Flow:
2x mp40qwd: 40%

 

[timrocks311]

wow, that's quite a change. At this point I don't think the pink colors will return by themselves unless you change something or start dosing to try and improve them. I haven't used them, but I'm thinking of the Red Sea coral colors. They link iodine and potassium with pink and red color. You could be deficient in either of these.

It could be the difference between your tank and the sellers too with lighting and placement. We've been seeing a lot of these crazy trachy colors recently and its not unheard of for suppliers to do questionable things to corals that we wouldn't normally do in our home tanks; like blast them with a lot of light to get these colors to come out.

 

[miyags]

It could be a light thing.It looks like the right side of your trachy is close to the end of the tank.Is the left side getting more light?

 

[siggy]

@eLReef I am having the same Issue with mine so your not alone. Lets see if we both cant get some help @Fudsey @najer @Robin Haselden @Corals.com Any help Folks?

 

[siggy]

Oh and welcome to the Club!

 

[Fudsey]

Not really sure about this. @DSC reef any ideas?

 

[DSC reef]

I'm guessing a spectrum thing. I've read that corals have been dyed in the past but I dont want to accuse anyone or even know how it's done.

 

[Retro Reefer]

Chemistry of tank can effect colors, I recently had a issue where a magnet rusted in my tank and almost caused a crash.. not sure exactly what metals where released into tank but after the event a solid green favia that I had had for years developed distinct orange stripes in a matter of a couple weeks.

I would say your issue is lighting because only half the coral is effected

 

[siggy]

This was one of the first series of articles I read when I got here. @uniquecorals https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/how-to-take-care-of-your-brain-trachys-lobos-etc.148047/

 

[DSC reef]

It's strange for sure. It's a complete loss of red and the yellows are not as bright.

 

[Katrina71]

I think it's beautiful. The Gemini trachy.

 

[Fudsey]

Do you also have it sitting on your rock? They can damage their flesh if they are kept on rocks. Maybe it's a reaction to being scratched by the rocks?

 

[Kellie in CA]

Wow, that it an amazing piece, even with the color change!

 

[najer]

It will hate zero nitrates and as above they prefer being on the sand ime.
Do you have a picture of where it is in the tank please, what flow is it in?
Does it ever puff up more than those pics?

DSC_0003 by sshipuk, on Flickr

 

[Corals.com]

Trachyphyllia do much better if they are placed in the sand. That gives their flesh somewhere to lay, expand and have support. They are also not a high light coral and do better with medium-low lighting. I’d try another spot in your tank on the sand. Loss of color can also mean too much lighting as well. Wouldn’t recommend overfeeding them either. We’ve had Indo Trachy in our care for the better part of a year, and they have done great with being fed once a week(mysis/brine) and placed in med/low lighting. It could be as simple as a change in placement in your tank. Looks to be getting too much light if it’s high up in your tank and the rockwork may be irritating it as well.

 

[Corals.com]

@eLReef I am having the same Issue with mine so your not alone. Lets see if we both cant get some help @Fudsey @najer @Robin Haselden @Corals.com Any help Folks?

I gave some advice below, it’s a bit long! Thanks!

 

[Dan I]

I have never seen a trachy in the rock work. As stated above, you can try place it on the sand so their flesh can expand properly and give it the right amount of light and flow. My trachy expands beautifully in my low flow part of the tank. I run T5 and led and colors are popping.

 

[siggy]

It will hate zero nitrates and as above they prefer being on the sand ime.

I gave some advice below, it’s a bit long! Thanks!

Thanks for the help and suggestions. I Dont have the color loss but its just not happy, the flesh is extended just not Puffy. My nitrates are bottomed out and Im dosing 20ml nitrates daily going to bump that up to 40ml AND move her(to pretty to be a boy) into the corner for awhile.

 

[najer]

Thanks for the help and suggestions. I Dont have the color loss but its just not happy, the flesh is extended just not Puffy. My nitrates are bottomed out and Im dosing 20ml nitrates daily going to bump that up to 40ml AND move her(to pretty to be a boy) into the corner for awhile.

Got a pic please?

 

[Corals.com]

Thanks for the help and suggestions. I Dont have the color loss but its just not happy, the flesh is extended just not Puffy. My nitrates are bottomed out and Im dosing 20ml nitrates daily going to bump that up to 40ml AND move her(to pretty to be a boy) into the corner for awhile.

Yes, the lower light and lower flow should help. Change of scenery can make a huge difference too. Just to give you an idea, I keep my Trachy in an 8 foot by 3 foot tank with only 2 Radion G4 Pros and they love it. They’re also in low flow and thus low light as well.