Can be as simple as shading (an area where light does not reach ) as well as irritation from sand. Most issues like this are affected by are often a change in salinity, temperature and salt mixes. Additionally, Elevated phosphate, light and even new light and elevated alkalinity levels will be a higher risk to coral. Other minor factors will be low Dissolved oxygen, new corals especially leathers (which emit a toxin known as Terpenes), false test kit readings and newly added rock which can alter chemistry.
Skeleton is starting to show around the base of my favorite coral.
What could be causing this? Light? Not enough food? Parameters ?
Admittedly I’ve always thought my lights were too close to the water , raised them about a week ago a few inches higher. I haven’t noticed it until now.
Any advice appreciated I really don’t wanna lose this guy, lost a torch last week too to polyp bailout and that’s what made me raise my light
It honestly could be shading, it’s directly under the cross brace dead center of the tank.
Ive seen these including my own recover from extreme circumstances
I don't feed my trachy and I've had it for years - I don't think its caused by lack of feeding, but there should be measurable nitrate and phosphate in the water
I see this often due to irritation from sand but other factors would be change in light , flow or salt mix.
Some more updated pictures. I’m kinda stumped on this. Any ideas appreciated
Raised the lights up cause I figured they were too strong (Viparspectra ~6 inches off water at 30 blue 1 white) to now I’ve been running about 9 inches above the water same settings just 32 blue
Been feeding daily sometimes twice a day whatever the puffer doesn’t get ( about half a cube of PE calanus and sometimes reef frenzy)
Still seeing receding skeleton. I did see my long spine urchin hanging around the right side where the most skeleton is showing but couldn’t tell if he was eating it or not.
Will do a parameters test this evening but just want some insight on what you guys think it could be given my circumstances
Just tested water
Mag is low - you want 1300-1400
It’s this.
Testing at home with hanna checkers and other high accuracy test kits. Not api or anything
And all of this.
Really ? I will prop him up right now. I was just worried about blasting him with light so I put him really low
They want to be low and on the sand but not touching sand. Is it on a plug? If yes, Put them on these
I don’t think it’s on a plug, the bottom is smoothThey want to be low and on the sand but not touching sand. Is it on a plug? If yes, Put them on these
@CCK_8814 sells them if you can buy them from him direct here through dm for slightly less
This will elevate it about 1” off the sand and keep it safe
You could mount it to a plug if you wanted with superglue. Super easy. Not harmful
Water changes best way to reduce nitrates and prevent overfeeding. Skimmers help and how is tank filtered. Try to get salinity up over 72 hours, not a couple of weeks and again, direct sand will irritate them
