Chalice tissue necrosis… why?

[bitstream]

I’ve had these in my tank for about a year. They were growing slow and steady, then about a month ago tissue started to disappear. Everything else in the tank, from softies to SPS is thriving.

Nothing has changed and the tank is well maintained. I did a couple iodine dips but it’s made no difference, the tissue continues to disappear.

I haven’t seen anything picking at the coral either. Flow is the same as always. Par is 75.

Any ideas?

Here’s the params, tested weekly for 6 months… super consistent:
Salinity 1.024
Ph 7.8-7.9 (has always been this way)
Alk 7.5-7.8
Cal 380-420
Mag 1200-1300

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

When is the last time you measured the par? It could have decreased in a year and half time. To me, 75 par is borderline for anything to survive. I know most advise low light low light, but personally I would move it into slightly higher lighted area.

 

[Dburr1014]

I’ve had these in my tank for about a year. They were growing slow and steady, then about a month ago tissue started to disappear. Everything else in the tank, from softies to SPS is thriving.

Nothing has changed and the tank is well maintained. I did a couple iodine dips but it’s made no difference, the tissue continues to disappear.

I haven’t seen anything picking at the coral either. Flow is the same as always. Par is 75.

Any ideas?

Here’s the params, tested weekly for 6 months… super consistent:
Salinity 1.024
Ph 7.8-7.9 (has always been this way)
Alk 7.5-7.8
Cal 380-420
Mag 1200-1300

Whats your maintenance routine?

Lighting?

Flow?

Anything at all change? New addition, dosing, ect...

I feel like something changed.

 

[bitstream]

Whats your maintenance routine?

Lighting?

Flow?

Anything at all change? New addition, dosing, ect...

I feel like something changed.

Weekly 15% water change. 2 ml of All For Reef per week (Tuesday/thursday). 75 par at the sandbed. Flow and coral position has never changed.

Phosphate is 0.1-0.2 and nitrates in the 10-20 range. Again, has been this way for 8 months at least.

The only change is the addition of two softies a couple months back and a small galaxea frag, and they are nowhere near the chalice. All new corals underwent a dip, 45 days quarantine, and another dip before adding to the tank. There’s also nothing near the chalice that could sting them, just zoas.

It’s a head scratcher.

Every day, it keeps getting worse. My only thought at this point is to move them to a darker, lower flow area of the tank and see if they recover.

 

[Borat]

75 par is probably the light of 2 burning candles... I think corals need a bit more.. mine is under 350 par light.

 

[Dburr1014]

Weekly 15% water change. 2 ml of All For Reef per week (Tuesday/thursday). 75 par at the sandbed. Flow and coral position has never changed.

Phosphate is 0.1-0.2 and nitrates in the 10-20 range. Again, has been this way for 8 months at least.

The only change is the addition of two softies a couple months back and a small galaxea frag, and they are nowhere near the chalice. All new corals underwent a dip, 45 days quarantine, and another dip before adding to the tank. There’s also nothing near the chalice that could sting them, just zoas.

It’s a head scratcher.

Every day, it keeps getting worse. My only thought at this point is to move them to a darker, lower flow area of the tank and see if they recover.

Are you running GAC?

Coral warfare is real.

Do Leather Corals Release Toxins? | Reef Tank Advisor

Being a coral in the wild is challenging, therefore, most corals have some form of chemical weaponry.

reeftankadvisor.com

I also agree 75 par is pretty low.

 

[bitstream]

Are you running GAC?

Coral warfare is real.

Do Leather Corals Release Toxins? | Reef Tank Advisor

Being a coral in the wild is challenging, therefore, most corals have some form of chemical weaponry.

reeftankadvisor.com

I also agree 75 par is pretty low.

You know what happens in this tank if I go 100? Algae. Lots and lots of algae.

It took a lot of time to find a sweet spot where the corals are healthy and algae isn’t a constant problem. Fact is that everything in the tank is doing well… including SPS. Growth is slow but steady and coloration is on point. The chalices grew well until recently. So I’m pretty confident the light isn’t the problem. PAR isn’t everything.

Also, FWIW, this is a 20 gallon nano cube.

 

[bitstream]

Yes, I’m running carbon. Always.

 

[bubbgee]

I bought a recent chalice and it started necrosis. I used coral rx, hydrogen peroxide 50/50 with tank water as well as a cipro tablet (250mg). Then I placed it where there is really low flow. It appears to have stopped.

You can try placing the coral under low flow. Don't focus on the light for now even if it will brown. The focus is to save the coral from necrosis and then you can deal with the coloring up later. It will only take raising the coral closer to the light and then it will bounce back. I've done that from experience.

 

[Dburr1014]

You know what happens in this tank if I go 100? Algae. Lots and lots of algae.

It took a lot of time to find a sweet spot where the corals are healthy and algae isn’t a constant problem. Fact is that everything in the tank is doing well… including SPS. Growth is slow but steady and coloration is on point. The chalices grew well until recently. So I’m pretty confident the light isn’t the problem. PAR isn’t everything.

Also, FWIW, this is a 20 gallon nano cube.

But can't you move up the chalices? They don't need/have to be on the sand.

 

[Joe462]

I agree that par probably isn't the problem, chalices don't need much par. Probably bacterial, but how it got a foothold is hard to say.

 

[bubbgee]

I agree that par probably isn't the problem, chalices don't need much par. Probably bacterial, but how it got a foothold is hard to say.

Or chemical warfare.

 

[bitstream]

When is the last time you measured the par? It could have decreased in a year and half time. To me, 75 par is borderline for anything to survive. I know most advise low light low light, but personally I would move it into slightly higher lighted area.

PAR was checked about 6 weeks ago when I bought a meter.


Unfortunately the way the tank is set up, there is no place I can put them with higher light unless I rip the frag discs off the rock and attach them to the massive arch that takes up half the tank. The only other place these can go is lower flow and lower light, in the back half of the tank.

It makes me wonder if maybe there was an undetected alk swing at some point, but honestly I don't think it would be enough for this to be the result, not without at least one other coral complaining.

I am going to move this wherever I can and simply hope for the best. Luckily if they don't make it, I'm only out about $75.

 

[bitstream]

I agree that par probably isn't the problem, chalices don't need much par. Probably bacterial, but how it got a foothold is hard to say.

Bacterial was a thought, which was why I did an iodine dip when this first started. I also regularly run UV, so... who knows.

 

[Joe462]

Bacterial was a thought, which was why I did an iodine dip when this first started. I also regularly run UV, so... who knows.

it can be really hard to stop once it starts. I had a big chalice STN and i dipped it every day, and every day it lost a little more flesh, till it was gone.

 

[bitstream]

it can be really hard to stop once it starts. I had a big chalice STN and i dipped it every day, and every day it lost a little more flesh, till it was gone.

I think these are going to suffer a similar fate. In the last 2 days it’s lost exponentially more tissue. Gave them a heavy iodine dip and moved them elsewhere in the tank. I doubt it’ll do any good, so we’ll just have to sit back over the next couple weeks and see what happens.

 

[bitstream]

Ok… this is super weird. After dipping them in iodine, rinsing, and returning them to the tank, I came back a few hours later and both frags are covered in long strands with bubbles attached.

It almost looks like dinos feasting on the corals or something. Anyone know what’s happening here?

 

[Dburr1014]

Ok… this is super weird. After dipping them in iodine, rinsing, and returning them to the tank, I came back a few hours later and both frags are covered in long strands with bubbles attached.

It almost looks like dinos feasting on the corals or something. Anyone know what’s happening here?

It's a stress responce

 

[TTipsyDragon]

They are slime machines when you stress them out