Torch coral recovery plan

[ekandler]

Got this struggling cotton candy torch from a friend. This is about it’s max polyp extension. I have a happy mixed reef, plenty of other euphyllia, other LPS, SPS, etc. that are happy. Are there any recommendations on helping nurse this guy back to happiness or just leave him and give it time? Try feeding anything in particular, iodine dips, etc.? Thanks for the help!

 

[danieyella]

@MERKEY @Lost in the Sauce any tips?

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

Hey bud. Looks like you've got some nice pieces around it.

Unfortunately it appears that all of the torches healthy external tissue has receded completely.

Do you know of what circumstance occurred with your buddy's tank that cause this?

Alk swings, aggression, bacteria could all have Started it.

At this point, unless you suspect it is bacterial, I would leave it alone. Don't pull it out for any more dips. Torches do not like being handled and take a while to recover from it when healthy.

Feeding normally how you would any other coral.

Once all the tissue has receded like this, It's pretty much a waiting game hoping the fresh skeleton with healthy tissue is pushed up from where the growth stalled.

I've gone 50/50 on euphyllia that have fully exposed skeletons like yours. Good luck, keep your water monitored and in check.

 

[ekandler]

Hey bud. Looks like you've got some nice pieces around it.

Unfortunately it appears that all of the torches healthy external tissue has receded completely.

Do you know of what circumstance occurred with your buddy's tank that cause this?

Alk swings, aggression, bacteria could all have Started it.

At this point, unless you suspect it is bacterial, I would leave it alone. Don't pull it out for any more dips. Torches do not like being handled and take a while to recover from it when healthy.

Feeding normally how you would any other coral.

Once all the tissue has receded like this, It's pretty much a waiting game hoping the fresh skeleton with healthy tissue is pushed up from where the growth stalled.

I've gone 50/50 on euphyllia that have fully exposed skeletons like yours. Good luck, keep your water monitored and in check.

Thank you! Our best guess as to the cause is 0 nutrients. He has a large system and has struggled lately with keeping nutrients above 0 and everything has been stressed out. I’ve had it about a week, I notice at night it recedes all the way into the head and comes back out like this during the day. I don’t normally feed my corals specifically, I feed a good amount of LRS reef frenzy which gets well mixed into the tank and my corals will pull stuff in usually.

I’ll keep an eye on it but let it be. I’ll report back with any updates!

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

Thank you! Our best guess as to the cause is 0 nutrients. He has a large system and has struggled lately with keeping nutrients above 0 and everything has been stressed out. I’ve had it about a week, I notice at night it recedes all the way into the head and comes back out like this during the day. I don’t normally feed my corals specifically, I feed a good amount of LRS reef frenzy which gets well mixed into the tank and my corals will pull stuff in usually.

I’ll keep an eye on it but let it be. I’ll report back with any updates!

Looking at your other coral in the tank, I would say you have at least adequate dissolved nutrients. Hoping with you for a full recovery.

Definitely update in a month.

Just know that recovery is a slow process with this. The little guy top right didn't open or extend for after a month after a bjd onslaught.

This is about 2 months recovery. Started with one 1/2" tentacle.

 

[ekandler]

Looking at your other coral in the tank, I would say you have at least adequate dissolved nutrients. Hoping with you for a full recovery.

Definitely update in a month.

Just know that recovery is a slow process with this. The little guy top right didn't open or extend for after a month after a bjd onslaught.

This is about 2 months recovery. Started with one 1/2" tentacle.

Glad to know there’s some hope. Tested nutrients in my system yesterday, 0.04 phosphate and 9 nitrate. I’m happy with those levels, not my ideal but close enough.

you seem like you know your torches. Thank you for the help. I’ll report back for sure.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

Glad to know there’s some hope. Tested nutrients in my system yesterday, 0.04 phosphate and 9 nitrate. I’m happy with those levels, not my ideal but close enough.

you seem like you know your torches. Thank you for the help. I’ll report back for sure.

Sadly this is all that's left after bjd. Slowly rebuilding.

 

[ekandler]

Sadly this is all that's left after bjd. Slowly rebuilding.

Well they look great. Sorry about the lost coral. Bjd is rough. Only had it once or twice myself over the years thankfully.

 

[WildReefGuy]

Got this struggling cotton candy torch from a friend. This is about it’s max polyp extension. I have a happy mixed reef, plenty of other euphyllia, other LPS, SPS, etc. that are happy. Are there any recommendations on helping nurse this guy back to happiness or just leave him and give it time? Try feeding anything in particular, iodine dips, etc.? Thanks for the help!

did your torch ever recover?

 

[ekandler]

did your torch ever recover?

No it didn’t. Lived like that for a bit but could never get the tissue to regrow and after a few months I had another mild swing of nutrients that set it over the edge and killed it.