Torch Dying one head at a time

doodledreads · Mar 8, 2017

I had this torch for about 5 months now. Had 4 heads when I bought it and grew to 10 heads. I moved it about two months ago and within few days lost two head. I wrote it up to stress and adjusting new flow. One of the heads had a barnacle from the start and I thought it killed the head as it grew. I have since lost four more heads one every two weeks or so. The remaining heads seem really healthy and extending through out the day.

I am currently fighting nitrate, phosphates and started nopox since last week.

Basically the head goes limp for few days, and the whole soft tissue kinda dangles and drops. I didnot see any brown jelly, but I might have missed it. Any ideas what could be the issue?

All my other lps corals are healthy (but not growing a lot because of nitrates I think). I also have issues keeping SPS (again nitrates)

Parameters:
Ca: 500 (Trying to reduce it)
KH: 11.3
PH: 8
Nitrates: > 100
Phosphates: 0.25
SG: Need to test.
Temp: 75-78

bigjoker208 · Mar 20, 2017

Ever since a couple of barnacles appeared to be the cause of two separate torch frags retracting, I always remove them.

You may want to give the coral a dip in case a pest might be the cause. When you say new flow, how strong do you mean? I think if the flow is too strong the tentacles can be cut by the hard base of the torch, making it unhappy. I hope it's doing better!

slipknotgrrl83 · Mar 20, 2017

My last torch i had started losing heads one by one. I was at a loss as too why till my lfs guy came out. He did a coral rx dip and giant Flatworms were everywhere. Needless to say the were the one that killed the heads. Definitely do a dip to rule that out

bigjoker208 · Mar 20, 2017

Glad you were able to find the culprit!

slipknotgrrl83 · Mar 20, 2017

bigjoker208 said:
Glad you were able to find the culprit!

They were huge , it was ridiculous!!

Katie Wing · Apr 5, 2017

Ok we are new to the salt water reef aquariums. We purchased this Metallic Green Torch over the weekend. Am I thinking correctly that the two white circle thingys on the left are heads? Cause the one in front had a few green in it when we got it home & now they are both empty. Is this a bad thing??? The first pic is today second one is over the weekend Really confused about this. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks Katie

Zack K · Apr 5, 2017

@doodledreads your Alk, Nitrates, and Calcium are too high. Torches have been known to be the pickiest of the euphyillia. With that being said I would work on bringing those down. I would also dip for flatworms as stated above. And @katiewing what are your water parameters?

Katie Wing · Apr 5, 2017

@doodledreads my husband does the testing several times a week. He's at work but I think this was the last one

Zack K · Apr 5, 2017

Katie Wing said:
@doodledreads my husband does the testing several times a week. He's at work but I think this was the last one

-->.5 Ammonia and 1 Nitrite<-- Right their is your problem. This numbers HAVE to be at 0 did you cycle your tank before you added livestock? How old is your tank?

Katie Wing · Apr 5, 2017

Yes it cycled. We've had it lil over 4 months now. We've had the clean up crew for a while & then added two fish to the tank they did great so added a couple more fish & the frag & torch over the weekend

Zack K · Apr 5, 2017

Katie Wing said:
Yes it cycled. We've had it lil over 4 months now. We've had the clean up crew for a while & then added two fish to the tank they did great so added a couple more fish & the frag & torch over the weekend

So it sounds like your tank is going through a mini cycle due to how quickly you added the fish. I would do a 50% water change when your husband gets home to help fix that. I would also dip your torch for any worms as said above. Flatworms can decimate coral overnight. With that being said that could be another reason you see it leaving one head at a time.

Katie Wing · Apr 5, 2017

Ok I know sounds silly but what is this dip? Also he had done a water change the day we put in should we do another this soon?

Zack K · Apr 5, 2017

Katie Wing said:
Ok I know sounds silly but what is this dip? Also he had done a water change the day we put in should we do another this soon?

Let me find a link in dipping for you. And yes on the water change this soon. Any amount of Ammonia or nitrite is harmful to the fish and coral. It can lead to big problems down the road as well as tank crashes.

Katie Wing · Apr 5, 2017

Ok great. So sorry for all the questions

Zack K · Apr 5, 2017

Katie Wing said:
Ok great. So sorry for all the questions

Don't be! That is why we are here. Here is a good video on how to Coral dip.

Katie Wing · Apr 5, 2017

Thank you so much that has helped a lot. Being theybhabe been on the tank allready will it hurt them to take out & dip now? Well when I get the dip

Zack K · Apr 5, 2017

Katie Wing said:
Thank you so much that has helped a lot. Being theybhabe been on the tank allready will it hurt them to take out & dip now? Well when I get the dip

I will not hurt. I have seen people dip colonies. It is not harmful but may irritate it for the next few hours.

Katie Wing · Apr 5, 2017

Thanks so much. Looks like I have to order online. So doing now

doodledreads · Apr 12, 2017

Wow, I missed all these replies. Been busy. Here's an update:

I dipped the coral in melafix, still lost two more heads, but finally recovered and doing well. I stopped kalk in my ATO and the alk, ca are coming down slowly. I have also started the NoPoX, so the nitrates seem to be slowly coming down, still > 50.

I still have some random problems, my Scoly, which did fantastic till about a month, when it started shriveling up and retracted. I think it could be because of changes in alk and ca, so I will give it some time to recover. I have also been medling with the lights as I find the right balance since I go to work before the lights come on and come home after the lights go down. Will update again if anything changes.