Is this Coral dying or is someone nibbling?

[ronronearr]

My LPS has been doing great for months, but in the last 3 weeks it is receding off its mount, it’s ragged and not blanching. If it was nutrients, I’d expect blanching first. But this looks nibbled. I only have asterina starfish, snails and hermit craps. One cleaner shrimp, a lemon gobi, and two blue chromis. Thank you!

 

[blaxsun]

You don’t really have any of the usual nibbler suspects. What are your water parameters like?

 

[ronronearr]

You don’t really have any of the usual nibbler suspects. What are your water parameters like?

Thank you so much for replying! Yesterday, before a 25% water change, I was

10/27/21
Salinity: 1.027
pH: 8.2
Ammonia: 0.25
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 30
Calcium: 420
KH: 179
Phosphate: 0.25

9/8/21
Salinity: 1.025
pH: 8.2
Ammonia: 0.1
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 20
Calcium: 420
KH: 214.8
Phosphate: 0.25

I know my Nitrate seems at the upper limits of acceptable, but there have been several water changes in between where I retest and I am back to 10 or less. I keep crushed coral in the tank to help manage pH and hardness as well. Recently changed my carbon. I also recently got the API 16 light, but I was seeing some recession before the light change, but it was smooth. This is all ragged now.

 

[blaxsun]

30 nitrates is a bit on the high side. I'd try to get this down to somewhere in the 10-20 range. Phosphates could be a bit lower as well (ideally under 0.1).

 

[ronronearr]

30 nitrates is a bit on the high side. I'd try to get this down to somewhere in the 10-20 range. Phosphates could be a bit lower as well (ideally under 0.1).

Definitely! I'll go back to once a week changes instead of every other week. Interestingly, all of my other corals seem to be in a growth boom besides this one. I dont supplement amino acids, but have used reef roids. Thank you for the advice.

 

[Rick's Reviews]

Thank you so much for replying! Yesterday, before a 25% water change, I was

10/27/21
Salinity: 1.027
pH: 8.2
Ammonia: 0.25
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 30
Calcium: 420
KH: 179
Phosphate: 0.25

9/8/21
Salinity: 1.025
pH: 8.2
Ammonia: 0.1
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 20
Calcium: 420
KH: 214.8
Phosphate: 0.25

I know my Nitrate seems at the upper limits of acceptable, but there have been several water changes in between where I retest and I am back to 10 or less. I keep crushed coral in the tank to help manage pH and hardness as well. Recently changed my carbon. I also recently got the API 16 light, but I was seeing some recession before the light change, but it was smooth. This is all ragged now.

Maybe too much happining at once, how often are you changing water, also after changing light did you just use as usual meaning full on?
The light intensity might also be an issue? I'm not a coral expert as mine are still on frags but from what I have researched, corals are like turtles, very slow to react

 

[ronronearr]

Maybe too much happining at once, how often are you changing water, also after changing light did you just use as usual meaning full on?
The light intensity might also be an issue? I'm not a coral expert as mine are still on frags but from what I have researched, corals are like turtles, very slow to react

I have the 13G Fluval Evo Nano. The original light was so intense. As soon as I changed it, all of my corals started opening looking much healthier. I wonder if this one is having trouble adjusting. We are about 8 months in from the start and havent lost any corals yet, hence why I was worried.

I usually do about 10%-20% every other week.

 

[Sureshot]

Keep an eye out on you Asterina Starfish I recently bought a Harlequin shrimp to eradicate them from my tank because I've caught them on multiple occasions on my zoas or other polyps eating them down to nothing.

 

[Cell]

Not mutually exclusive. Hermits will pick at dying flesh, so it could be both.

 

[ronronearr]

Keep an eye out on you Asterina Starfish I recently bought a Harlequin shrimp to eradicate them from my tank because I've caught them on multiple occasions on my zoas or other polyps eating them down to nothing.

This is good to know. I saw one climbing across it the other day, but he didnt seem to be lingering. But I dont keep watch overnight.

 

[ronronearr]

Not mutually exclusive. Hermits will pick at dying flesh, so it could be both.

OOH, I never thought of that. Maybe they are cleaning the dying flesh. I will say, I moved it lower in my tank and did some spot feeds with reef roids and the colors are looking a little better.

 

[Just a Wrasse.]

Maybe too much happining at once, how often are you changing water, also after changing light did you just use as usual meaning full on?
The light intensity might also be an issue? I'm not a coral expert as mine are still on frags but from what I have researched, corals are like turtles, very slow to react

Agreed, and true.

 

[Just a Wrasse.]

Welcome to R2R!

 

[attiland]

Thank you so much for replying! Yesterday, before a 25% water change, I was

10/27/21
Salinity: 1.027
pH: 8.2
Ammonia: 0.25
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 30
Calcium: 420
KH: 179
Phosphate: 0.25

9/8/21
Salinity: 1.025
pH: 8.2
Ammonia: 0.1
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 20
Calcium: 420
KH: 214.8
Phosphate: 0.25

I know my Nitrate seems at the upper limits of acceptable, but there have been several water changes in between where I retest and I am back to 10 or less.

I guess the dates are wrong but your parameters are so different in some that it by itself could upset that coral.
fix the alkalinity swings
Lower you phosphate and nitrate a bit. I would use algae scrubber or reactor.
I can’t see mg levels but check that.
stop testing for ammonia unless testing is your hobby

somebody mentioned to try lower light spots for that coral