Elegance Coral Problems

[Rispa]

You're welcome

 

[Rispa]

Cipro order placed. I think I'll try the original site I sent in a month or two just to have more on hand for anemones or more elegance experiments. This should last for a while though.

 

[eraserhead187]

Cipro order placed. I think I'll try the original site I sent in a month or two just to have more on hand for anemones or more elegance experiments. This should last for a while though.

Got mine ordered this morning also!

 

[wmwesty]

Past pics

Too much algae I would say bad water conditions

 

[Rispa]

Too much algae I would say bad water conditions

I don't think that's it. The algae levels haven't changed since I got it and it was thriving initially. Started with 1 mouth and went up to 3. Also the rest of my coral are super happy. I had an anemone get stressed which caused a recent algae bloom, but it's under control. I've also been doing weekly water changes of about 10-15g in case it is something weird in the water.

 

[eraserhead187]

Too much algae I would say bad water conditions

Nah, this is a known thing with these corals. Nobody really knows what it is or how to treat it though. That's what we're trying to figure out.

 

[Rispa]

@dvmsn I saw you posting in another thread. Do you have more thoughts

 

[dvmsn]

Sorry, I wish I did. I think it is a pathogens. Maybe virals since nothing seems to work. My guess is that is in the chain somewhere, not at the collection source. Might sit dormant in wholesaler tanks until an elegance appears. Who knows. My feeling is that it would cost a huge amount to actually prove it.

 

[Rispa]

Sorry, I wish I did. I think it is a pathogens. Maybe virals since nothing seems to work. My guess is that is in the chain somewhere, not at the collection source. Might sit dormant in wholesaler tanks until an elegance appears. Who knows. My feeling is that it would cost a huge amount to actually prove it.

One if the earlier links is an reasonably detailed article by a guy who did research on it. He didn't Find anything viral and I think he would have if that was it. I think it's bacterial and it's just a matter of finding the right treatment.

I also very much agree with your bunch on how it spreads

 

[Syed123]

From personal experience a healthy elegance I purchased which was supposed an Australian Elegance started showing signs of ECS symptoms 2 months in. It began with right side getting the white mesentrial filaments. These filaments appear when the coral is fighting off something or there is irritation of some sort. Anyways the progression was that the filaments would appear, head and tentacles would retract and this would move on to the next head etc. In the end the coral heads were receded and the coral's tentacles were not existent. The coral bleached and perished. My other older Elegance was 100% fine and still is. Now from what I read about ECS is that my other Elegance should have also gotten ECS and died. But it didn't.

It's possible ECS is just a blanket problem for a variety of different diseases or environmental factors which can kill an Elegance Coral.

@Rispa

Your first pic of your elegance looks just like the elegance I used to have before it died. It's a horrible issue with these corals.

 

[Rispa]

From personal experience a healthy elegance I purchased which was supposed an Australian Elegance started showing signs of ECS symptoms 2 months in. It began with right side getting the white mesentrial filaments. These filaments appear when the coral is fighting off something or there is irritation of some sort. Anyways the progression was that the filaments would appear, head and tentacles would retract and this would move on to the next head etc. In the end the coral heads were receded and the coral's tentacles were not existent. The coral bleached and perished. My other older Elegance was 100% fine and still is. Now from what I read about ECS is that my other Elegance should have also gotten ECS and died. But it didn't.

It's possible ECS is just a blanket problem for a variety of different diseases or environmental factors which can kill an Elegance Coral.

@Rispa

Your first pic of your elegance looks just like the elegance I used to have before it died. It's a horrible issue with these corals.

I find it very interesting that your first one didn't get sick. How long after yours looked like mine did it die?

 

[Syed123]

I find it very interesting that your first one didn't get sick. How long after yours looked like mine did it die?

It survived for another 2 weeks.

 

[Rispa]

It survived for another 2 weeks.

Well that's sad. I glad I'm not putting off my treatment attempt.

 

[Elegance Coral]

Just figured I'd throw my 2 cents in here.
I still have a great deal more research to do, so my findings to date are no where near conclusive. I don't want to say to much until I know more. Just something to think about.
As of late, I've run into problems with protozoan infections in my elegance coral, larval rearing system. IF...... protozoans play a role in this whole elegance coral problem, it may explain why we're having such a hard time treating it. Most antibiotics and coral dips would be about useless against protozoans.
Here's a short clip of an elegance coral preplanula larvae with a protozoan infestation.

 

[Rispa]

Just figured I'd throw my 2 cents in here.
I still have a great deal more research to do, so my findings to date are no where near conclusive. I don't want to say to much until I know more. Just something to think about.
As of late, I've run into problems with protozoan infections in my elegance coral, larval rearing system. IF...... protozoans play a role in this whole elegance coral problem, it may explain why we're having such a hard time treating it. Most antibiotics and coral dips would be about useless against protozoans.
Here's a short clip of an elegance coral preplanula larvae with a protozoan infestation.

Would you be willing to share how you check for them. I have a microscope and can probably get anything else I need. I also have some extra metronidazole from a dog I rescued a while ago. Perhaps gut loading food with it is an option.

 

[Rispa]

I picked up some aquariums that are damaged to use. $30 for 2 twenties and 2 tens. Bright the elegance home and he's not happy to say the least. I'm wondering if we can add anything else to the mix for a better shot gun approach without hurting the integrity of the other treatments. Metronidazole is good for protozoans and Diflucan is good for fungus. Maybe just wait a week or two and see if the lugols plus cipro help first.

 

[dvmsn]

Honestly, they are dead anyway. I don't think corals feel pain. So trying bleach would be ethical in this situation. Try anything.

 

[Rispa]

Honestly, they are dead anyway. I don't think corals feel pain. So trying bleach would be ethical in this situation. Try anything.

It's not just about trying to save these individual corals. It's also about trying to make these corals into some that can be kept easily again. If they get sick you treat with xyz and you're good to go. These are beautiful coral that even a beginner used to be able to keep, but now it's all about luck. Heck if we succeed I'd love to get many more color variations and make a tank featuring elegance.

 

[dvmsn]

Sorry, that wasn't artfully stated. I think experimenting with any treatment you can imagine is ethical at this point, with your stated goal in mind. We won't ever be able to keep these if we can't figure out how to kill whatever it is.

 

[Rispa]

Sorry, that wasn't artfully stated. I think experimenting with any treatment you can imagine is ethical at this point, with your stated goal in mind. We won't ever be able to keep these if we can't figure out how to kill whatever it is.

Haha, yeah I did misunderstand. We shall see. I'm keeping me fingers crossed and my hopes high for now.