Help with frogspawn not opening for weeks with gaping mouth.

[ismira]

I have had this frogspawn for 1.5 years, and it’s been sat in this spot for the past year. About 2 weeks ago it closed up and has its mouth gaping open. My other frogspawn next to it are fine, I don’t want to lose it but not sure what is going on.

Here is the last picture I have of the coral before it closed up. This was on the 14th Oct.

Here is the coral now as of around the 24th Oct.

At night time the mouth closes. At first I thought it might be splitting because it looks like it is forming new mouths. Any help would be appreciated.

The tank is a 40g breeder, and has been set up since December 2023, although most of the rocks and corals are from Jan - May 2023. I haven’t changed anything in the tank for quite some time.

Here are some recent parameters:
12th Oct - ALK 6.8Dkh, Ca 415ppm
20th Oct - ALK 6.9Dkh, Ca 405ppm, Mg 1290
27th Oct - ALK 7.3Dkh, Ca 410ppm, Mg 1350
5th Nov - ALK 7.5DKh, Ca 400, Mg 1290, Phosphate 0.04ppm and Nitrate 0.0.

Ph stays around 8.1 - 8.3 and salinity 1.026 specific gravity.

I only Test nutrients monthly and previous months had phosphate at 0.02ppm and nitrate at 0.2ppm

I usually aim for ALK around 7.5Dkh but it’s dropped a bit lately as I had added a couple of extra SPS who are sucking everything up and I’m still trying to catch up with dosing. I am concerned about the 0 nitrate reading.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Sorry for that, it looked like it was a nice piece.... the nonexistent nutrients are definitely a problem, and the low swinging alk is another major issue, thats 2 big strikes.

Several other corals are very close by and I'm wondering if coral warfare is strike 3?

 

[Shirak]

Your numbers are low. Alkalinity, calcium, magnesium. I would check your salinity with a calibrated device. It's possible it is below 1.026 sg. What are you using to measure salinity? At least your upping the dosing and alk is improving.

From the first picture you can see a significant white band around the top of the skeleton. It has already started receding and losing tissue. As Mr. Mojo Rising mentions very low nutrients is not good either. I would look at your other LPS and check for tissue recession. The alk swing may have been a contributing factor but LPS need to eat and catch food IMO. I think lack of food is the main culprit.

 

[ismira]

I use a refractometer to test salinity. I will get a second option on the salinity from my LFS. My nutrients have always been extremely low, some LPS look better than others, most of them have a nice flesh band but a couple are struggling.
I have two fish in quarantine that I will be adding to this tank soon in a hopes of boosting nutrients, other than that and feeding more, what else can I do to help out my corals.

 

[Shirak]

I use a refractometer to test salinity. I will get a second option on the salinity from my LFS. My nutrients have always been extremely low, some LPS look better than others, most of them have a nice flesh band but a couple are struggling.
I have two fish in quarantine that I will be adding to this tank soon in a hopes of boosting nutrients, other than that and feeding more, what else can I do to help out my corals.

Keep bumping your Alk? I like to run 8.5dkh Ca 400ppm+ and Mg 1350ppm+ is good
I am a heavy feeder a couple times a week but I tend to be LPS heavy. So heavy in heavy out. Turn down the pumps and slow water to the sump to a trickle for feeding. I am a big fan of roller filters to catch and remove excess fast after about 30 minutes of food circulating in the tank.