RTN does it just come with territory?

nim6us

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Hi all, it's not been a super great day. Yesterday I had some rainbow montipora RTN'ing which sucked but it was a small patch and I wasn't too disheartened. However today I woke up to find a good size acro colony next to it was RTN'ing as well, I snipped some tips and hopefully will be able to save them, but it looks like the whole colony is going. :loudly-crying-face:

This really sucks because I grew the colony out from a frag the size of my pinky to a colony bigger than my hand over about a year and a half. It struggled, as I struggled, but as I dialled in my chemistry and traces it thrived! It was just starting to show some of the most amazing colors.. and now POOF in less than a day all that time and energy, it's just gone.

All total I lost (am losing) anything that was near that montipora. The monti itself, two frags, and my big acro colony. I've lost frags before, but in my 3 years with the tank this is my first experience with RTN. It comes right on the heels too of me starting to feel accomplished, everything in the tank is really thriving, looking amazing, full rich colors. And if I'm honest it's knocked my confidence a bit, I feel like I've failed somehow.


Frustratingly looking for answers it doesn't seem like anyone really knows what causes RTN. There's lots of good theories and anecdotal evidence, but no one can be sure. Even MORE frustrating is there's nothing to stop it. If it's a frag or easily accessible sure you can pull it and dip it. However if it's massively encrusted to your rock, from what I can gather, the best you can do is snip some tips and then you have to watch it die. :pleading-face:

I guess this is my long winded way of asking.. is this just part of reefing, does RTN/STN come with the territory?

I remember when I first got vermitids, I was going nuts trying to find a way to get rid of them, predators, potions, whole tank treatments. But eventually I realized it was part of the hobby. You manage them best you can, of course it sucks, but you don't have to let it completely ruin your reef experience.

So is this that? Is it some crappy thing that we all have to deal with, or could I be doing more?

For the curious minds among you:
The tank has been up almost 3 years, I just had an ICP back a few weeks ago and aside from some moderate lanthanum there was nothing of note. I've tested salinity, temp, pH and all the major elements everything is in line. All the other corals even other SPS are thriving. The only change I made was adding Nyos Phosi-Ex, and I've been testing Phos daily it was at 0.24ppm and was trying to get down below 0.1ppm, the phos was only dropping .02-ish a day, so no major drop.
 

Stoney

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I think a bit of STN is inevitable once colonies get larger, but RTN usually means I'm missing something. Could be a bunch of factors, but the two times I've had RTN were after a 3 degree temperature spike and when I let a wavemaker go too long without cleaning.
 

Ancient Mariner

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Losing coral that you’ve babied, watched daily, and grown to a significant colony is the worst, like losing a pet dog or cat! I’ve been there too many times. As for RTN, yes, it seems to at times come randomly. This is the main reason I use NO additives besides 2 part. I take out the possibility of me causing RTN with something I add to the system. At least if RTN does occur in my tank I’ll know it is something inherent in my system and I can sift through fewer variables to figure it out.
 

Tonycass12

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Part of the game imo. A slight swing can all the sudden lead to a lot of rtn. Sometimes you don't get a heads up, sometimes its due to a testing error and you thinking everything is fine. Dont ask me how I know.
20221007_173835.jpg
 

Tavero

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Yes
Yes and
Yes
Sadly it seems to be part of the hobby and it can spread very fast. There is also nothing much you can do to save the corals except dipping them and making frags.

There are two main causes for RTN. One is bacterial and the other is caused by flesh eating protozoan organisms.

I have lost all my sps colonies a year ago from bacterial rtn (checked with a microscope). It started with plate montipora, spread to all branching montis and finished the job with several pociloporas.

If i had taken out the first affected monti instantly i had seen the issue, the rest of my sps would have survived probably.
 
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nim6us

nim6us

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Thanks for all the replies! It gives me some great solace.

I'm with you @Ancient Mariner it really does hurt when you've spent time with coral, watching them grow, the ups and the down, helping them along, and then just to waste away so fast.
 

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