Grail & Hammer dead

[SaltyCrew4u]

Roughly 2-3 weeks ago my holy grail and hammers health started dealing after they were thriving. I added 4 pitho crabs due to some bubble algae. The hologram hammer went first followed by the grail, I'm down to my last hammer and its basically done for IMO. I caught all the crabs and trapped them in my filter. I put my last hammer lower for flow purposes and noticed Skelton showing. I don't see worms. I have had both hammers 6+ months and my only living hammer went from 2 to 4 heads and is currently splitting. I have 1 peppermint shrimp left in the tank so maybe that's the culprit? Or it's bacteria. What do I do at this point? I am dosing NeoPhos, it goes from perfect to high and low. But it's never caused my hammers torches to die. Maxima, Goniopora‘s and mushrooms all look great. Q

 

[SaltyCrew4u]

Phos shouldn't be .00 with me dosing NeoPhos and feeding. My Goniopora‘s are popping. Thats usually an indicator something is off for my tank when the Gonis are retracted. I hooked up my UV sterilizer yesterday. What could be killing my hammers and torch? It's only a 36 gallon and I don't have a quarantine tank.

 

[Shirak]

They have lost tissue around the outside of the skeleton which means they are not getting enough food. With low nutrients in the water they need to catch food to supplement. The crabs and shrimp will steal it if you are not careful.

 

[kevgib67]

Let’s see, no pests, no changes in light or flow and no bjd? I would have to with above, starving.

 

[SaltyCrew4u]

They have lost tissue around the outside of the skeleton which means they are not getting enough food. With low nutrients in the water they need to catch food to supplement. The crabs and shrimp will steal it if you are not careful.

I would like to think it nutrients but I'm doubtful. My phos has been up and down and none of my corals have died from it. In the last few weeks my torches and hammers have died. I'll feed more and dose more Neophos.

 

[Shirak]

I would like to think it nutrients but I'm doubtful. My phos has been up and down and none of my corals have died from it. In the last few weeks my torches and hammers have died. I'll feed more and dose more Neophos.

corals dying from lack of nutrients will vary with the type and their ability/need to catch food if dissolved nutrients are not enough. This will also depend on type of food added to the tank, how much and how often and location of the corals within the waterflow of the tank. Euphyllia should have a nice band of healthy flesh over the outside of the skeleton for a noticeable distance down from the top. In your photo you can see where this band was and has over time receded upward to the polyp by the very light colored skeleton closer to the polyp. These corals can last months as they slowly 'eat themselves' and tissue recedes. They will often look very healthy and plump while this is happening until one day they don't and within fairly short period of time they will go downhill fast.

You yourself said your phosphate have been bouncing around. I will also point out that 8ppm nitrates is too low for these corals to sustain themselves without supplemental feeding. I see nothing else off with your parameters.

Try and target feed your LPS a couple times a week while your tank nutrients are low. Frozen mysis is good. I take a frozen cube and slice it up with a kitchen knife. Mix in some tank water and squirt mysis bits at my lps a couple times a week. Sometimes during the day and sometimes at night. Pumps go off or into feed mode for 20-30min.

 

[SaltyCrew4u]

corals dying from lack of nutrients will vary with the type and their ability/need to catch food if dissolved nutrients are not enough. This will also depend on type of food added to the tank, how much and how often and location of the corals within the waterflow of the tank. Euphyllia should have a nice band of healthy flesh over the outside of the skeleton for a noticeable distance down from the top. In your photo you can see where this band was and has over time receded upward to the polyp by the very light colored skeleton closer to the polyp. These corals can last months as they slowly 'eat themselves' and tissue recedes. They will often look very healthy and plump while this is happening until one day they don't and within fairly short period of time they will go downhill fast.

You yourself said your phosphate have been bouncing around. I will also point out that 8ppm nitrates is too low for these corals to sustain themselves without supplemental feeding. I see nothing else off with your parameters.

Try and target feed your LPS a couple times a week while your tank nutrients are low. Frozen mysis is good. I take a frozen cube and slice it up with a kitchen knife. Mix in some tank water and squirt mysis bits at my lps a couple times a week. Sometimes during the day and sometimes at night. Pumps go off or into feed mode for 20-30min.

Thank you for all of that. Yea my phosphate is all over the place. I broadcast feed mysis daily and and I would spot feed my grail. Just strange they all decided to go south at the same time. Currently dosing phos and after your comment I dosed some NeoNitro. I'll up my feeding. You think there is any chance it bounces back. It was looking really good up until a few weeks ago.

 

[ChrisfromBrick]

sorry to hear this. I lost an indo gold the other day. Tested my nitrate today and 1.6!
Phosphate 0.25. Not happy since my tank has been spitting out great numbers recently.

 

[Shirak]

Thank you for all of that. Yea my phosphate is all over the place. I broadcast feed mysis daily and and I would spot feed my grail. Just strange they all decided to go south at the same time. Currently dosing phos and after your comment I dosed some NeoNitro. I'll up my feeding. You think there is any chance it bounces back. It was looking really good up until a few weeks ago.

Yes I think there is a good chance it bounces back. Looks like some of the heads still in decent shape with flesh around the ridges at the top.