LPS coral question?

[jcJokr]

I have a question for anyone who can help me.

I have lost two elegance corals now, one about 4 months ago and the other just this week. Both of them were only in the tank for about 3-4 weeks before they started to go downhill. They both did great for a while opening up nicely and looking good, but then they just went downhill over night. I also have two Duncan’s that are going downhill now. One has been it the tank for months now. My two torch corals look great, as well as my frog spawn and other various LPS corals I have. I guess I’m not sure why I would have such a hard time with the elegance coral and why the Duncan’s seem to have this problem all of a sudden. I don't test for calcium or phosphates. But I do test Nitrites, Nitrates, PH, and Ammonia, and everything looks normal. The only thing is my Nitrates always stay a little high. Does anyone know what it could be? Maybe something is picking at them until they die, or some parameter I’m not testing for could be high? I just don't know, please help it's very frustrating.

 

[rendos]

Elegance corals have very poor survival rates in captivity. With the exception of some that are being imported from Australia, most others fade away quickly in the aquarium. Duncans are very easy to keep.

When you say that nitrites, nitrates, etc. are normal...can you be more specific? What are the numbers? Nitrates a little high...20ppm, 50ppm, 200ppm?

 

[jcJokr]

Here are my results from this morning before dosing
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 40
Ammonia 0
PH 7.8-8.0

 

[rendos]

Do you have any dwarf angels in the tank that might be picking at them?
Flame, Coral Beauty, BiColor, etc.?

Water quality is good except the nitrates, but I don't think 40 is enough to kill anything.

 

[jcJokr]

I do have one dwarf angel and one Flame. But I have never seen them pick at them, I try to kee them well fed. Though that doesn't mean they don't.

 

[jcJokr]

Does anyone have anything else? I stoped by my LFS tonight to pick a test kit to test all the other paramaters and everything looks to be on point. My LFS made a good point though, we have these tanks with a pile of things from all over the world and who knows what can be with what for sure. I mean it's true, how do we know if a leather from one side of the world would not release something that could harm a softy from another side of the world. Well just a thought.

 

[subielover]

I would be very suspect of your angels nipping at the lps. Can you tell us more about your tank? i.e. size, lighting, filtration, etc.

 

[Ike]

In an aquarium with corals alkalinity and calcium are very impoirtant parameters, but I haven't seen you mention either. Also, testing for nitrites after a tank has cycled borders on useless. Do you know what those two levels are? Your biggest problem is that you bought a coral without doing some research on it, and then did it again. Rendos is correct, elegance corals in the last decade or so have done very poorly in captivity and really should just be avoided, especially if you're a less experienced aquarist.

 

[Keiki]

The ones from Australia seem to have a much better survival rate.

 

[Acro76 Verified Sponsor]

Check the phosphate and alkalinity. Either one can kill stony corals easily if out of the normal range.

 

[cntryboi407]

Check the phosphate and alkalinity. Either one can kill stony corals easily if out of the normal range.

+1. You need to test for these and adjust accordingly if they are off

 

[Steven Pro]

I would definitely test calcium, alkalinity, and magnesium. Your pH is a little low, so I could easily believe that the others are as well.

 

[CTMarinelife]

What are you running for lighting, I have had a purple tip aussie elegance (12+") in my tank for almost two years - it loves lots of light and regular feedings. Flow is important also, must be moving constantly but moderately.

 

[CoralBandit]

+1 on testing Ca Alk and Mg. everytime I have an LPS looking "unhappy" its 9/10 imbalance of these three parameters.

 

[droblack]

Agreed. Kh is usually the problem (too low), then too low mag, then too low Ca, IME. low Ca has been a little more forgiving for me.

 

[jcJokr]

I tested those perams yesterday, they all look good. I also did my research on the elegance coral, and this was an aussie elegance. I went with the aussie because I new they had a better survival rate. I think I'm just not getting a good one. Maybe someday I will try again. Thanks everyone for your post.