Help! my euphyllia yaeyamaensis has something wrong!

[Sly54]

Hello guys,

since one month, my Euphyllia started receding and doesn't extend anymore.
Today, I saw something on the coral.
I tried to take some photos to show you guys.

Anyone can help me identify what pest is this? Seems like something is exiting from some sort of a nest!

I don't want to lose this coral, It's beautiful when fully open!

Thank you so much!

 

[Baylott224]

The black stuff or the white red thing in the car nyer?

 

[Baylott224]

Or is that algae all over it

 

[Baylott224]

Or is that algae all over it

Center*

 

[Sly54]

It is not algae, its hard at touch and does not get away with brushing.

 

[Koty]

How old is your tank?

 

[Sly54]

How old is your tank?

I have this Euph since december 2024.
The tank has 1 year.
The other inhabitants seems fine, I have another Euph (torch) and some softies, they are all healthy.

The only thing is that i have around 50 ppm of nitrates and 0.2 in PO4, working on reduce them.

 

[Baylott224]

See if u could scrape some off with your fingernail or a tweezers somewhere near the bottem where I won't hurt it

 

[Baylott224]

Look like some. Hard cyano someTimes brush won't work. See if you can get any of it off at all

 

[Koty]

Do you dose carbon?
What is the salinity and how do you measure it?
What other corals do you have?
Kh? PO4 ? NO3?

 

[joseph.timbs]

Parameters? Especially mag included. Last water change, what kind of light and for how long between water changes ? Stuff you add to the tank a system history with pest and your fish would be good info but the experts on here . Red Sea about is an amino/ food source that could help. But yeah, a lil more like I said before along with systems age and nutrients export plan or system. No sumo- 3 chamber sumo with fudge or no fudge. Hope you find fb solution

 

[Sly54]

I'll try to tell you everything about the tank.
The tank is about 92.5 gallons plus a 15.8-gallon sump, with approximately 40 kg of live rock curing and 10 kg of sand.
I moved everything from a 58-gallon setup to this one last month, including the water.
Note that the euphyllia was already having issues before the move.

There has been no sign of parasites throughout the year (neither in the old tank nor in the new one).
I have the following fish, all in perfect health: 2 ocellaris clowns, 1 Desjardinii tang, 1 Lo vulpinus (foxface), and 2 chromis.

Parameters are:

• Nitrite: less than 0.25 ppm
• Nitrate: 50 ppm
• Phosphate: 0.2 ppm
• Alkalinity: 8.1 dKH
• Calcium: around 400 ppm
• Magnesium: around 1200 ppm (the coral was already struggling even when magnesium was at 1440 ppm)

For lighting, I use an Ecotech Radion XR30 G6, running the preset SPS mode with a few minor adjustments for sunrise and sunset.

The sump includes a roller filter, skimmer (Nyos Quantum 160), chaetomorpha algae, and a return pump.

I've been dosing Brightwell Aquatics carbon source for two weeks now, and I'm also adding bacteria to support the nitrogen cycle and to help reduce NO₃.

All other corals, both soft and LPS, are doing well and are visibly growing.

Tomorrow marks one month since the move, and I’ll be doing a 30% water change, followed by 15–20% water changes every 15 days, keeping an eye on nutrient levels.

Many thanks to anyone who can help!

 

[ReneReef]

My number 1 suspicion:
Too little light. Unless you run all blue and white channels at 100% for at least 6 hours mid day.

That coral is just not growing and by the looks of it, it hasn’t since you got it. Those two heads should have been at least six by now.

Too little flow may play a role as well.
Dosing a carbon source adds another stressor and may have contributed to its current decline.

None of your parameters are of concern to me.

 

[VintageReefer]

I would clean the Coral skeleton in hydrogen peroxide. Use a small paintbrush and a small cup of 3% hydrogen peroxide and paint everything from the coral head flesh downwards

The skeletal trunk and plug stem should be fully moistened with 2 - 3 coats of hydrogen Peroxide. Then let sit for 3 min. Then put back in the tank. Check back 24 hours later for stem / trunk improvement. Can take up to 48 hours

 

[Sly54]

To be honest, I don't think it has light problems, it's pretty high in the reef and gets white at 75% for 6 hours.
The flow it's pretty big, I use 20.000 liters/h pumps at 65%.
It started feeling bad way before me carbon dosing, at least 2 weeks before my first dose so I don't think that is the problem.

Do you think nitrates at 50 ppm can be a stress factor for this specific coral?

I will try hydrogen peroxide.

Thanks guys.

 

[VintageReefer]

To be honest, I don't think it has light problems, it's pretty high in the reef and gets white at 75% for 6 hours.
The flow it's pretty big, I use 20.000 liters/h pumps at 65%.
It started feeling bad way before me carbon dosing, at least 2 weeks before my first dose so I don't think that is the problem.

Do you think nitrates at 50 ppm can be a stress factor for this specific coral?

I will try hydrogen peroxide.

Thanks guys.

Use my method and avoid touching the flesh of the coral

Hydrogen peroxide + Coral contact is typically only safe in a dip where the hydrogen peroxide is diluted in sw in ratio of 1:3 or 1:4

Applying pure and directly with a paintbrush is safe for cleaning algae and most pests from skeleton, plugs, rocks, etc

 

[Sly54]

Use my method and avoid touching the flesh of the coral

Hydrogen peroxide + Coral contact is typically only safe in a dip where the hydrogen peroxide is diluted in sw in ratio of 1:3 or 1:4

Applying pure and directly with a paintbrush is safe for cleaning algae and most pests from skeleton, plugs, rocks, etc

Perfect, thank you so much, I will do it and report back!

 

[Shirak]

50ppm nitrates not an issue
1 xr30 on a 90gal tank? It should be at least 3 or 4.
6 hours peak on is short. More like 8-10hours

Your pictures are blurry. Could be a barnacle in the center that grew on exposed skeleton.

 

[Sly54]

50ppm nitrates not an issue
1 xr30 on a 90gal tank? It should be at least 3 or 4.
6 hours peak on is short. More like 8-10hours

Your pictures are blurry. Could be a barnacle in the center that grew on exposed skeleton.

Yes, I’m working to put some more lights, at the moment the only corals that I have, are right below the only XR30.

I thought that 6 hours peak was good, I watched some YouTube videos about it, should I increase it?

Sadly I tried to focus more the camera but I cannot do better.

 

[VintageReefer]

50ppm nitrates not an issue
1 xr30 on a 90gal tank? It should be at least 3 or 4.

For 90g I think it’s 3-4 xr15 or 2 xr30

6 hours peak on is short. More like 8-10hours

we would need to see the schedule. Could be 6 hours flat peak with a hour before and after that’s still near peak

Your pictures are blurry. Could be a barnacle in the center that grew on exposed skeleton.

If so, I heard if the barnacle dies, the torch dies.