Bowerbankii Slow Tissue recession

Willz · Jun 2, 2019

Hello R2R,

As the title suggests I have a nice colony of Bowerbankii and the skeleton is showing through in some places and it seems to be progressing weekly. There have been no major changes in my care or parameters (same salt, controller shows stable pH, tTemperature, salinity). The mag, calcium, and alkalinity are tested often and show respectively: 1450 mag, 450 cal, and 7.5 dkh alkalinity.

I have noted some declines in a few other LPS pieces. However, a very nice rainbow chalice is less than 3” apart from the impacted colony and is growing and thriving. Also my extensive collection of acros and zoos are thriving. Nitrates and phosphate are in check by skimming and NoPox.

I have noticed some flatworms (red planarian) and fire worms. I have been siphoning both out as I can but they keep coming back. Not sure if the worms are having a negative impact.

I have been target feeding the LPS as normal and where there is still viable tissue there are still feeder tentacles snagging food.

Please let me know what I can do to stop this! It’s a very nice coral and it is in my wife’s tank, so I have a vested interest in keeping it alive for a variety of reasons.

I am thinking of ordering flatworm exit after trying yellow coris wrasses (the wrasses are on order now). Any other ideas are welcome!

Thanks so much in advance folks :)

Will

Sorry for the blue washed photos. The “ribs” sticking out is more pronounced in the first photo, but the top down photo shows the extent of the damage.

Purplelobst92 · Jun 2, 2019

Willz said:
Hello R2R,

As the title suggests I have a nice colony of Bowerbankii and the skeleton is showing through in some places and it seems to be progressing weekly. There have been no major changes in my care or parameters (same salt, controller shows stable pH, tTemperature, salinity). The mag, calcium, and alkalinity are tested often and show respectively: 1450 mag, 450 cal, and 7.5 dkh alkalinity.

I have noted some declines in a few other LPS pieces. However, a very nice rainbow chalice is less than 3” apart from the impacted colony and is growing and thriving. Also my extensive collection of acros and zoos are thriving. Nitrates and phosphate are in check by skimming and NoPox.

I have noticed some flatworms (red planarian) and fire worms. I have been siphoning both out as I can but they keep coming back. Not sure if the worms are having a negative impact.

I have been target feeding the LPS as normal and where there is still viable tissue there are still feeder tentacles snagging food.

Please let me know what I can do to stop this! It’s a very nice coral and it is in my wife’s tank, so I have a vested interest in keeping it alive for a variety of reasons.

I am thinking of ordering flatworm exit after trying yellow coris wrasses (the wrasses are on order now). Any other ideas are welcome!

Thanks so much in advance folks :)

Will

Sorry for the blue washed photos. The “ribs” sticking out is more pronounced in the first photo, but the top down photo shows the extent of the damage.

try to blast it with some water from a turkey baster to get the polyps to withdraw temporarily so you can see if detritus is lying between the polyp lobes, if you are feeding particulate coral foods this may be getting caught in-between the polyp lobes leading to infection if flow is inadequate, sometimes this will happen and infection will set in, might just need some more flow and less target feeding.

Ecvernon · Jun 3, 2019

Are there any fish that may be picking on it? I have a bowerbanki and some scolys that turned out to not be doing well. It took me a while to realize my blue hippo tang, and my purple tangs have developed a taste for LPS!!!!

Willz · Jun 3, 2019

Thanks folks, there are only 2 firefish in the tank with it.

I should have mentioned it, but I did dip in bayer dip followed by prazipro. So there was no detritus build up when I dipped it. I have only dipped the once, and wanted to check here if there was a better dip based on the symptoms. Or if I should try to frag it to save the parts that aren’t affected. I’m all ears ;)

I target feed a mixture of PE mysis, ROE, a cube of frozen fish food, and phytoplankton 2-3 times a week.

The tank the bowerbankii is in a 33g long run off my main DT’s 175g system.

Purplelobst92 · Jun 3, 2019

Willz said:
Thanks folks, there are only 2 firefish in the tank with it.

I should have mentioned it, but I did dip in bayer dip followed by prazipro. So there was no detritus build up when I dipped it. I have only dipped the once, and wanted to check here if there was a better dip based on the symptoms. Or if I should try to frag it to save the parts that aren’t affected. I’m all ears ;)

I target feed a mixture of PE mysis, ROE, a cube of frozen fish food, and phytoplankton 2-3 times a week.

The tank the bowerbankii is in a 33g long run off my main DT’s 175g system.

do you run uv in your light spectrum?

JohnMzreef · Jun 3, 2019

check at night with flashlight

Willz · Jun 3, 2019

Purplelobst92 said:
do you run uv in your light spectrum?

Yes I believe I do. That is adjustable. I currently have that channel running lower than royal blue. Do you think I need more or less UV?

Willz · Jun 3, 2019

JohnMzreef said:
check at night with flashlight

What else should I check for? I am already siphoning at night when the flatworms are out. As well as flipping frags and LR during the day to get to the fire worms.

What do you recommend?

Purplelobst92 · Jun 3, 2019

Willz said:
Yes I believe I do. That is adjustable. I currently have that channel running lower than royal blue. Do you think I need more or less UV?

i would say less they like lower lighting.

Purplelobst92 · Jun 3, 2019

Willz said:
Yes I believe I do. That is adjustable. I currently have that channel running lower than royal blue. Do you think I need more or less UV?

I got a big colony of bleeding apple bowerbanki in at my shop and it started receding under the radions I had over him, so I stuck him in a really shaded area and lowered uv and he came back pretty fast I lost some polyps but he regained his health.

Willz · Jun 3, 2019

Purplelobst92 said:
I got a big colony of bleeding apple bowerbanki in at my shop and it started receding under the radions I had over him, so I stuck him in a really shaded area and lowered uv and he came back pretty fast I lost some polyps but he regained his health.

Thanks! Ok good deal. I have a nice low light spot under T5s in the bigger tank. I’ll transplant him there and see how he does.

It is an acro dominated tank so the flow is fairly brisk. My euphelia love it. So hopefully the bowerbankii will flourish there as well.