Super pale red planet recently acquired.

[mstockmaster]

So I just picked up a red planet from a trusted source at a local swap. It all appears healthy with good polyp extension and such. But the thing is about as pale as any acro I've ever seen. I assume that I need to feed this thing and keep it out of high light until it starts to color up but I'm not certain. If anyone has any good suggestions for how to get some color into this thing I'd be appreciate.

FYI parameters:

Kh: 8.6
Ca: 420
Nitrates: 20
Phosphate: .027
Lighting: led
Flow: lots

 

[markalot]

It appears to have AEFW bite marks on the bottom of the coral. The overall look is one of a coral with AEFW damage.

As with any acro, set up a dip of Bayer, triple rinse, remove from frag plug and inspect all dead areas for eggs. Make sure to blow on the acro with a baster to remove any possible live or near dead worms. Other threads here have more on the process. To be sure, get a clearer closeup of the bottom of that coral using a flashlight to light up the skin.

 

[mstockmaster]

It appears to have AEFW bite marks on the bottom of the coral. The overall look is one of a coral with AEFW damage.

As with any acro, set up a dip of Bayer, triple rinse, remove from frag plug and inspect all dead areas for eggs. Make sure to blow on the acro with a baster to remove any possible live or near dead worms. Other threads here have more on the process. To be sure, get a clearer closeup of the bottom of that coral using a flashlight to light up the skin.

Maybe it's just a bad pic, but no aefw and no die off. Skin and polyps are all there, just super super pale. All 3 acros I got from seller were very pale.

 

[jda]

You do not need to feed it anything. You can if you want, but this is not a need. Unless the food is perfect, an acro can spend more energy on processing than they get out of the food.

Good water parameters and good light will get the job done.

New bases and frag plugs are always a good idea. Otherwise, your frag swap just turned into a swingers party in San Fran or NYC in the early 1980s... prepare for some diseases.

 

[mstockmaster]

You do not need to feed it anything. You can if you want, but this is not a need. Unless the food is perfect, an acro can spend more energy on processing than they get out of the food.

Good water parameters and good light will get the job done.

New bases and frag plugs are always a good idea. Otherwise, your frag swap just turned into a swingers party in San Fran or NYC in the early 1980s... prepare for some diseases.

Feeding is more of a having nutrients in the water than actual physical food.

 

[mstockmaster]

Also, all corals were dipped; revive, Bayer, then fw. And I do trust the seller, his systems are immaculate and the corals that these were fragged from are years old, some decades.

 

[mstockmaster]

Main question I guess is should I move it to high light area if it's still pale, or should I wait for some color before I glue it down in it's final spot.

 

[jda]

If this dude is really good and you trust him, then why do they look like this? Assume the worst for the best results. I do not trust anybody.

I would wait until you see a bit more color before you move them too much. If you knew for certain the lights that they were under, and they were thriving, then I would just mount them right away... but they are not thriving or the would not be pale. I might even wait for some new encrustation - this might only take a week if they are super healthy.

 

[mstockmaster]

Thanks for the feedback. I know that these were in a grow-out system under mh. I've contacted the seller to inquire if these came out if his system like this or if they paled in transport. I'll keep them out if direct light until I see improvement.

 

[BoomCorals]

Fading in and of itself is not a sign of aefw. There would be obvious bite marks if that was it and I don’t see that. This is more of an alk swing, light change, nutrient change I think. They just need time to adjust. I’ve had frags do this because of all swing or even just from fragging sometimes.

 

[bubbaque]

If your current system has no issues growing sps, then these frags will color up. I would just start them lower in the tank.

 

[mstockmaster]

If your current system has no issues growing sps, then these frags will color up. I would just start them lower in the tank.

Keeping alive, yes. Growing, tbd but signs are looking positive. A couple of the pieces looked better today.

 

[larangcon]

All good advice, if your params are good the colors will be better in time, sometimes it takes weeks to acclimate to a different tank.

 

[Stephen Glover]

Is fw dipping acceptable for any corals? Could cause more harm than good.

 

[BoomCorals]

Is fw dipping acceptable for any corals? Could cause more harm than good.

I would definitely not for sps

 

[mstockmaster]

Sorry, fw dip was only for the couple of zoa's I got.

 

[Denisk]

It’s hard to tell as seeing your other sps would be a good indication if you needed to feed more. However the other sps don’t look pale in the background. Also from your parameters you listed, there would be no need to feed anymore.

My only thought is they don’t look like they were cut long ago. Sometimes certain corals will lose color after being fragged. Especially if fragged and then sold to be put into another tank. I wouldn’t do anything except start it in a lower part of the tank if you feel your lights are strong.

Otherwise just let time takes its course and it’ll color back up. As long as your parameters stay stable.

Best of luck!

 

[mstockmaster]

I spoke with the seller and basically the only thing we could come up with was that they faded during transport. They made their way across Ohio twice in a day, so some stress was put on them.

 

[BoomCorals]

I spoke with the seller and basically the only thing we could come up with was that they faded during transport. They made their way across Ohio twice in a day, so some stress was put on them.

Yea that can be totally normal then. Acros do what they want when they want to.