Dying Trumpet / Candy Cane ??

[DRTYshredCo]

Recently I’ve been noticing my Candy Cane getting thinner and thinner, it now had it’s skeleton completely exposed. From what I’ve heard these are supposed to be dang near indestructible... my parameters read ok (outside of higher nitrates). Coral looked decent on 14 Feb & a week later (20 Feb) it looks almost dead. It initially looked like it was splitting, the pink mouth was wide triangle shaped and seemed to be splitting in two.

-10G Nano (born early January)
-Current Orbit LED 4100: on M3 setting, 12 Hr total, 30 min sunrise/set with 100% white/blue max intensity. Approx 6” above water level (Re-programmed lstnight down to only 60% white)
-Hydor Koralia 240
-Stock hanging sock filters cleaned weekly with hose and bleached after (bleach obviously throughly rinsed out)
-Water changes: 9 Feb @ 2G, 14 Feb @1.5G (cleaned out debris from back of tank), 16 Feb 2.5G. Been trying to get the Nitrates down from a testing of ~35 on 13 Feb (Was def over feeding my fish). All water has been RODI.

Salinity 1.024
Temp 79*F
DKH >10
PH 7.8
Cal 420
Nitrates ~20

Small clown
Blue Damsel
(Also had a black damsel that was a bully & I had to get rid of)
Peppermint shrimp
Assorted snails & hermits

Green Candy Cane 3” away
Clove Polyp 4” away
Mushroom 4” away
Single orange Zoa 4” away
GSP 6” away

All other coral seem to be thriving, this is the only one that is acting different. I haven’t seen anything picking at it. I assume it may be sensitive to the light (LFS had it under darker blue only) as well as the moderate flow of my wavemaker. The light has been ramped down to 60% white 80% blue max intensity and the wave maker has been redirected for less flow toward it.

Any other thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[sfin52]

Welcome to reef2reef

It is possible decling before you put into the tank. high water flow and the intensity of light could do this as well. What type of flow Is it in. It does look like it is closer to the light than the other candy cane.

 

[DRTYshredCo]

It looked like it wasn’t as healthy as it could be when I bought it... Being a Newby I thought that it was that way in it’s usual state. It is only 1” higher toward the light.

 

[Tahoe61]

I always suspect alkalinity swings in quick demises of LPS or Sps. Are you dosing to keep that alk level around >10? What salt mix are you using?
You might want to consider letting the alk value drift down to 8.

 

[cloak]

If you haven't already you might want to look into Brown Jelly Disease/Syndrome.

 

[DRTYshredCo]

I always suspect alkalinity swings in quick demises of LPS or Sps. Are you dosing to keep that alk level around >10? What salt mix are you using?
You might want to consider letting the alk value drift down to 8.

No dosing, only use Instant Ocean Reef Crystals for water changes.

 

[ZachR32]

What are your phosphates?

 

[Tahoe61]

In my experience with Nano's and alkalinity levels, it's better to use IO rather than RC in newly established smaller tanks. RC is a great salt for larger more established tanks. I used RC in a 20 gallons for sps but alk swings were too drastic even with routine water changes. Either ways a dkh of >10 does not give you much room for error.

 

[DRTYshredCo]

What are your phosphates?

I haven’t measured Phosphate or Nitrite yet. Need to get a test kit

 

[DRTYshredCo]

In my experience with Nano's and alkalinity levels, it's better to use IO rather than RC in newly established smaller tanks. RC is a great salt for larger more established tanks. I used RC in a 20 gallons for sps but alk swings were too drastic even with routine water changes. Either ways a dkh of >10 does not give you much room for error.

I also used salt water purchased at my LFS to do two water changes. Didn’t happen to test it beyond salinity. Wonder if this different water chemistry could have shocked it.

 

[sfin52]

Lfs water is good possibility but I would think it would effect all corals not just one.

 

[DRTYshredCo]

If you haven't already you might want to look into Brown Jelly Disease/Syndrome.

I don’t see any brown slime / jelly on it... it became a skeleton fairly fast, wonder if a disease already took it’s toll. Do you think I should wait it out or quickly remove it so as to not potentially infect others?

 

[sfin52]

I have had corals go white only to produce a head and come back. Now if I lose a coral I leave it the tank

 

[DRTYshredCo]

I have had corals go white only to produce a head and come back. Now if I lose a coral I leave it the tank

It def looks like it now has two mouths compared to the triangular shaped mouth it had when I got it... Hoping i’m Just getting lucky and it’s splitting. Thx to all for the advice & perspectives

 

[DRTYshredCo]

In my experience with Nano's and alkalinity levels, it's better to use IO rather than RC in newly established smaller tanks. RC is a great salt for larger more established tanks. I used RC in a 20 gallons for sps but alk swings were too drastic even with routine water changes. Either ways a dkh of >10 does not give you much room for error.

I have been using Instant Ocean Sea Salt. (I mistakenly mentioned RC after googling the salt I thought I had. Haha #rookie )

 

[DRTYshredCo]

Getting worse :-/

 

[sfin52]

Yep I don’t think it will make it. Leave it because another head may grow.

 

[DRTYshredCo]

I think my Peppermint has been feeding on (killed) my Candy Cane and just started on my Clove Polyp. :-/ These were doing great until I got the Peppermint... ever since it entered the tank things have been going downhill. Just caught the shrimp and put it in the back of my tank to see if the Polyp opens back up. The Polyp was evensprouting new heads. All levels are still good.

 

[DRTYshredCo]

Clove opened back up after segregating Dave, my Peppermint Shrimp. ;Pompus

 

[sfin52]

We will blame canada instead of Dave.