Coral lost a lot of color and size :( any ideas?

[Bryan47]

This coral was beautiful upon purchase !

Over time it lost color and size.

Parameters are all in spec. Had it on a rock about 1/3 up. Moved it back to the sand bed today and put it under an arch thinking maybe it was getting too much lighting?

Before and after pictures below. Al other corals doing fine.

 

[james30ct]

were you feeding it anything?

 

[tupes]

What kind of lighting do you have? What is your lighting schedule? I know you said your parameters are in check but could you please give the numbers. Have you added anything else since the coral other fish or inverts? What other types of corals do you have?

 

[phillrodrigo]

Pretty sure it's dead isn't it. Is that a straight skeleton I see

 

[surfnsalt]

What fish do you have in your tank? How much time did it take to get like that?

 

[GobyWanKenobie]

Looks like an open brain that died. Once they start to recede into the skeleton it's almost impossible to save them. I can't seem to keep them longer than 6 months regardless of how much or what I feed them. Since I've lost two of them, I won't try again.

 

[julian]

for sure there is no coral there

 

[Bryan47]

Surprisingly there is coral. It has a mouth that still opens. I will recheck parameters. Lighting schedule is actually something I was gonna post about. Since I work second shift I have it set to come on at like 10am and go off at 1am so I can enjoy them. I think I should set it for way less. I am using 4 t5's. So weird how some corals just don't last in some tanks.

 

[SteelerMike]

I have an open brain that I have had for over a year, I bought it the first frag swap at Collin's. When I first got it i receded as well and I moved it to the outside corner of my tank which is out of direct light and it now does very well, sometimes puffing up quite large. I used to feed it but I don't anymore and it is doing quite well. Maybe move it to a less well lit area and feed it. I fed mine when it wasn't doing as well just to try to help it recover. Here's a bad pic of it. It was about the size of yours when I bought it.

 

[tupes]

Surprisingly there is coral. It has a mouth that still opens. I will recheck parameters. Lighting schedule is actually something I was gonna post about. Since I work second shift I have it set to come on at like 10am and go off at 1am so I can enjoy them. I think I should set it for way less. I am using 4 t5's. So weird how some corals just don't last in some tanks.

What is the height on your tank.? That photo period is a long time. I have metal halide and a 4 bulb t5 combo fixture. The T5 come on at 10am and go off at 6pm my metal halide comes on at 11am and off at 5pm. And my brain is off to the left side of my tank not under direct lighting from the mh bulb.

 

[Bryan47]

Ok I moved him and will feed and adjust lights tonight. I hate to turn lights off so early because I do most of my work between 11pm-1am when I get home. What is a good photo period? And it does get some natural sunlight but not direct. It's not in a dark room is basically what I mean.

 

[mtc1966]

so turn them on later in the day so you can enjoy them at night

 

[KRAZE]

Ok I moved him and will feed and adjust lights tonight. I hate to turn lights off so early because I do most of my work between 11pm-1am when I get home. What is a good photo period? And it does get some natural sunlight but not direct. It's not in a dark room is basically what I mean.

It looks like it was over lit but also could have been other factors too. Post your water parameters, and do you keep a log book of them? If not, good idea to do so... if you do then look back at what changed when the coral started to look bad until now. Feeding is also important with these guys.

As for lighting, I work 10-7 so my lights (6 t5's) are on a 2:00pm-11:00pm schedule. (2 lamps come on at 2:00, other 4 lamps on 3:00-9:00, and then the 2 go off at 11:00pm). My tank is in the living room with no direct light, but the room is well lit before the lights go on and doesn't seem to make a difference.

 

[Bryan47]

It looks like it was over lit but also could have been other factors too. Post your water parameters, and do you keep a log book of them? If not, good idea to do so... if you do then look back at what changed when the coral started to look bad until now. Feeding is also important with these guys.

As for lighting, I work 10-7 so my lights (6 t5's) are on a 2:00pm-11:00pm schedule. (2 lamps come on at 2:00, other 4 lamps on 3:00-9:00, and then the 2 go off at 11:00pm). My tank is in the living room with no direct light, but the room is well lit before the lights go on and doesn't seem to make a difference.

Thank you! I do keep a log book and will take a look when I get home. I will test params tonight. Last I knew everything was in check. I test once a week.