ACRO Disease?

[BZreef16]

Hey all, I have a 5G deskmate at about 7 months old. For the past two weeks, one of the acro started to grey out starting near the light and working its way down. I suspected lighting.....but I haven't changed a thing in 6 months. PE is still good on the areas that still unaffected. All other SPS are healthy and encrusting (Except a bird nest with I think I bleached with lighting very early on)

Todays readings:
1.026
temp: 78-79
Cal 440
Alk 9
PH 8.0
po4: 0.02
Nitrate: 10

^these numbers are pretty consistent. I try to keep po4 around .08
25% WC Weekly
Dosing AFR daily and ATO with Kalk
Flow is abundant
Lighting has not changed.

Any help would me much appreciated.

 

[Dburr1014]

Do you know why po4 dipped? Does it always dip out first time?
Is this frag 7 months old also?

 

[BZreef16]

Do you know why po4 dipped? Does it always dip out first time?
Is this frag 7 months old also?

No, not really. Maybe under feeding or over skimming.... but I can't imagine that is 100% the case.

Frag is about 4 months old. I lost some color when first adding it to the tank....but It eventually came back. Never had it lose this much color though.

 

[Hurricane Aquatics]

What lighting? I see a lot of shading in the tank.

 

[BZreef16]

What lighting? I see a lot of shading in the tank.

Ai Prime with diffuser. There actually isn't much shading especially where this frag is.

 

[Hurricane Aquatics]

Ai Prime with diffuser. There actually isn't much shading especially where this frag is.

What frag is that, name wise?

Look in the middle of your first Pic. You see where the Acro frag has started to grow onto the rock? Look at the pigment, that's a protein pigment "infection". That's just what it's known as, it isn't a problem.

What it does, is causes that swirling in the color that you see when it's encrusting on the rock. It's starting to do that on the bottom of the frag.

I don't think anything is wrong with your lighting or anything else. I think your frag is getting used to your lights and water and is starting to change color. I like the deep blue, but I have to tell you, if it keeps swirling like that, you'll have a VERY, VERY nice Acro on your hands that will be valuable.

Here's the swirling from your Pic.

 

[BZreef16]

What frag is that, name wise?

Look in the middle of your first Pic. You see where the Acro frag has started to grow onto the rock? Look at the pigment, that's a protein pigment "infection". That's just what it's known as, it isn't a problem.

What it does, is causes that swirling in the color that you see when it's encrusting on the rock. It's starting to do that on the bottom of the frag.

I don't think anything is wrong with your lighting or anything else. I think your frag is getting used to your lights and water and is starting to change color. I like the deep blue, but I have to tell you, if it keeps swirling like that, you'll have a VERY, VERY nice Acro on your hands that will be valuable.

Here's the swirling from your Pic.

Thank your the insight. I did read a couple articles on this... but this mostly involves the introduction of green florescent pigment vs loss. My frag started green and now has loss its pigment and PE in the area that is now grey. I checked for any signs of disease or acro eaters and couldn't see anything. Since everything else is doing well... I'll leave it alone and do business as usual.

 

[Hurricane Aquatics]

Thank your the insight. I did read a couple articles on this... but this mostly involves the introduction of green florescent pigment vs loss. My frag started green and now has loss its pigment and PE in the area that is now grey. I checked for any signs of disease or acro eaters and couldn't see anything. Since everything else is doing well... I'll leave it alone and do business as usual.

Make sure you have enough nutrients in your system as well. I would feed the corals at least once a week by spit feeding or just pouring it in the water and turning off flow for a bit until they get enough. You need nutrients or Acros will start getting pale as well.

 

[jackson6745]

I had the same kind of thing on a shortcake frag. Never figured out what it was. I gave it to a buddy and it recovered in his tank in 6 weeks. I also dose AFR. Maybe a trace issue? I’ll send out an ICP.

 

[BZreef16]

I had the same kind of thing on a shortcake frag. Never figured out what it was. I gave it to a buddy and it recovered in his tank in 6 weeks. I also dose AFR. Maybe a trace issue? I’ll send out an ICP.

Interesting..... I do consistent weekly WCs so I'm not sure it's related to trace elements? If I had a final answer, I would say its the instability of having a pico tank.

I upgraded to a 15G vs 5G and lower the temp to 77. Everything else I will continue to do the same. I will update this thread with any changes.