Duncan Coral has browning heads

[MindlessToxin]

So I noticed my Duncan wasn't fully opening yesterday. Upon further inspection it has some browning on the right side. I'm thinking(hoping) maybe it's just some night time stings from the Hollywood stunner chalice. I've never had brown jelly, it just freaks me out at the thought of it being that. I got some hammer and torch and I would be devastated if it was and it spread to them.
I plan on dipping in Coral rx, because that's what I got, and moving it away from neighboring corals. Here my parameters
S.G.- 1.026(35ppt)
Alk- 7.0
NO3- ~25
PO4- ~.25
Ca- 450
Mg- 1290

These parameters are fairly consistent to what I always run my tank at.

 

[dlemonz]

Do iodide dips for That

 

[MindlessToxin]

Do iodide dips for That

Does it look like brown jelly?

 

[dlemonz]

How fast is the coral dying. Try to dip and blow off the brown stuff as soon as possible

 

[MindlessToxin]

I just noticed it yesterday so idk. Doesn't look any different from yesterday.

How fast is the coral dying. Try to dip and blow off the brown stuff as soon as possible

 

[Fish Fan]

Does it look like brown jelly?

It does, but let's tag in some other eyes to be sure.

#reefsqaud may be able to help.

I believe @tbrown and @VintageReefer have some first hand (positive!) experience treating BJD.

 

[MindlessToxin]

I'm going to be honest. If it is brown jelly, I would almost rather just trash the Duncan and cut my losses. I don't want to risk bjd spreading to my other corals. I got some big expensive pieces.

 

[MindlessToxin]

I got the Duncan for like $7 at a show. I don't mean to sound so insensitive to coral life. But if keeping it is risking all my other coral....

 

[tbrown]

It does, but let's tag in some other eyes to be sure.

#reefsqaud may be able to help.

I believe @tbrown and @VintageReefer have some first hand (positive!) experience treating BJD.

I don't.

@MindlessToxin it doesn't look like BJD, but I'm wondering if it's the Aiptasia stinging it (could be the Stunner but the Aips are way close).

 

[tbrown]

Pull it out and give it a sniff. If it smells like death, it's potentially BJD. If not, it's likely just getting stung.

BJD typically kills fast. If it's been this way for a day or two, it's highly unlikely to be BJD.

 

[mcarroll]

Is that about 100 aiptasia anemones all around it? If so, I think that's your coral's problem.....Aptasia X to the rescue!!!!

 

[Fish Fan]

Is that about 100 aiptasia anemones all around it? I think that's you corals problem.....Aptasia X to the rescue!!!!

Wow! I looked at the pics and thought those 'nems WERE the BJD! Man, I need new glasses

 

[tbrown]

Wow! I looked at the pics and thought those 'nems WERE the BJD! Man, I need new glasses

I had to zoom in.

 

[Fish Fan]

I had to zoom in.

Thanks for the vote of confidence

 

[MindlessToxin]

Lord knows I got plenty of aiptasia and now you guys do too lol.
I pulled the Duncan out and sniffed it. No smell. I swished it around in a cup of tank water and it didn't come off either. I'm thinking that it was just getting stung. I moved it away from any threats.
I've been having a time with the aiptasia. F aiptasia kept it at bay for a little while and then it got out of hand. I bought a couple of peppermint shrimp and they haven't done anything(if they even survived after introducing, I'm not sure). I have a CBB in QT now with Dr. Reef.

 

[tbrown]

Peppermint shrimp are nocturnal and you won't see much of them without a flashlight at night.

 

[Fish Fan]

Berghia nudibranchs are obligate Aptasia consumers, and often suggested when these 'Nems reach *plague proportions*. The downsides are that they are a bit costly (though I've seen R2R members offer them for free), and they can starve to death after they eradicate all the Aptasia.

https://shop.thebiotagroup.com/products/berghia-nudibranch-aiptasia-eater

 

[MindlessToxin]

Berghia nudibranchs are obligate Aptasia consumers, and often suggested when these 'Nems reach *plague proportions*. The downsides are that they are a bit costly (though I've seen R2R members offer them for free), and they can starve to death after they eradicate all the Aptasia.

https://shop.thebiotagroup.com/products/berghia-nudibranch-aiptasia-eater

I would have liked to have got berghias. Like you said they are pretty pricey. That will probably be my next stop if the CBB doesn't eat them.

 

[mcarroll]

Lord knows I got plenty of aiptasia and now you guys do too lol.
I pulled the Duncan out and sniffed it. No smell. I swished it around in a cup of tank water and it didn't come off either. I'm thinking that it was just getting stung. I moved it away from any threats.
I've been having a time with the aiptasia. F aiptasia kept it at bay for a little while and then it got out of hand. I bought a couple of peppermint shrimp and they haven't done anything(if they even survived after introducing, I'm not sure). I have a CBB in QT now with Dr. Reef.

I don't wanna say you can't try other things, but you, me and a lot of folks wish that Aptasia were a good case for a bio-control, but it's not....shrimp and all others give pretty mixed results PLUS the best (Nudibranchs) have starvation as their reward for success. (...which getting consumed by the reef might be OK if they weren't priced like gold.)

Dose them with Aptasia X or F aptasia and be as persistent as you can!

Hint on the shrimp: If they can be deprived of other food sources, they will be MUCH more motivated toward the aptasia....but they are consummate scavengers, so it's actually pretty tough to "starve them" if there are other things in the tank you're feeding.