Stopping SPS tissue recession (STN/infection)

[NeverlosT]

I posted this in a sub-subforum, but thought it might be a good topic for a wider audience. I have a frag of ASD Rainbow Millie that a couple of months ago started receding in one small spot due to being bugged by dinoflagellates (the dinos are now gone for a month or so). The recession is VERY slow (almost as slow as the growth :squigglemouth but it is receding.

How do YOU deal with tissue recession? Dip it in case it is a bacterial infection? Super glue over the dead areas hoping to stop it? Cut a frag from the frag and hope it survives the trim? Move the frag?

Lets get some discussion going, help me save my millie!

 

[TJ's Reef]

I have had very good success with soaking the end of a Q-tip with 4-5 drops of Lugol's Solution then dabbing onto the affected area while still in the tank, as I almost always glue down frags directly onto LR. Works even better when you can remove Coral from water.

Cheers, Todd

 

[NeverlosT]

a great tip, thanks TJ! I fragged one of the tips and put some superglue on the recession line. If it keeps going, I will try some lugols.

The whether to glue straight to rock thing is something I am always on the fence on, it looks way better as a colony, but it is harder to move it around and find that perfect spot. You must be good at getting the placement right the first time!

 

[TJ's Reef]

Yup, 30+ years of learning from my mistakes.... lol

Seriously though I have learned much over the years about placement, both for their needs (light/flow) as well as compatibility with others. I tend to group or crowd same species and compatible species together a bit and be aware of what Coral is up/down stream flow wise as allelopathy is often the culprit in Coral health problems within our little closed systems.

Cheers, Todd

 

[AJsTank]

I have had very good success with soaking the end of a Q-tip with 4-5 drops of Lugol's Solution then dabbing onto the affected area while still in the tank, as I almost always glue down frags directly onto LR. Works even better when you can remove Coral from water.

Cheers, Todd

Interesting. I've never heard that before.

 

[reefcubed]

I have had very good success with soaking the end of a Q-tip with 4-5 drops of Lugol's Solution then dabbing onto the affected area while still in the tank, as I almost always glue down frags directly onto LR. Works even better when you can remove Coral from water.

Cheers, Todd

Very interesting, definitely going to try this. Curious how long you let the Lugols sit on the affected area before you turn the pumps on again and such?

 

[ReefMadScientist]

Hello,

I have STN on two of my nice colonies due to a recent issue of low salinity (refractometer was off). Did the lugol's solution work?

My acro's have grown onto the LR so I was thinking maybe to break it off from the crest and cut off the dead areas?

 

[TJ's Reef]

I only leave the pumps off for a relatively short time of 5-10 minutes. As for the amount of time in contact with the Iodine, by pressing the saturated Q-tip lightly into the newly exposed skeleton it leaves a telltale yellow stain and may take a couple of saturated fresh/dry Q-tips to complete the process. Recently with a Chemical imbalance caused STN on my Red Planet colony it started to regrow over treated exposed skeleton within just a couple of days.

Cheers, Todd

 

[ReefMadScientist]

Awesome thanks Todd. I wasn't sure anyone would answer to this thread so I started a new one.

Can this be done with the exposed acro out of the water? I was planning on doing a 30g water change to expose the affected area, then apply...

 

[NeverlosT]

Did I do something wrong starting this thread? Why would we need a new one? Strictly for my own learning, if it was in the wrong place or something. Thanks everyone for their suggestions.

Most recently I did the superglue and frag method and STN seems to have halted. I think it all depends on whether the stressor in your system is still present or has been resolved.

 

[TJ's Reef]

Awesome thanks Todd. I wasn't sure anyone would answer to this thread so I started a new one.

Can this be done with the exposed acro out of the water? I was planning on doing a 30g water change to expose the affected area, then apply...

Yes, even better as you do not lose as much of the Iodine into the surrounding water. Super gluing works well when you can remove coral/frag from the tank but also leaves a much larger telltale patch.

Did I do something wrong starting this thread? Why would we need a new one? Strictly for my own learning, if it was in the wrong place or something. Thanks everyone for their suggestions.

No, not all. We did not necessarily need to start a 'new thread' though sometimes does not hurt to have more than one thread on a topic and 'Reefmad' added a 'Poll' which is great for some people to vote but choose not to add to comments.

Cheers, Todd