Coral and MEN Problems

[ariellemermaid]

Our coral/invert permanent QT has gone through some changes recently. It started around the time of a power outage we weren’t prepared for lasting about 12 hours. Temp only got down to 74 and everything seemed to be doing ok initially. We also added in a new order of snails and crabs around this time. In the weeks that followed Alk usage went way down by more than half. We were trying not to be super reactive and so it swung from 8.5 where it had been steady up to 11 over the course of a week or 2 before adjusting the doser to match. Around this time we noticed significant tissue loss from both red monti’s and a screaming green birdsnest that had both thrived over the past 8 months. The birdsnest looks so bad now I’ve resolved to losing it.

I figured MEN was a possibility with the monti’s; perhaps a hitchhiker from the new snail order. But I never saw anything and with another coral struggling figured it was parameter stability. Until this morning when I very clearly saw what I believe to be a nudibranch on it.

On the left, notice tissue loss at the top of the picture now covered with algae. Newest losses are the white spots on the right frag. Assuming MEN, what should be my approach to treatment? I have Seachem Dip (iodine) and CoralRX on hand; is one preferred over the other for these guys? Also forgot to mention our seasons greetings monti was completely destroyed (first frag above the red monti’s).

Any thoughts on our birdsnest? I don’t know what to do aside from watch it die. Parameters are similar to when it grew this big from one little frag, Alk has stabilized around 9. All other corals- soft, LPS, and SPS are all looking just fine including an Acropora frag (left of monti’s). I’m just out of ideas; holding steady and keeping parameters stable has just resulted in more tissue loss by the day. It was our favorite coral up to this point.

 

[ariellemermaid]

I went ahead with the CoralRX dip for now:

 

[KrisReef]

Bummer. I hope your figure this out.

 

[ariellemermaid]

Perhaps the birdsnest just didn’t like the Alk swing? Don’t know what to do about that now, though. Unless MEN eat sertiatopora that is, but I haven’t seen anything suggesting that.

 

[ariellemermaid]

It was a lost cause it seems, now just crabs cleaning up the debris. So sad to see such a large, thriving, highly growing coral just completely bleach and die. While acros and others are still doing fine.

 

[afrokobe]

I thought you had a problem with corals and men for some reason when I read the title of this thread....

 

[o2manyfish]

You definitely have monti nudis there are at least 3 in that one photo you posted. You need to scrub the underside looking for eggs and nudis and freshwater dip afterwards for 5-10 mins - Montis will lose color, almost immediately, but will recover within a few weeks. You need to check the underside of all montis - even ones that seem to be fine.

Dave B

 

[((FORDTECH))]

Our coral/invert permanent QT has gone through some changes recently. It started around the time of a power outage we weren’t prepared for lasting about 12 hours. Temp only got down to 74 and everything seemed to be doing ok initially. We also added in a new order of snails and crabs around this time. In the weeks that followed Alk usage went way down by more than half. We were trying not to be super reactive and so it swung from 8.5 where it had been steady up to 11 over the course of a week or 2 before adjusting the doser to match. Around this time we noticed significant tissue loss from both red monti’s and a screaming green birdsnest that had both thrived over the past 8 months. The birdsnest looks so bad now I’ve resolved to losing it.

I figured MEN was a possibility with the monti’s; perhaps a hitchhiker from the new snail order. But I never saw anything and with another coral struggling figured it was parameter stability. Until this morning when I very clearly saw what I believe to be a nudibranch on it.

On the left, notice tissue loss at the top of the picture now covered with algae. Newest losses are the white spots on the right frag. Assuming MEN, what should be my approach to treatment? I have Seachem Dip (iodine) and CoralRX on hand; is one preferred over the other for these guys? Also forgot to mention our seasons greetings monti was completely destroyed (first frag above the red monti’s).

Any thoughts on our birdsnest? I don’t know what to do aside from watch it die. Parameters are similar to when it grew this big from one little frag, Alk has stabilized around 9. All other corals- soft, LPS, and SPS are all looking just fine including an Acropora frag (left of monti’s). I’m just out of ideas; holding steady and keeping parameters stable has just resulted in more tissue loss by the day. It was our favorite coral up to this point.

I thought this was a thread about you complaining about your husband. Men lol

 

[ariellemermaid]

You definitely have monti nudis there are at least 3 in that one photo you posted. You need to scrub the underside looking for eggs and nudis and freshwater dip afterwards for 5-10 mins - Montis will lose color, almost immediately, but will recover within a few weeks. You need to check the underside of all montis - even ones that seem to be fine.

Dave B

Yeah I’ve done my first dip but read about scrubbing after so I’ll incorporate that with the next dip. I almost wonder whether there’s a patch of eggs in the above picture on the bleached spot. Good to know they’ll recover.

However we wouldn’t cry over the monti’s. They’re great and have been growing, but nothing like the birdsnest. I guess I have to chalk it up to the power outage with the drop in Alk consumption being the sign something was wrong. Still, hard to believe a temp dip to 74 and then corrected would result in the death of the entire colony. Unless the largest soft coral, cespitularia, released toxins under stress.