Elegance still closed

[TonyCagg]

Have had this elegance coral for a couple of months.

Was doing great, always open and appeared to be happy in its location for nearly 2 months.

7 days ago it closed up in the evening, as it did every night, and has reopened again since.

It comes out partially, but that’s about it.

All tank parameters have remained the same.

PH - 7.7
ALK - 8.2
NIT - 11.0
PHOS - 0.04


Lights have remained the same.

Flow has remained the same.

Any thoughts on what the issue could be?

Suggestions?

 

[smitten with ocean life]

hmm. doesnt look so good. @tbrown do you have any ideas?

 

[tbrown]

Unfortunately I know next to nothing about Elegance corals.

 

[Üter]

@vetteguy53081 keeps elegance. perhaps he has insight. was it wild caught?

 

[BryanM]

Have you tried spot feeding it? I feed mine mysis and benereef 1-2x a week.... I'd probably just feed yours benereef right now and hope it improves.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Have had this elegance coral for a couple of months.

Was doing great, always open and appeared to be happy in its location for nearly 2 months.

7 days ago it closed up in the evening, as it did every night, and has reopened again since.

It comes out partially, but that’s about it.

All tank parameters have remained the same.

PH - 7.7
ALK - 8.2
NIT - 11.0
PHOS - 0.04


Lights have remained the same.

Flow has remained the same.

Any thoughts on what the issue could be?

Suggestions?

This coral is stressed and receded and check your mag level. Mine does NOT like high mag- 1330 is where mine is at. Elegance require a moderate amount of light to support their photosynthesis which is needed but doesnt amount to strong lighting as LEDs, fluorescent lights are sufficient but you want a PAR of about 80-120. And also important is water flow which should be moderate.
You don’t want the flow to be too high or too low but allow the tentacles to flow gently. Too little flow and elegance corals will not make it. Too much flow and you risk tearing the polyps, as flow brings food and nutrients to the coral's polyps which should be drifting in the water flow.
Again, Elegance are photosynthetic, which they have an inner algae called zooxanthellae that lives inside its tissue and provides nutrition by converting the energy by light. They require regular feedings. with foods such as krill, Mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, or small pieces of fish, and shrimp.

 

[TonyCagg]

Have you tried spot feeding it? I feed mine mysis and benereef 1-2x a week.... I'd probably just feed yours benereef right now and hope it improves.

I spot feed with mysis and brine shrimp.

Will try Benereef

 

[TonyCagg]

Have had this elegance coral for a couple of months.

Was doing great, always open and appeared to be happy in its location for nearly 2 months.

7 days ago it closed up in the evening, as it did every night, and has reopened again since.

It comes out partially, but that’s about it.

All tank parameters have remained the same.

PH - 7.7
ALK - 8.2
NIT - 11.0
PHOS - 0.04


Lights have remained the same.

Flow has remained the same.

Any thoughts on what the issue could be?

Suggestions?

This coral is stressed and receded and check your mag level. Mine does NOT like high mag- 1330 is where mine is at. Elegance require a moderate amount of light to support their photosynthesis which is needed but doesnt amount to strong lighting as LEDs, fluorescent lights are sufficient but you want a PAR of about 80-120. And also important is water flow which should be moderate.
You don’t want the flow to be too high or too low but allow the tentacles to flow gently. Too little flow and elegance corals will not make it. Too much flow and you risk tearing the polyps, as flow brings food and nutrients to the coral's polyps which should be drifting in the water flow.
Again, Elegance are photosynthetic, which they have an inner algae called zooxanthellae that lives inside its tissue and provides nutrition by converting the energy by light. They require regular feedings. with foods such as krill, Mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, or small pieces of fish, and shrimp.

Thank you.

I will test Mag again, but it has usually been steady around 1400. I do not dose anything, just regular water 10-15% changes.

Par is around 75. (Checked with a meter)

Flow in that area of the tank is closer to low than moderate, I can move it to an area with a little better flow and see if that helps at all.

 

[twentyleagues]

Elegance are finicky corals, considering the large range of environments they live in the wild. I think I may have had 5 in my lifetime this current one I have has been the longest lasting one, its been over a year. Prior to this one like you I have had them do great for a couple months and then just close up and die for no discernable reason. One did have the signs of elegance coral disease. I need to knock on wood here. The current one has made it through a 16 hr power outage, another coral falling on it, I have moved it twice because it was grabbing neighbors, and I have had bjd introduced into the tank and fought with that for over a year (thats most likely handled now). They are one of my favorite corals. Everywhere I look I get different answers on how to care for them. The biggest thing I have found is ignore them put them somewhere and leave them alone, if its healthy when you get it and it likes your tank it will be fine. I dont spot feed mine at all in fact I can barely see it. Its in the back corner of my tank the only way I know its there is it reaches up past the rocks (probably trying to grab other corals). It gets about 120 par and moderate flow. I dont shut off the flow to feed anything anymore so I am sure it gets food, I have a very random chaotic flow in the tank stuff goes everywhere. I know this does not help your situation directly. One thing I read was that elegance with a "V" type skeleton are typically more hardy than the "wall" type for reference yours is a "wall" type and yup you probably guessed it mine is a 'V".

 

[twentyleagues]

Oh forgot to mention if you can believe my mag tests (2 different brands) my mag is typically around 1500. Lately I kind of have adopted the @Randy Holmes-Farley method of mag testing which is not to test it or at least not rely on the results I think he called it RMM...

 

[coralmonsters.judy Verified Sponsor]

I spot feed with mysis and brine shrimp.

Will try Benereef

Mine are really happy. I feed them quantum coral cane, pure phyto easy z easy E.... could be a nutrition problem. Look at mine.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thank you.

I will test Mag again, but it has usually been steady around 1400. I do not dose anything, just regular water 10-15% changes.

Par is around 75. (Checked with a meter)

Flow in that area of the tank is closer to low than moderate, I can move it to an area with a little better flow and see if that helps at all.

Moderate is best in which tentacles are swaying gently. Calcium also important and in range of 400-450

I should take a more recent pic of mime. Here is a pic I have of it:

 

[TonyCagg]

Thank you.

I will test Mag again, but it has usually been steady around 1400. I do not dose anything, just regular water 10-15% changes.

Par is around 75. (Checked with a meter)

Flow in that area of the tank is closer to low than moderate, I can move it to an area with a little better flow and see if that helps at all.

Moderate is best in which tentacles are swaying gently. Calcium also important and in range of 400-450

I should take a more recent pic of mime. Here is a pic I have of it:

Calcium was at 473 on Friday when I last tested it.