Encrusting Monti Bleaching while other SPS Happy

[csd99]

Hello all, I am currently experiencing a problem where a WWC Cherry Tree encrusting monti is having localized bleaching. Spots of it are turning white and those white areas seem to be growing larger. I keep it free of detritus so that isn't the issue here, but I did recently go on vacation (2 weeks ago) and the tank underwent a drop in nutrients to near zero. This supremely angered all of my SPS and irritated the LPS, but most have returned to pre vacation levels. That being said, I have been struggling to raise nitrates above 5 ppm and to make phosphates even detectable on the salifert test. This could probably be attributed to me having only two clownfish in a 40 gallon tank. I feed frozen heavily once a day. To combat this, I have been dosing 8 ml of red sea AB+.

Description of bleaching: Localized white spots that honestly look similar to a nudibranch infestation. Only problem with that is I have looked very hard multiple nights and have never been able to spot pests. Will post pics after work.


Tank params:

No3: 2.5-5ppm
Phosphate: Undetectable on salifert
Alk: 7.5
Cal: 435
Mg: 1450

What also confuses me is my other sps are generally doing ok with my digitata being the happiest it has ever been. It is exhibiting explosive growth. Are some montipora just way more sensitive to change than others?

 

[aquavista99]

If you have montipora eating nudibranchs, no need to wait until your aquarium lights are off to confirm. Simply turn the coral upside down and look for little white nudibranchs underneath your coral. If you find them, you should see eggs too. Good luck.

 

[csd99]

If you have montipora eating nudibranchs, no need to wait until your aquarium lights are off to confirm. Simply turn the coral upside down and look for little white nudibranchs underneath your coral. If you find them, you should see eggs too. Good luck.

Should they be easy to spot? I haven't seen anything that I would be able to tell apart from a grain of sand or coral slime

 

[Dburr1014]

Hello all, I am currently experiencing a problem where a WWC Cherry Tree encrusting monti is having localized bleaching. Spots of it are turning white and those white areas seem to be growing larger. I keep it free of detritus so that isn't the issue here, but I did recently go on vacation (2 weeks ago) and the tank underwent a drop in nutrients to near zero. This supremely angered all of my SPS and irritated the LPS, but most have returned to pre vacation levels. That being said, I have been struggling to raise nitrates above 5 ppm and to make phosphates even detectable on the salifert test. This could probably be attributed to me having only two clownfish in a 40 gallon tank. I feed frozen heavily once a day. To combat this, I have been dosing 8 ml of red sea AB+.

Description of bleaching: Localized white spots that honestly look similar to a nudibranch infestation. Only problem with that is I have looked very hard multiple nights and have never been able to spot pests. Will post pics after work.


Tank params:

No3: 2.5-5ppm
Phosphate: Undetectable on salifert
Alk: 7.5
Cal: 435
Mg: 1450

What also confuses me is my other sps are generally doing ok with my digitata being the happiest it has ever been. It is exhibiting explosive growth. Are some montipora just way more sensitive to change than others?

Oh, lots of facts and no pic?

 

[csd99]

Oh, lots of facts and no pic?

Said in my post that I would upload pics when I get home from work. Just looking for some thoughts and advice.

 

[csd99]

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

is it probably the angle of the picture, but seems to be in the shade. Do you know the par? IME, plating monti can take a lot more light than digi's and stelleta's.

 

[csd99]

is it probably the angle of the picture, but seems to be in the shade. Do you know the par? IME, plating monti can take a lot more light than digi's and stelleta's.

I believe shading could be the cause for the bleached areas on the left side of the pic. The portions on the right side are actually receiving the most amount of light due to the tilt of the frag plug on the rock. The lighting is direct with no obstructions. I had initially planned on placing them in 250+ par but based on advice from TSA decided to place it more in the 150 range. I am running an XR30 gen 4 pro with diffuser at 35% on a 40 gallon cube and the frag is halfway up.

 

[Dburr1014]

Hello all, I am currently experiencing a problem where a WWC Cherry Tree encrusting monti is having localized bleaching. Spots of it are turning white and those white areas seem to be growing larger. I keep it free of detritus so that isn't the issue here, but I did recently go on vacation (2 weeks ago) and the tank underwent a drop in nutrients to near zero. This supremely angered all of my SPS and irritated the LPS, but most have returned to pre vacation levels. That being said, I have been struggling to raise nitrates above 5 ppm and to make phosphates even detectable on the salifert test. This could probably be attributed to me having only two clownfish in a 40 gallon tank. I feed frozen heavily once a day. To combat this, I have been dosing 8 ml of red sea AB+.

Description of bleaching: Localized white spots that honestly look similar to a nudibranch infestation. Only problem with that is I have looked very hard multiple nights and have never been able to spot pests. Will post pics after work.


Tank params:

No3: 2.5-5ppm
Phosphate: Undetectable on salifert
Alk: 7.5
Cal: 435
Mg: 1450

What also confuses me is my other sps are generally doing ok with my digitata being the happiest it has ever been. It is exhibiting explosive growth. Are some montipora just way more sensitive to change than others?

Said in my post that I would upload pics when I get home from work. Just looking for some thoughts and advice.

Oh, you did? I didn't see that anywhere. Sorry. Um, still don't after re-reading your post.

Anyway, those are starting to look like bite marks. Have you done night searching?

 

[tharbin]

I would pull that frag out of the tank and look it over very carefully with a magnifying glass. That looks very much like damage from MEN (Montipora Eating Nudibranchs). The adults are large enough to see without a magnifier but the magnifier will allow you to see them more easily. They will not be on top of the monti during lights-on, they will hide on the underside or on the frag plug. I would isolate the frag regardless in a separate QT and check it daily for MEN for at least 60 days. The eggs are almost impossible to get rid of completely but scrapping will get rid of most of them.

Good luck. It may be something else but it looks enough like MEN damage to act quickly and decisively.

 

[csd99]

Oh, you did? I didn't see that anywhere. Sorry. Um, still don't after re-reading your post.

Anyway, those are starting to look like bite marks. Have you done night searching?

Description of bleaching: Localized white spots that honestly look similar to a nudibranch infestation. Only problem with that is I have looked very hard multiple nights and have never been able to spot pests. Will post pics after work.

I have looked pretty hard at night with no results but based on advice it seems I should treat it as an infestation regardless

 

[csd99]

I would pull that frag out of the tank and look it over very carefully with a magnifying glass. That looks very much like damage from MEN (Montipora Eating Nudibranchs). The adults are large enough to see without a magnifier but the magnifier will allow you to see them more easily. They will not be on top of the monti during lights-on, they will hide on the underside or on the frag plug. I would isolate the frag regardless in a separate QT and check it daily for MEN for at least 60 days. The eggs are almost impossible to get rid of completely but scrapping will get rid of most of them.

Good luck. It may be something else but it looks enough like MEN damage to act quickly and decisively.

Thanks for the input. Better to remove it and be safe than leave it and risk the other corals!

 

[Pod_01]

I am not expert on pests, but do check for them.

But I know from my experience that montI will bleach due to this;

Phosphate: Undetectable on salifert

In my system under this condition I have 100% success rate at killing monti.

Just suggestion to look for other causes. Once corals become weak due to starvation other critters can munch on them as well.

Good luck,