Help - STN?

tenurepro · Feb 13, 2018

Hi all,
I have this lovely Tort colony that is perched up a tall rock at the corner of my tank

Two days ago i noticed this band of white tissue creeping up from the base of the coral but only on the shaded part of the colony.
It’s been slowly creeping up over the past two days as you can see from the pictures

Is this STN?
I took a big frag from the crown of the colony last night as a backup...
But what to do next? I’ve started doing daily 5% water changes in case there is some toxin in the water.
The dead tissue is right at the base of the colony... do you think that I should saw off the colony above the dead tissue to try to save it?

Also, I was looking at some frags under the scope for possible signs of pests
I saw this guy (and a few others like him) ... harmless copepod or red bug

Thanks for your help!

CoralWealth · Feb 13, 2018

following, I have some spots like this on a couple of my corals.

Looks very brittle where the spots are like something was eating at it. I thought I saw some very very small bugs but couldnt tell if they were harmless copepods or not. Did you ever look in your tank at night in that white spot with a flashlight? Thats the only time I saw the grey/black looking very very small bugs (cant see them without zoom on my phone)

bonomo53 · Feb 13, 2018

Can you please post tank parameters. Also try blasting it with a turkey baster to see if any aefw come off and check along the dead tissue for eggs.

mtraylor · Feb 13, 2018

That's not RTN. I would start checking my parms, especially my alk. Do you know what it is? I think everyone has you on the pests, which is a good idea.
I think you have done all the right steps so far.

mtraylor · Feb 13, 2018

Beautiful coral BTW!

tenurepro · Feb 13, 2018

codydemmel4 said:
following, I have some spots like this on a couple of my corals.

Looks very brittle where the spots are like something was eating at it. I thought I saw some very very small bugs but couldnt tell if they were harmless copepods or not. Did you ever look in your tank at night in that white spot with a flashlight? Thats the only time I saw the grey/black looking very very small bugs (cant see them without zoom on my phone)

i tried an hour or so after lights out, but i saw nothing... but perhaps i need to camp out and check on it at 2 or 3 am.... i got a red light today, so i should be able to see better

CoralWealth · Feb 13, 2018

tenurepro said:
i tried an hour or so after lights out, but i saw nothing... but perhaps i need to camp out and check on it at 2 or 3 am.... i got a red light today, so i should be able to see better

I was just home for a quick lunch break. Checked my red planet which is showing base tissue loss, couldn’t see from how far back it was so I removed the plug. Luckily was still on a plug and I moved it to the very front so I could look at it with a maginify glass. Saw the little grey/black pods that I saw on my other piece that has the same brittle tissue loss and poor PE. I’m definitely going to be doing interceptor, nothing to lose besides maybe a couple crabs or snails if I can’t catch them all.

I would definitely look as close as possible, they’re soooo small. I could barely see them when I had the coral against the front glass with my naked eye.

Not saying you have these but if everything else has been constant. I’d definitely look for these.

tenurepro · Feb 13, 2018

bonomo53 said:
Can you please post tank parameters. Also try blasting it with a turkey baster to see if any aefw come off and check along the dead tissue for eggs.

Ok... i run a high nutrient system, so no judging

Alkalinity did decline this week, but slightly from 9.3 to 8.6 over a 7 day period
Calcium did decline this week, but slightly from 460 to 455 over a 7 day period
Mg steady at 1425
Salinity steady at 35 ppt
Ph fluctuates daily between 8.2 to 8.4
Temp pretty steady at 79F

Nitrates have been high but steady at 20 ppm
Phosphate have been high but steady at 0.3 ppm

Note, ntirates and phosphates have high but steady for the past 3 month; my sps has been looking great; expect for the decline in that one colony noted above; eg. see tank update from 3 weeks ago

tenurepro · Feb 13, 2018

Ok... so consensus seems to be pests... will try to give it a look with a red light...

Any merit to cutting (yikes) this beautiful colony above the dead tissue in case its STN ?

Any other ideas ?

CoralWealth · Feb 13, 2018

tenurepro said:
Ok... so consensus seems to be pests... will try to give it a look with a red light...

Any merit to cutting (yikes) this beautiful colony above the dead tissue in case its STN ?

Any other ideas ?

It doesnt really look like STN from the pictures but you could cut it or epoxy/glue over the dead area to try to stop it if you think it is STN

CoralWealth · Feb 13, 2018

Horrible pictures and you can’t see the very very small pod like things I’m talking about but just wanted to show what I meant by looks like they’re chewing the tissue back.

29bonsaireef · Feb 13, 2018

Honestly, that part of the coral will probably never come back, and it may even worsen a little. It's looks heavily shaded by the rest of the colony in that section. Lack of light is probably the cause, nbd. I would keep a real close eye on your corals though if you're worried about bugs. You can see them scurry across the corals if you look close, and usually PE & color will go downhill.

CoralWealth · Feb 13, 2018

29bonsaireef said:
Honestly, that part of the coral will probably never come back, and it may even worsen a little. It's looks heavily shaded by the rest of the colony in that section. Lack of light is probably the cause, nbd. I would keep a real close eye on your corals though if you're worried about bugs. You can see them scurry across the corals if you look close, and usually PE & color will go downhill.

I dont think that is from lack of light, look at the right bottom side of his coral in the pictures where the DT light is off. It looks like it is starting there too where it seems there are no branches above it.

OnPointCorals · Feb 13, 2018

Red bugs?

If it is stn some glue to the base could slow it down, stop it?

Velcro · Feb 13, 2018

You're microscope picture sure looks a lot like this microscope picture... Notable, the small red dot toward the head and the dark red section near its rear.

http://www.aquario-poitou-charentes.fr/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=631

tenurepro · Feb 13, 2018

addictreef said:
Red bugs?

If it is stn some glue to the base could slow it down, stop it?

Would putting some putty also have a similar effect?

tenurepro · Feb 13, 2018

Velcro said:
You're microscope picture sure looks a lot like this microscope picture... Notable, the small red dot toward the head and the dark red section near its rear.

http://www.aquario-poitou-charentes.fr/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=631

They do look similar, but mine appear less yellow and rounded, but it could just be the angle / scope

29bonsaireef · Feb 13, 2018

codydemmel4 said:
I dont think that is from lack of light, look at the right bottom side of his coral in the pictures where the DT light is off. It looks like it is starting there too where it seems there are no branches above it.

Just my guess. A growing acropora puts all of its energy towards the branches and new growth. If the base isn't getting enough light the weakened zoox will die out, not enough light for photosynthesis there. Its really common in LED lit tanks. Best thing you can do is make an epoxy base around it so it can encrust on a flat surface.

tenurepro · Feb 13, 2018

29bonsaireef said:
Just my guess. A growing acropora puts all of its energy towards the branches and new growth. If the base isn't getting enough light the weakened zoox will die out, not enough light for photosynthesis there. Its really common in LED lit tanks. Best thing you can do is make an epoxy base around it so it can encrust on a flat surface.

will give it a try