Monti Cap is dying

[bluecheese]

Tank has been set up since 2021

Monty Cap placed in tank August 2022

It was doing well, and was growing. Over the past few months, the polyps have been retracted, turned white, and now look like they’re dying off.

I had some issues with high nitrates, but I have since gotten them below 10. All other corals are doing well.

I’m not sure how to approach this. Should I remove the dead sections of the skeleton? Or just leave it alone and see if it comes back?

This is what it looks like now:

This is how it looked a few months ago:

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[John Bolden]

Perams? and any changes or additions? Corals near it?

 

[bluecheese]

Perams? and any changes or additions? Corals near it?

No corals near it. The only change was recently bringing the nitrates down to an acceptable level.

Ph 8
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 6
Phosphate 1.5
Magnesium 1310
Calcium 420
Alk 9

 

[John Bolden]

Your phosphates are a little high but other than that your good. Hmm light changes?

 

[bluecheese]

Your phosphates are a little high but other than that your good. Hmm light changes?

No light changes.

 

[John Bolden]

@FishGuy @vetteguy53081 Any thoughts I dont know resident coral expert.

 

[MoshJosh]

To be honest it looks dead, not dying.

other SPS corals? any fish or inverts that like to snack on polyps?

Flow changes?

Just to clarify, the outer rim of the plate looks to be growing algae (including coraline), indicating to me it has been dead for a bit. The center looks to have bleached recently, hence no algae growth.

 

[bluecheese]

To be honest it looks dead, not dying.

other SPS corals? any fish or inverts that like to snack on polyps?

Flow changes?

Just to clarify, the outer rim of the plate looks to be growing algae (including coraline), indicating to me it has been dead for a bit. The center looks to have bleached recently, hence no algae growth.

I have an Easter Egg Chalice and a few leptos in the tank. They are all doing well.

No flow changes

You are correct in what you are seeing.

 

[MoshJosh]

What fish?

 

[bluecheese]

What fish?

8 green chromis
A pair of clownfish
Yellow Tang
Blue Hippo Tang
Various snails
Cleaner shrimp

 

[vetteguy53081]

No corals near it. The only change was recently bringing the nitrates down to an acceptable level.

Ph 8
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 6
Phosphate 1.5
Magnesium 1310
Calcium 420
Alk 9

Im assuming from numbers you are using an Api kit and if so, you are likely getting false readings which are higher than you see.
Phosphates are likely one issue.
Other reasons would be :
High temperature
High salinity
False readings
Too much flow
Too much light intensity.

I have mine at similar location under moderate light and moderate to medium water flow

 

[bluecheese]

So yall get an idea of the orietation and placement of the corals in the tank, the blue circles are the corals you can see from this side of the tank. The red box is the location of the monti cap in quetion.

 

[bluecheese]

Im assuming from numbers you are using an Api kit and if so, you are likely getting false readings which are higher than you see.
Phosphates are likely one issue.
Other reasons would be :
High temperature
High salinity
False readings
Too much flow
Too much light intensity.

I have mine at similar location under moderate light and moderate to medium water flow

I'm using Aquaforest test kits. Except for Nitrates, where I'm using a Hanna checker.

I'm currently using NoPox to help with the nitrates. I was testing over close to 20, but have since brought them down to 6. I suspect the monti was negatively impacted by the high nitrates.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I'm using Aquaforest test kits. Except for Nitrates, where I'm using a Hanna checker.

I'm currently using NoPox to help with the nitrates. I was testing over close to 20, but have since brought them down to 6. I suspect the monti was negatively impacted by the high nitrates.

And can be the NoPox. My corals especially digita, and acropora get upset with the application and agree on high nitrates as a culprit

 

[bluecheese]

And can be the NoPox. My corals especially digita, and acropora get upset with the application and agree on high nitrates as a culprit

The monti was showing stress before I started dosing nopox.

I'm wondering if I should be optimistic that he'll survive, of if I should just give up on him.

 

[vetteguy53081]

The monti was showing stress before I started dosing nopox.

I'm wondering if I should be optimistic that he'll survive, of if I should just give up on him.

They are forgiving as long as water quality is in alignment. They seem to noyt like escess flow as many suggest and do not need to be blasted with light as you can see in my pics. I learned this from mistakes assuming they needed strong light and flow. You want flow to keep debris off of them and yet deliver nutrients

 

[Dburr1014]

The monti was showing stress before I started dosing nopox.

I'm wondering if I should be optimistic that he'll survive, of if I should just give up on him.

I'm thinking the flow is being blocked from that rock or your lighting is not right/strong enough. PO4 is crazy high, is that number right?

 

[bluecheese]

I'm thinking the flow is being blocked from that rock or your lighting is not right/strong enough. PO4 is crazy high, is that number right?

Dang, I mistyped the phosphate number. Its 0.15, not 1.5.

I'll edit the post.

It should be getting adequate flow there. I tested that spot with some string on a stick before placement. Didn't seem too much or too little.

Maybe its the lights? I it was actively growing under the same lights with the same intensity, so I'm not sure.

Edit: it won't let me edit the post with the incorrect phosphate number.

 

[Dburr1014]

Dang, I mistyped the phosphate number. Its 0.15, not 1.5.

I'll edit the post.

It should be getting adequate flow there. I tested that spot with some string on a stick before placement. Didn't seem too much or too little.

Maybe its the lights? I it was actively growing under the same lights with the same intensity, so I'm not sure.

Edit: it won't let me edit the post with the incorrect phosphate number.

What light is that?

 

[bluecheese]

What light is that?

Current USA Marine Orbit