Losing LPS Corals please help

[HankstankXXL750]

I purchased several corals around July 11th. First time ever buying online. Two of the corals arrived with a small amount of their skeleton visible, bare no tissue. I asked the seller and they said wait and see. They attained a full appearance within 24 hours or so and looked happy so I thought ok.
Then a week or so later I noticed after the lights went down that there was more skeleton showing, these were a wall hammer and frog spawn. I took them out and dipped them Sea Chem reef dip. Then watched them slowly wither away. I figured I had waited too long so I never contacted the seller, assumed that the issue was from the beginning.
Then about 2 weeks ago I noticed one of my torches didn’t look good. I believe I had this torch before July? If not it was bought at the same time from the same seller. Again I tried a dip, and it didn’t seem to help as it melted away as well.
A few days ago I noticed my last torch is doing the same thing. Started with one head, now a second is dying. And my birds nest looks to be losing flesh as well.
I’m have ideas but no knowledge to determine which is causing this or a combination of all? I will list parameters.

Tank is a Red Sea S1000 and has been running since February, but it was mostly transferred from a XL525 which had been running since 5/21. So technically around 15 months. I have a very nice trachy almost a year, blasto’s, acans, mushrooms zoa, paly, toadstools, Kenya tree, candy cane. All seeming to be doing good.
Running 3 AI hydra 64’s but not sure if enough par. 62 peak on sand bed, 154 around their placement right now but not at peak as per apex. If I remember it was around 175 peak when I had it there before.
I also have a frog spawn and hammer that are looking ok. All pics under full strength cool white.

Nitrates 26.2 Hanna HR
Phosphates .6 Hanna ULR
Salinity 1.026 Hanna
KH 8.1 15 minutes ago Red Sea
Mg 1520 Red Sea
Ca 400 Red Sea

Trident says KH 7.5 ca 450 mg 1314
But I think I need to recalibrate.

1. My nitrates crept up on me while I was focused on my predator tank and setting up my new 3XL900. Highest was 32.1 8/24 averaging 26-28 through august. I would do a water change and up my no-pox weekly and return to similar number by the following Wednesday. So maybe it is nutrients?
2. Some coral disease that they came with and it is spreading?
3. Not feeding enough coral food? I am not very consistent. Using Aquavitro Fuel at best once a week.
4. too much flow? Although they do not sit directly in front of my power heads, they are in the line. I don’t see them like way pushed over, but definitely swaying to leaning

 

[blaxsun]

My first thought is that something may have been amiss with the corals from the outset - as you noticed it right off the bat.

 

[Jekyl]

Mag is a little high as well as nitrate and phosphate. For nutrients I've seen vetteguy53081 recommend around 5 nitrate and .03 phosphate.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

is your phosphate .6 or .06?

 

[HankstankXXL750]

is your phosphate .6 or .06?

.6

 

[xCry0x]

I see the other thread and the discussion there.

My opinion that goes against the thread, is that I am a strong believer in feeding LPS.

Either directly, or indirectly via broadcast feeding the tank and/or fish pooping on them.

Its always been a complete night/day difference for me when I feed vs ignore my LPS.

Actively feeding -> fat and happy LPS with rapid growth.
Ignore feeding -> Lethargic LPS, slow growth, tissue recession.

I also just enjoy the activity - its fun squirting some mysis at a torch coral and watching it grab onto the pieces and pull them in. Heck, I had a few huge chalice corals that would happily eat mysis.

I also don't think 30 nitrate is particularly bothersome -- especially if your focus is LPS. I've killed LPS more times than I can count from getting it in my head that I needed to lower nutrients.

 

[Dav2996]

I believe in feeding corals that are sick your parameters are in check and I have almost killed them from flow. Do not blow them directly with flow. Look also for flat worms I almost lost a hammer to a flat worm thinking it was just some stuff on the corals. They hide very easy on the skeleton but are oval. I got many LpS to recover from feeding. I had magnesium 1800 no issues magnesium doesn’t matter unless it’s below 1250. These corals do close at night so that is normal.

