Torch Coral in really bad shape

[Teekayz9]

I got him for a discount as he was a bit bleached in the store, not 100% there were still dark coloration/pattern at the bottom of his Stingers. I decided I would try to nurse him back to health and unfortunately he looks much worse than I originally got him (4 days ago).

He’s in a 10 gallon tank with luminie pixie 30 for lighting, the spot he’s In according to YouTube videos should be around 80-100 pars, he was moved from a higher pars position when he showed more signs of bleaching
water prams I do twice 10% water change weekly to keep nutrients up
ph 8.2, nitrite/nitrate < 0.15/5, ammonia between 0 - 0.5

I’ve been spot feeding him with zooplankton, phytoplankton, reef Roids, and reef energy ab+ dropper daily. I’m considering dipping him in reef dip as I worry he’s developing brown algae disease. Can someone shed some light or offer advice?

 

[Teekayz9]

One more detail he has this damaged looking stem I’m not sure if it’s another factor

 

[Teekayz9]

 

[LardLad]

Take back to LFS and get your money back.

 

[Teekayz9]

Take back to LFS and get your money back.

Could you explain what made you say that? I’m curious

 

[LardLad]

Because they sold you a dying coral.

 

[LardLad]

Spot feeding a dying torch will only frustrate you and the torch and potentially add to your already elevated ammonia. Which is not the best environment for nursing a coral back to health anyway. Its a slippery slope.

 

[AmaleeC]

Because they sold you a dying coral.

Sorry buddy, but I’m with @LardLad. Euphyllia aren’t the kind of coral one can easily nurse back to health - especially if they’re already dying

 

[AlkCalmist]

I once burned a galaxia Coral by having my dosers add to close to his corner. One day he was fine the next, white tops just like yours. You could see all the skeletal fins that make up there heads. Practically all gone, barest hint of life in the cracks of the head. I moved him as close to the waters surface as I could. Corals generator a majority of their energy from photosynthesis of the zooxanthellea living in them. 3 days later he started showing sines of recovery. I didn't move him didn't feed him. After a week he was covered in baby polyps all over again. Today that same galaxia is thriving and bigger than ever. I'll see if I can throw in some pics. My advice to you, Stick him on the tallest rock you have leave him alone and see what happens. Don't target feed him at all. Found that picture, this one is a week after the recession. You can start to see the lil polyps starting to come back, there there is alot of vacant white space between them. I'll take a picture of it now and throw it up

 

[Chefwheredyougo]

I doubt you'll get your money back. Its pretty far gone, but you can move it to a spot with the least amount of light and flow and leave it alone, DON'T TOUCH IT AFTER THIS MOVE!!! it may bounce back. There is a bit of life left in it, so there is some hope. Stop feeding it, euphyllia don't really take to spot feeding anyway, and all your doing is fouling up your water even more. At this point I wouldn't dip it either. Its both *probably* a waste of dip, and only going to make it less happy.

 

[LardLad]

Get your ammonia under control too.

 

[Tamberav]

Move it into a low flow/shaded area. Don't feed it...just feed your fish per usual... keep the tank stable and hope it can recover.

 

[Teekayz9]

I’ll give the lfs store a call, and I have to agree it’s a 10 gallon and careful as I might if anything dies and ammonia will be unsalvageable.

Edit.
They offered me 25 store credit for it I think I’ll go ahead and trade up for a healthy one, as much as I want to try and save him I’ll probably will just end up killing the rest of the Euphyllias in the tank

 

[AlkCalmist]

That same galaxia today. I've always had more success with putting dying coral in higher light than lower. My reasoning behind this is that an order for the coral to grow new tissue. It must have energy. The tissue recession, it has less surface area. So it needs as much light does it can get, but not too much that it burns. Don't go over 300 par and you'll be fine. Sick corals need to grow, they can't without adequate light.

 

[Teekayz9]

Wow your galaxea looks great I have this little guy not much noticeable growth yet

So My lfs was nice enough to let me trade the dying torch for this one, he doesn’t have the glowing base but looks healthier. He has this second head that dead but lfs assured me it’s not an issue, what do you guys think?

 

[Fishbird]

I’d be really curious to hear from others about whether it’s common practice to sell people mostly dead and partially dead euphyllia.

I don’t mean to sound snarky. I don’t have experience with euphyllia. But the fact that they Knowingly sold you a torch that was basically dead, and then they “let” you trade it back for some credit so you could get a torch that was still alive but also had a dead head...feels a little skeevy to me.

 

[Teekayz9]

I was bummed about that particular coral but I think I’ll need to provide more information regarding the exchange. It’s a really Small reef store and the owner did allow a straight exchange after talking to him in person. The dying torch was discounted to 45 bucks he did try to explain the length of effort /luck required. I guess I’m willing to cut the owner some slack considering everything else I got from the store is looking good and he always throw something in for free like reef Roids, snails, super glue etc.

 

[AmaleeC]

I was bummed about that particular coral but I think I’ll need to provide more information regarding the exchange. It’s a really Small reef store and the owner did allow a straight exchange after talking to him in person. The dying torch was discounted to 45 bucks he did try to explain the length of effort /luck required. I guess I’m willing to cut the owner some slack considering everything else I got from the store is looking good and he always throw something in for free like reef Roids, snails, super glue etc.

Sounds like a good store if they let you know beforehand the difficulty in trying to save an already dying coral. Sometimes people are up to the challenge and willing to spend some money while their at it. Major kudos to them for letting you do an exchange too, I have yet to find that at one of my saltwater LFS. Happy reefing!

 

[CindyKz]

THe remaining head on your new torch looks pretty good. That could turn into a very pretty piece. Good luck with it!