Candy cane slowly receeding

[weemanno1]

Hi guys hope someone can help I’ve got multiple corals including a Duncan that’s has grown multiple heads ! But I have a candy cane coral that’s looking sad and reversing over the last month..
My parameters are attached . It’s underneath macro algae so still getting decent light but not to high and my flow is decent but not to high. When I 1st had it.. to now.. ( I’ll add below when the lights come on ) all I can think is target feed but I think 2 of the heads have gone past it !

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

If its under macro algae then I would move it and give it more light. The parameters are not listed, but if parameters are good and other corals are good then IMO it comes down to positioning.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

I honestly never had luck with candy canes. A lot of people on here have struggles with these kinds of corals, but there are some where they grow huge! My best bet is it needs more lighting

 

[weemanno1]

I honestly never had luck with candy canes. A lot of people on here have struggles with these kinds of corals, but there are some where they grow huge! My best bet is it needs more lighting

see i thought this but i put it under the macro thinking it was getting to much light its about 120 par when the algae wasnt there so would say its 60-70 now.

 

[Shirak]

Not seeing your parameters. Par 60-70 is a little low but not terrible. 120 is ok as long as it's not reacting badly and shriveling up during the day.

I find them tricky because the heads often separate from each other and once the flesh is gone between them, they no longer can transport nutrients from head to head. I have always had the best luck with them, feeding 2 or 3 times a week at night, trying to make sure each head catches something.

 

[weemanno1]

Not seeing your parameters. Par 60-70 is a little low but not terrible. 120 is ok as long as it's not reacting badly and shriveling up during the day.

I find them tricky because the heads often separate from each other and once the flesh is gone between them, they no longer can transport nutrients from head to head. I have always had the best luck with them, feeding 2 or 3 times a week at night, trying to make sure each head catches something.

So this is it now the 2 heads have separated as you mentioned the lights at about 140 par before the coral was put in so I dropped the lights 10% and let the macro grow over it a bit so I suspect it a little lower. Now. Prob between 100 and 115 (I’ll get a light meter to check.) I’ll try feeding them some reef roids now for tea .. I can’t feed them at night as they don’t have night tentacles and tend shrink a bit at night . Hammer tends to start and shrink in for the night at 8pm also :) as the light start to drop down.. I’ll try the food it might just need feeding to get its strength up.. it’s done a little better since I’ve lent it towards the glass rather than vertically through the algae to get to the light . I’ve also attached a photo just before lights on in a morning

 

[Shirak]

Your nutrients a little on the low side so supplemental feeding should help. They won't usually eat unless you see feeder tentacles. I prefer some LPS pellets or chopped up frozen mysis vs Reef Roids. If you use RRoids make it into a paste so you can target feed them. You might get them to take a little particle food if you put it right on the coral by the mouth.

Try this about an hour after lights go out. Put a tiny bit of food into the tank or a little juice from some frozen mysis. You should see a feeding response from them with tentacles emerging.

You are correct about the hammers. My hammers, torches, octos etc would usually shrink up at night. I would feed them during the day. For me direct feeding LPS of all types helped a lot. Some people don't but they may feed fish heavily or have a large fish load etc. Feeding is a complex challenge and sometimes you have to find what works for you. If parameters, light, water flow etc are all stable and where they should be then usually it's a nutrition issue if you have long slow receding on your LPS. Corals can get a lot of their nutrition from their symbiotic algae but they are also designed to catch and eat food!

 

[Uncle99]

Looks like something tasted them.
These are in easy 200 at the top.
They like light

 

[weemanno1]

Looks like something tasted them.
These are in easy 200 at the top.
They like light

That’s for the Imput. I have nothing in the tank that will eat them I only have 4 fish and a pederson shrimp and about 15 nessarius.. and a strawberry conch. Nothing to eat it ? I’ll check my lighting with boat meter and report back :) I get no tentacles at night They deflate normally I’ll try the juices thing at light out or 1st thing in a morning before light on ?

 

[Uncle99]

I have a tang that ate 4 heads of a neon hammer.
Surprised me.

I’m not sure what a boat meter is, a PAR meter maybe you mean.

 

[Reef magic 1]

If its under macro algae then I would move it and give it more light. The parameters are not listed, but if parameters are good and other corals are good then IMO it comes down to positioning.

Agreed

 

[weemanno1]

Agreed

So I managed to feed it brine shrimp the other day as it’s small and the. Did a 10% water change and noticed for 2 days after it improves so I think it’s down to feeding more often and trace elements it’s missing . I’ve borrowed a par meter and this is what my reads are currently and slowly upgrading to in the future 75-80%