What'ya doing Mr. Torch?

[findingsimple]

For the past 5 or so days this Torch has been in a mood - the left hand side won't extend and now the right is starting to tighten up - does this look familiar to anyone? Should I be worried?

Here is a youtube video of it.

It's always been a little temperamental but never for this long.

No new tank mates, lots of other torches doing fine.

Parameters stable - everything hovers around the following
* 1.025-1.026
* 25.5-26 degrees c
* Nitrates ~5
* Ammonia 0
* Phosphates - not 0 (I don't know exactly today)
* Ph 8.3-8.5
* Alk 7.8-8.2
* Calc ~ 460
* Mag ~ 1500

I can't see anything resembling the dreaded brown jelly. There were a couple bubbles of bubble algae I noticed in the middle between the heads when the polp retracted - which I manual removed. Lighting hasn't changed.

Thoughts? TIA

 

[findingsimple]

I've obviously noticed the slightly paler polyps but there isn't anything around that can sting it.

The flesh also looks to be ok to me

 

[hexcolor reef]

Nitrates and phosphate are too low. Torches/ coral in general like some nitrates. 10-20ppm atleast.
phosphates 1.0ppm
If you’re seeing brown strings / goo coming from the mouth while the tentacles are tightening it’s a possible sign of growth. A new head cookie be popping out soon. Look to see if you can see two mouths on one of the heads.
Also check the skin on the heads of the torch. If it’s receding, look for flat worms or other pest.

 

[findingsimple]

This is what my other torches look like

 

[findingsimple]

Nitrates and phosphate are too low. Torches/ coral in general like some nitrates. 10-20ppm atleast.
phosphates 1.0ppm
If you’re seeing brown strings / goo coming from the mouth while the tentacles are tightening it’s a possible sign of growth. A new head cookie be popping out soon. Look to see if you can see two mouths on one of the heads.
Also check the skin on the heads of the torch. If it’s receding, look for flat worms or other pest.

Thanks I'll have a look for another mouth (possibly could be it) and I'll try and up the nitrates and phosphates and see what effect that has - I'm already feeding quite heavily

 

[ptrusk]

I would move it out of the sand.

 

[findingsimple]

I would move it out of the sand.

It was up on rocks until this morning - I wanted to see if lighting change would help

 

[mtraylor]

They can definitely deflate every now and then for growing new heads, but I have never seen for five straight days.

Have you been keeping up with calcium and strontium for growth?

Maybe something is bothering it or hit it. I would inspect it thoroughly. You can always give a luguls bath for any infection. If you had for 5 years and it stays that way then something is wrong. If that was the case. I would dip for pests too. Doubt anything but you never know . Good luck

 

[findingsimple]

They can definitely deflate every now and then for growing new heads, but I have never seen for five straight days.

Have you been keeping up with calcium and strontium for growth?

Maybe something is bothering it or hit it. I would inspect it thoroughly. You can always give a luguls bath for any infection. If you had for 5 years and it stays that way then something is wrong. If that was the case. I would dip for pests too. Doubt anything but you never know . Good luck

Calcium has been very stable. I do auto water change every night for 10% weekly which seems to keep it replenished.

Strontium I’ve never tested for but have an ICP kit on the way I’m going to do soon.

that’s a good idea about the bath/dip - that hadn’t crossed my mind. I’ll give that a go tomorrow

 

[Bucs20fan]

A dip is a great place to start, Also what kind of flow is this torch getting? They will whimper and sulk if they are getting too much or not enough flow.

 

[findingsimple]

A dip is a great place to start, Also what kind of flow is this torch getting? They will whimper and sulk if they are getting too much or not enough flow.

The video link above probably gives best demo of flow - it was sitting with this torches on the side

 

[hexcolor reef]

Calcium has been very stable. I do auto water change every night for 10% weekly which seems to keep it replenished.

Strontium I’ve never tested for but have an ICP kit on the way I’m going to do soon.

that’s a good idea about the bath/dip - that hadn’t crossed my mind. I’ll give that a go tomorrow

The water change is the issue, torches don’t like frequent changes in water. You’re probably zeroing out on all nutrients daily. I wouldn’t do any water changes and let your tank get a little dirty meaning let those nitrates and phosphates rise. Also make sure your salinity is in fact 35ppm. With all those water changes it’s easy for your salinity to drop if topping off with fresh water

 

[findingsimple]

Nitrates this morning are more like 10ppm (I'm just using redsea kit for nitrate) so I really can't see my nitrates bottoming out from a ~7 litre daily water change (its a 500litre tank). I run the smaller consistent water changes so there are less fluctuations overall

 

[hexcolor reef]

Nitrates this morning are more like 10ppm (I'm just using redsea kit for nitrate) so I really can't see my nitrates bottoming out from a ~7 litre daily water change (its a 500litre tank). I run the smaller consistent water changes so there are less fluctuations overall

Any pics to show how the torch is doing today

 

[findingsimple]

Any pics to show how the torch is doing today

No change. I’m just out at the moment trying to find some iodine.

I gave it a dip and another look over for pests but seems fine. Haven’t spotted any extra mouths but that section is quite retracted so its hard to say.

the good side is maybe starting to extend a little more than previous few days but still no where near normal.

ill grab an updated picture a little later. Other torches are still extended waving and normal.

 

[findingsimple]

Any pics to show how the torch is doing today

Flipped around after the dip

 

[findingsimple]

Lugols acquired, how much do I dose for an iodine bath?

 

[hexcolor reef]

I would follow the direction on the box for a iodine dose
hows the flow around the torch, I think from here it’s just a waiting game in 3 days the torch should start to loosen up. You can always find a better place in the tank that it like better. It’s true when they say torch coral are temperamental

 

[findingsimple]

Update - no good news. The bad head continues to get paler polyps.

I think I have identified multiple mouths on the bad head. The mouths are still very green.

The good head is starting to get pale polyps on the side of the bad head which is interesting. It’s almost like an infection crossing from one side to the other.

Nutrients are fine in the tank at 10 nitrates or higher. Maybe I need to do a specific target feed.

it’s all a bit frustrating as everything else is beautiful at the moment

 

[findingsimple]

Considering getting the hack saw out and splitting the bad from the good and seeing if that will save the good side - or if it will just stress things more