Galaxea receding probably a goner?

[crannon]

My galaxea started very healthy but suddenly receded and hasn't recovered. I know I've lost a couple heads. The rest have stayed receded for a couple weeks now. My other corals seem to be doing well and my parameters are mostly stable. Any clue as to what would cause this? (hermit crab didn't cause and isn't usually there)

 

[Saltyreef]

My galaxea started very healthy but suddenly receded and hasn't recovered. I know I've lost a couple heads. The rest have stayed receded for a couple weeks now. My other corals seem to be doing well and my parameters are mostly stable. Any clue as to what would cause this? (hermit crab didn't cause and isn't usually there)

Hermit certainly might be a culprit due to your tank being new with no algae for it to eat. They typically dont camp on top of soft coral.

Also, please post your tanks age, a full tank shot and your known parameters.

 

[Saltyreef]

I also noticed you are using a freshwater planted led.

You might consider upgrading to reef spectrum before getting anymore coral.

 

[crannon]

Hermit certainly might be a culprit due to your tank being new with no algae for it to eat. They typically dont camp on top of soft coral.

Also, please post your tanks age, a full tank shot and your known parameters.

Thanks for the reply. Some background info: That first photo was taken almost 3 weeks ago. Newer full tank shot attached. Galaxea coral looks about the same, maybe a little worse. It's not completely dead so I still have some hope. The tank has been going since April. There's actually quite a bit of algae now, I added the crabs to help with hair algae (tank was getting direct sun from south and west facing windows).
I do have a reef light but I adjusted the color for a better picture, most of the time it's blue spectrum. I just barely got my test kit and haven't had time to completely test the water yet, I'm using the reef crystals salt to a salinity of 1.026. Nitrates are between 10 - 20ppm which I've been told is fine for a new tank. I do have other coral (leather, zoas, mushrooms, monti) that are doing ok and growing, it's just this one galaxea. Something ticked it off and it hasn't recovered. The last thing I did before it receded was dose the tank with an anti parasitic. I've since completely changed the water and added carbon. Some hair algae started growing on the frag so I've been working to correct that.

 

[Saltyreef]

Ok thanks for the detailed reply!

at this point in time, do not dose anything to your tank, especially medication as that is un needed.

for algae, snails suffice and they arent opportunistic feeders like hermits, just for future reference.

If you are not testing atleast weekly to see what your tank is doing, you should be aiming at a 25% water change to negate any major swings while its working on establishing its biome

 

[crannon]

Ok thanks for the detailed reply!

at this point in time, do not dose anything to your tank, especially medication as that is un needed.

for algae, snails suffice and they arent opportunistic feeders like hermits, just for future reference.

If you are not testing atleast weekly to see what your tank is doing, you should be aiming at a 25% water change to negate any major swings while its working on establishing its biome

The medicine was for a blenny with gill flukes. I didn't have a proper QT system in place at the time and had to treat the DT. Unfortunately it didn't help and he passed. I've since setup a proper QT and purchased the required meds and testers. I'm waiting for at least a month before I get anymore fish (DT is empty now except for the inverts) and they'll go through the proper quarantine procedure.

I did get some snails as well and they are helping with the algae slowly. I'll keep up with the regular water changes but I also will start testing and recording results. Tbh I had multiple emergencies with sick fish and that was keeping me preoccupied so I'm just now getting back to the sick galaxea coral. Hopefully it pulls through but if not at least the other coral are doing ok.