Gradually losing torches and frogspawn

[NoriSheet]

I have been able to successfully keep torches for 1+ year but recently they have been slowly losing heads over the last 3-4 months. Once i notice the flesh start receding, its a matter of a week or two when the head is fully gone. I had three torches that started with 1-2 heads multiply to 6-8 heads and since January I am down to about 1-2 heads per torch. I have tried fragging off dead heads and moving them into a slightly dimmer and lower flow area of the tank but it hasn't improved anything. I also added a cheap frogspawn to try out and it looked perfect for about two weeks and then it wasted away within a couple of days. I have not seen any sign of BJD. Its more of a gradual bail out of the head. I am thinking it may be a bacterial infection of some kind but I am not sure and am open to other suggestions. I have done a 20% water change each week in March just to see if it could bring them back from the brink. I also have 5 hammer coral colonies in the tank that have been consistently growing and seem super happy, which is another reason I am stumped. Tank is mostly SPS and while not all of those are thriving, nothing in that realm is dying...

Parameters; Alk 7.9; Nitrate 11; Phosphate 0.1; Calcium 460; I don't usually test mag because I have never had a test kit match anything close to what is shown on ICP. I also have an ICP-MS test in the mail. Tank is mostl

I am open to a possible antibiotic dip but I am not going to dose the tank with any antibiotics. I feel like I have also heard of hydrogen peroxide being used as a dip recently. Is this something that torches could handle and would it be useful in any way? Trying to not take any drastic measures before hearing from all of the experienced folk here!

Thanks!

 

[Shirak]

Can you post some photos?
Maybe some sort of infection but doesn't sound like it if you are seeing receding flesh for a week or two prior to losing the head. Have you inspected for EEFW? Maybe a nutrient thing? 11 NO3 is on the lowish side for LPS IMO

I wouldn't bother with a peroxide dip. Will just stress things out more and it won't really help with infection in my experience. Iodine dip maybe... But if it's in the tank then dipping will just be putting a band-aid on while they get reinfected if it is a water borne pathogen.

 

[NoriSheet]

Can you post some photos?
Maybe some sort of infection but doesn't sound like it if you are seeing receding flesh for a week or two prior to losing the head. Have you inspected for EEFW? Maybe a nutrient thing? 11 NO3 is on the lowish side for LPS IMO

I wouldn't bother with a peroxide dip. Will just stress things out more and it won't really help with infection in my experience. Iodine dip maybe... But if it's in the tank then dipping will just be putting a band-aid on while they get reinfected if it is a water borne pathogen.

I can get some pictures uploaded later tonight or tomorrow. My first thought was that it is a water born pathogen as well. I've seen people successfully dose cipro but I am hesitant to do that. Do you know of any other method to getting rid of it? Maybe adding beneficial bacteria of some sort to out compete it?

I seeded the tank with TBS live rock and sand so I would hate to lose any of the beneficial bacteria from that. Adding those has made this tank nearly effortless when it comes to nuisance algaes and slimes.

 

[Uncle99]

Could someone have got a taste of the polyps?
Any dark coloured circles on the flesh part?
Any Shrimps or Clowns?

 

[NoriSheet]

Could someone have got a taste of the polyps?
Any dark coloured circles on the flesh part?
Any Shrimps or Clowns?

This was also a thought. I have a cleaner shrimp and peppermint shrimp. I've heard that peppermint shrimp could grow an appetite for corals so I may need to try and catch him. I've never seen an aptasia in the tank as I also have a copperband so I think the peppermint shrimp can go. Any tips on catching just the shrimp? It might be pretty difficult lol.

I also have two lame clownfish who stick to the bottom right side of the tank so I dont suspect that they are doing any damage.

 

[Uncle99]

You could put a piece of “food” tied to a tiny rock, in the front corner and just net him while he’s busy.

You could set a “fish trap” (water bottle with inverted top) and put the food in that.

Or, I my case, I added a long nose hawk fish and all shrimps gone in 24 hours.

All my shrimps bothered corals, in as much as they constantly stole food from them and over time, to their demise.

I can’t afford shrimps doing that so they are banned.

 

[Shirak]

Maybe the peppermint shrimp. I think they would cause some rapid significant damage though? Can't hurt to remove and put in the sump for a bit. I have not had a problem dosing cipro to a tank causing problems with beneficial bacteria.

Have you tried to dip one to see if it recovers? If you don't have antibiotics you could try iodine. If it stops progression on a struggling head that might indicate it is indeed a pathogen. After tissue recedes are the heads breaking up? Popping off? going to mush?

 

[NoriSheet]

Maybe the peppermint shrimp. I think they would cause some rapid significant damage though? Can't hurt to remove and put in the sump for a bit. I have not had a problem dosing cipro to a tank causing problems with beneficial bacteria.

Yep, removal will probably be the best bet just to rule him out as an option. Ill start trying to catch him tonight.

Have you tried to dip one to see if it recovers? If you don't have antibiotics you could try iodine. If it stops progression on a struggling head that might indicate it is indeed a pathogen.

I will try an iodine dip first. Do you have any recommended dips to use? Lugols?

After tissue recedes are the heads breaking up? Popping off? going to mush?

It seems like they start receding, and then peeling away from the skeleton. Eventually they completely come off leaving a stark white skeleton behind.

 

[Shirak]

Yep, removal will probably be the best bet just to rule him out as an option. Ill start trying to catch him tonight.


I will try an iodine dip first. Do you have any recommended dips to use? Lugols?


It seems like they start receding, and then peeling away from the skeleton. Eventually they completely come off leaving a stark white skeleton behind.

Somewhere around 40 drops/gal. I would be inclined to make it like a light tea color. 15min or so dip. swishing around etc. a few times.

Are they getting enough food? with NO3 around 11 they might be needing some feeding. Torches are pretty good at catching chopped mysis during the day. Turn the flow down to feeding mode for 10min or so and squirt some chopped frozen mysis at them. 2 or 3 times a week. My torches loved it!