 

[Lavey29]

The first picture shows obvious BJD in the dead head.

 

[HankstankXXL750]

The first picture shows obvious BJD in the dead head.

Sorry what is BJD? I’m not great at short cuts lol.

 

[strawberryfish]

Sorry what is BJD? I’m not great at short cuts lol.

I believe they are referring to Brown Jelly Disease, BJD

 

[Lavey29]

Sorry what is BJD? I’m not great at short cuts lol.

Yes as the other post said it's short for Brown Jelly disease which attacks LPS corals mainly euphyllia.

 

[HankstankXXL750]

I believe they are referring to Brown Jelly Disease, BJD

Thanks I just saw it on a thread listed below mine. I am not familiar with coral diseases, but read a little o. The other thread. Mentioned a brown substance where the tissue is dying? The second head is completely gone now today but the skeleton is stark white. The other head that I lost first, was also, but now has colored with algae.

 

[HankstankXXL750]

Yes as the other post said it's short for Brown Jelly disease which attacks LPS corals mainly euphyllia.

I’ll have to research it a bit. That thread talked about a brown substance at the area the polyp is dying. The head that was failing was really white on the skeleton, the browner skeleton has been gone long enough for it to have discolored from algae etc. The second head is completely gone now and the skeleton is really white.

 

[Lavey29]

Thanks I just saw it on a thread listed below mine. I am not familiar with coral diseases, but read a little o. The other thread. Mentioned a brown substance where the tissue is dying? The second head is completely gone now today but the skeleton is stark white. The other head that I lost first, was also, but now has colored with algae.

The first picture shows brown jelly oozing out of the dead head. When this infects corals it kills the heas in 24 to 48 hours and will kill every head and infect other corals to. It is best to remove infected corals frag off infected heads and isolated coral. Run a big bag of carbon in your sump. BjD is caused by a bad tank environment which lowers the coral immune system allowing the BJD to take over. Something is stressing your corals so check all your parameters.

 

[Lavey29]

I’ll have to research it a bit. That thread talked about a brown substance at the area the polyp is dying. The head that was failing was really white on the skeleton, the browner skeleton has been gone long enough for it to have discolored from algae etc. The second head is completely gone now and the skeleton is really white.

I'm just basing my opinion off that obvious first picture showing it. If you are rapidly losing euphyllia and you aee any brown jelly like substance in the head as it's dying off that's what you are dealing with. I successfully treated BJD in my tank with ciprofloaxin but lost some nice torches before dosing.

 

[HankstankXXL750]

The first picture shows brown jelly oozing out of the dead head. When this infects corals it kills the heas in 24 to 48 hours and will kill every head and infect other corals to. It is best to remove infected corals frag off infected heads and isolated coral. Run a big bag of carbon in your sump. BjD is caused by a bad tank environment which lowers the coral immune system allowing the BJD to take over. Something is stressing your corals so check all your parameters.

Maybe I don’t know what I’m looking for. This is the first picture and I circled the dying head in red. In person I didn’t see any odd colored excrement, it looked mostly the same color as the heads that still seem healthy. Maybe a little less bright.

 

[Lavey29]

Maybe I don’t know what I’m looking for. This is the first picture and I circled the dying head in red. In person I didn’t see any odd colored excrement, it looked mostly the same color as the heads that still seem healthy. Maybe a little less bright.

Well perhaps the picture does not depict what I think it does then but if you have multiple euphyllia dying off that would be my focus of concern.

 

[Kathy Floyd]

I just went through something similar.
The torch is dying/dead and you need to pull it before it puts your other torches and corals at risk.
It sucks but it happens.
Now to work on your tank parameters and get them back to where they need to be for a healthy tank again.
Good luck.

 

[HankstankXXL750]

Well perhaps the picture does not depict what I think it does then but if you have multiple euphyllia dying off that would be my focus of concern.

Thanks. I’ll watch for it.