Torch corals slowly dying?

Mustangtodd97 · Mar 21, 2018

I have several torches in my reef. All were doing well... until recently. I had one die a few weeks ago. At first I thought it was because i moved it (anemone moved and was now shading it) and had to put some force on it to break it loose from its old location (dang aquascape putty, rookie mistake!). It seemed to never recover (gave it 5 days). So I dipped it in revive, and placed it in my coral QT tank, where it met its demise. I have another torch that has slowly been declining for 2 months. And 2 more that I have noticed are just not as full as they used to be. I keep looking for the dreaded brown jelly, but see no signs of it. I have 4 hammers, and 4 frogspawn in my DT reef which are all doing well. I'm afraid dipping the remaining torches will be stressful on them, and may kill them? Is this a legitimate concern? I have 2 more torches in my QT tank that are doing well, and am nervous to move the ones from my DT into the QT out of fear they may bring whatever is bothering them into the QT. Is this possible? I have no fish in either tank (76 day fallow to rid of ich). I haven't added or changed anything in my routine. Please help!!!! Water parameters are:
CA 410
MG 1340
ALK 7.8
Sal. 1.025-1.026
Temp. 79-80
Phos. 0.00
Nitrates 0
PH 8.3

Jason mack · Mar 21, 2018

I would say that they are starving .. your no3 0 and po4 0 , I think if you bring these up a little you will se an improvement.. torches tend too like a little dirty water so too speak imo...

Mustangtodd97 · Mar 21, 2018

I should also mention that I ghost feed a little frozen food once a week (for my inverts and anemone), and I also taget feed all od my corals twice a week with reef chili. I have heard it is bad to run a tank "too clean" but didn't think it would kill torches? matbe i should double up frequency on my frozen food feedings?

I luv coralz · Mar 22, 2018

+1 on starving, mine died a lot when my tank has little to no nitrates. My nitrates are around 10 at the moment and my torches are splitting monthly.

bronsond99 · Mar 22, 2018

True, nitrates are at zero and you mentioned that you have no fish so maybe you don’t add any food so therefore your nitrates stay very low. I️ would just add some brine shrimp or some coral food every day. Don’t number chase tho, just feed everyday or so and keep light on the corals for 8hours a day!! I️ hope this helps!!

alton · Mar 22, 2018

Straight from the redsea chart

DeniseAndy · Mar 22, 2018

Try to actually feed the torch. I do not normally do this, but I have lots of fish and a dirtier system for it. It needs food and pretty good flow.

Dana Riddle · Mar 22, 2018

Euphyllia species are tolerant of low light, but need good flow to bathe the tentacles. I've got one that went from one head to 3 heads in a few months, and I don't intentionally feed it, and nutrients in the system are quite low (0.01 Phosphorus and 4 Nitrate as N.) So, my money thinks it was flow related but the I haven't seen your tank so it's a guess.