Sps nips being chewed up?

[Smite]

I had bite marks on my sps' tips that I assumed was my potter angelfish. I caught him Sunday night before I left for the week. I came home today (the potters was in the trap all week) and my sps are noticeably worse. Mostly the tips are affected but two smaller frags are missing some flesh on the new encrusting area. This is only on a few pieces that are smaller colonies.

I have a midas blenny and copperband but have never witnessed any interest in coral. My alk has been at 8.9 and Cal and Mag 500/1500.

Is there a certain pest thats known to affect the tips of acros? Millepora and monti seem to be unaffected. Just some of the acros.

Example picture.

Its also affecting my AOA chemical warfare (almost dead), my growout competition piece and PC rainbow.

 

[helen ann]

Beautiful Coral. ... Sorry something is upsetting it.

This post will give you a lil' bump and put more eyes on your post ...

 

[markalot]

Looks like the start of tip burn. Has your Alk been steady? While some of the tips look like bite marks it may also be the most rapidly growing tips with multiple 'buds' that are showing the missing flesh.

 

[ReeferMadness80G]

Any clown fish in the tank? What size tank?

 

[ReeferMadness80G]

Oh no! RTN on my Sps??!
https://www.reef2reef.com/index.php?threads/Oh-no%21-RTN-on-my-Sps%3F%3F%21.265755/

 

[Smite]

Oh no! RTN on my Sps??!
https://www.reef2reef.com/index.php?threads/Oh-no%21-RTN-on-my-Sps%3F%3F%21.265755/

Oh man, so it turned out to be the clown then?

Any clown fish in the tank? What size tank?

100g display. there are a pair of percula but the prefer to constantly harass my Sunny Ds!

Looks like the start of tip burn. Has your Alk been steady? While some of the tips look like bite marks it may also be the most rapidly growing tips with multiple 'buds' that are showing the missing flesh.

My alk has been at 8.9-9.3 for months via salifert test. I have a lot of algae so I don't think it's a high alk low nutrient issue. Nitrate 10 ppm but phosphates do read 0 by Hannah checker. I have very high flow but this acro is dead center.

I checked my pump for rust in my mixing station and nothing. I did noticed a slimy feel to my RODI container. I cleaned it out. pulled my filters ran bleach through my RODI, ran tap for 30 minutes and replaced all filters to rule out some strange bacteria build up that I read about.

 

[ReeferMadness80G]

Oh man, so it turned out to be the clown then?

100g display. there are a pair of percula but the prefer to constantly harass my Sunny Ds!

I'd say in a 100g your clowns have plenty of space, mine was in my nano so clowns, being territorial, decided he didn't like that piece where it was. He killed it within a few days, I caught the clown and gave him to a buddy. It's hard to say that anything is "reef safe" is what I've learned. Best of luck.

 

[markalot]

Get Alk down to 7ish IMO. Sometimes tip burn doesn't show up until the acros start to grow rapidly. PO4 should determine KH, not NO3. I have algae all over as well, tangs love it.

 

[Diesel]

Maybe I missed it but wharves your No3?

 

[markalot]

> Nitrate 10 ppm but phosphates do read 0 by Hannah checker. I have very high flow but this acro is dead center.

 

[Smite]

Maybe I missed it but wharves your No3?

Nitrates look to be about 10ppm by salifert test kit.

Get Alk down to 7ish IMO. Sometimes tip burn doesn't show up until the acros start to grow rapidly. PO4 should determine KH, not NO3. I have algae all over as well, tangs love it.

I didn't know the KH was related to p04 nutrients. good to know, thanks! I'll start lowering it over the next week or two.

 

[Diesel]

Snap of the tips that is white from your SPS that has the issue.
It might be more soft than normal as fish can easily nip it off.
The damage got done IMO by swings in nutrients and ALK.

 

[Smite]

Snap of the tips that is white from your SPS that has the issue.
It might be more soft than normal as fish can easily nip it off.
The damage got done IMO by swings in nutrients and ALK.

Thanks Diesel. I'll check the tips and see if they are softer than normal, gonna order another KH kit too and make sure that's giving accurate measurements.

 

[Diesel]

Please let us know the out come.
Remember if you make any changes, just do it slow, your corals will thank you for it.

Great Thread!!

 

[Smite]

Please let us know the out come.
Remember if you make any changes, just do it slow, your corals will thank you for it.

Great Thread!!

So i rubbed one of the white tips with my thumb nail and it disintegrated easily. Does that rule out something eating/nipping at it, pointing more towards the issues you were suggesting? Or is it just dead new growth that hadn't hardened?

 

[Diesel]

Dead new growth?
Just new growth that didn't got enough elements like calcium.
I can explain it to you but @Randy Holmes-Farley can do it better.

 

[Smite]

Dead new growth?
Just new growth that didn't got enough elements like calcium.
I can explain it to you but @Randy Holmes-Farley can do it better.

I did say that a little weird. I meant - new growth that recently died

I see, so healthy new growth would be just as strong as the rest of the coral.

 

[Diesel]

I see, so healthy new growth would be just as strong as the rest of the coral

yes sir.
It has to do with calcification and nutrients is playing a big roll in that.
If I know in what article Randy wrote this I would post it.
Maybe a little research can't hurt through his articles.

 

[Silkyslim]

I had a xxl crab that pinched tips off my sps like this. Only way I caught it was late at night w a flash light when the lights were off.