Help assessing this Acro colony

[fodsod]

I got this Acro colony about 2 months ago from a LFS. It was relatively inexpensive for it's size and looked "OK" so I figured why not see what I can do with it. I know zero details on it's history or what it specifically is or should look like.

When I first got it only the round tips of the branches had a fluorescence to them under UV/blue lights. After about 3 weeks the body started to get some fluorescence glow to it also. The color under white light hadn't really changed but it appeared to be moving in the right direction. Then my dwarf angel started picking at it.

I've since remedied the picking but it's regressed to no fluorescence under UV/blues at all, half of it lightened up and I'm just not sure what's going on with it. It's looked this way for about 3 weeks now.

I tried an Iodine dip 2 weeks ago, moved it to a lower light location that still has good flow. Last night I dipped it in Coral RX in case there was a parasite issue and I took the pics below. It doesn't smell weird but I just don't have enough experience with Acros to know what to do or what I'm seeing.

Any input would be appreciated.

 

[bubbaque]

The coral is dead and looks like it has been that way for some time as it has algae growing on the skeleton.

When you buy corals at your LFS that have the large base to them it means they are a mariculture colony. They have a harder time adjusting to living in a reef tank.

 

[fodsod]

The coral is dead and looks like it has been that way for some time as it has algae growing on the skeleton.

When you buy corals at your LFS that have the large base to them it means they are a mariculture colony. They have a harder time adjusting to living in a reef tank.

I appreciate your response. I didn't have high hopes for it. Good to know tip on the mariculture base. I did not know that when I bought it. I'll avoid that in the future.

 

[archercorals]

Yeah, they look dead

 

[fodsod]

Yeah, they look dead

I'm pretty sure it was most likely on it's way out when I got it. It was a roll of the dice and I'll just consider it a R2R/personal teaching moment. Thanks for your post.

 

[X-37B]

I would take a soft toothbush and gently work it on the branches. If its growing algae then it will come off and you then know its dead.
If not its still alive.

 

[fodsod]

I would take a soft toothbush and gently work it on the branches. If its growing algae then it will come off and you then know its dead.
If not its still alive.

Thank you, this is why I posted the pics.

Granted, it's green but it's a uniform green and doesn't look the way algae looks to me. The green appears (could be completely wrong here) to be the actual color of the branches not a film covering the branches (some are lighter verses darker but it's uniform).

At this point I've got nothing to lose trying your suggestion just to gather data on the situation.

 

[X-37B]

Thank you, this is why I posted the pics.

Granted, it's green but it's a uniform green and doesn't look the way algae looks to me. The green appears (could be completely wrong here) to be the actual color of the branches not a film covering the branches (some are lighter verses darker but it's uniform).

At this point I've got nothing to lose trying your suggestion just to gather data on the situation.

Cool! Best is to just let it be and see what it does. I have several maricultured in my systems at all times. You never know what they will look like with time. I have found they are pretty easy to grow but many have issues. I either get them the day they come in or wait a few weeks but then they may be sold.
Here are 2 I just picked up. The milli is starting to color up.
The smoothy I watched for several weeks before I got it. It was red and green at the lfs.

 

[fodsod]

Cool! Best is to just let it be and see what it does. I have several maricultured in my systems at all times. You never know what they will look like with time. I have found they are pretty easy to grow but many have issues. I either get them the day they come in or wait a few weeks but then they may be sold.
Here are 2 I just picked up. The milli is starting to color up.
The smoothy I watched for several weeks before I got it. It was red and green at the lfs.

Those look like they're coming along nicely.

I'm in no hurry to toss it if there's any possibility for it to come back. It was making progress before as I could see the fluorescence at the tips and it was slowly coming on the branches and body. I assume that was progress in the right direction then it reversed course.

 

[Epic Aquaculture]

Those look like they're coming along nicely.

I'm in no hurry to toss it if there's any possibility for it to come back. It was making progress before as I could see the fluorescence at the tips and it was slowly coming on the branches and body. I assume that was progress in the right direction then it reversed course.

Take it out and smell it. If it smells like an Acro it is still alive. If it has very little or no smell it’s dead. For what it’s worth it appears to be dead to me.

 

[fodsod]

Take it out and smell it. If it smells like an Acro it is still alive. If it has very little or no smell it’s dead. For what it’s worth it appears to be dead to me.

Thanks for your input. I do appreciate it.

I smelled it last night and it smells like the water in my sump sort of it that makes sense. I suppose that would qualify as low to no smell. I should probably grab one of my other acros out and smell it for comparison.

So far that's 3 for dead and 1 for maybe not. lol.

I guess I should have done a poll.

 

[archercorals]

Maricultures can be a little tricky, they come from high energy locations in terms of food, light, and flow.

 

[X-37B]

Take it out and smell it. If it smells like an Acro it is still alive. If it has very little or no smell it’s dead. For what it’s worth it appears to be dead to me.

Good catch. I forgot the smell method, lol.

 

[Epic Aquaculture]

Thanks for your input. I do appreciate it.

I smelled it last night and it smells like the water in my sump sort of it that makes sense. I suppose that would qualify as low to no smell. I should probably grab one of my other acros out and smell it for comparison.

So far that's 3 for dead and 1 for maybe not. lol.

I guess I should have done a poll.

Yeah it sounds dead. You would know it if it smelled like a live Acro.

 

[Troylee]

I’d say dead also.. one sure fire way to tell is grab a uv flashlight when the lights are off and see if it lights up or not.. it will glow if it’s not dead..

 

[fodsod]

I’d say dead also.. one sure fire way to tell is grab a uv flashlight when the lights are off and see if it lights up or not.. it will glow if it’s not dead..

Yeah, it stopped glowing under UV/blues at all about 2 weeks ago. I figured it was just irritated by the Angel fish picking at it and might come back out or maybe was doing so at night when the lights were off.

 

[fodsod]

Thank you to everyone that responded. R2R is such a great resource and community for reefing information.

Based on the overwhelming "it's dead" posts, the lack of smell and no PE or fluorescence at all I'm gonna toss it.

 

[ScottB]

Thank you to everyone that responded. R2R is such a great resource and community for reefing information.

Based on the overwhelming "it's dead" posts, the lack of smell and no PE or fluorescence at all I'm gonna toss it.

Don't beat yourself up for losing a maricultured coral. Really hit/miss. How long has your system been running? Live or dead rock start?

 

[fodsod]

Don't beat yourself up for losing a maricultured coral. Really hit/miss. How long has your system been running? Live or dead rock start?

I hate losing any critters if I can help it but in this case except for about 2 weeks where it looked like it might be improving it was more of a watch and see situation.

The system is a 90g tank little over 2 years old. It was a mostly dry rock start up using Caribsea Liferock and some donated rock from my 8 year old 50g cube.

It's a mixed reef with a pretty even split between acros/sps and lps with some softies thrown in. It been successful for the most part in supporting most everything I've put in and what's there is growing and doing pretty good. This particular acro was a roll of the dice IMO as it wasn't really 100% when I got it for pretty cheap.

There was very little information given on it so I treated like any other acro. Sounds like it needed a more advanced tank to have a chance. I see it as a win because I'm walking away with some good information on acros after this.

 

[pennied]

100% without a question dead…