What can I do with these corals?

[Be102]

Hi, I have two problems that are going on and can't really figure out where exactly to post it in the "Coral" section.. so here it is. I had a frogspawn (could have been a torch?) around a few months ago, that ended up dying. However I didn't take the skeleton out of my tank so it kinda just sorta started to break down. Recently, I saw that this stony structure had a protrusion of the same head the coral originally had! (its crazy how life finds a way) . So now I have basically a really strange piece of coral that constantly is getting knocked off anywhere I put it. Is there a way I can salvage the good part and break off the dead part? Will this be a bad idea and should I just leave it?

Second question is there are two corals I bought around a month ago, at first it seemed to be doing fine, then the health started to deteriorate it seemed rapidly. I originally thought that the coral was stung by my duncan coral, which tends to fall over quite often (removed the other day to attach to a correct plug that would fit in my frag rack as opposed to on top of it) Half is alive, whilst the other half isn't. One of them is fading all together which is really unfortunate. I am confused why some corals are able to stay alive and whilst others are literally fading before my eyes.

 

[Elementalj]

If they're getting knocked over all the time I'm sure they're succumbing to infection. Other things may be parameter related, so test your water and post those specs along with your current lighting setup.

 

[Mike_J]

Breaking down skeleton will not affect the new head. Just be very careful as they splinter easily. You could let it get bigger before trimming the skeleton. I usually keep skeletons around for this reason. Nice little surprise to find a baby

 

[Be102]

If they're getting knocked over all the time I'm sure they're succumbing to infection. Other things may be parameter related, so test your water and post those specs along with your current lighting setup.

So nothing really is getting knocked over, it was just one duncan coral which was on a flat plug as opposed to one that pops into the frag rack. The coral itself never seemed fazed by falling over, just seemed to want to aim back upwards towards the light. It was more of a question if the duncan was poisonous or whatnot (not necessarily poisonous but detrimental to touch another one) The duncan seemed unfazed. My lighting setup is probably one of my largest problems, its an aquatic life 36in 4 bulb t5 with moon LEDS. On another thread, I was learning that my par isn't that strong for my tank. my bulbs need to be changed out too. Could some corals grow despite the bulbs being somewhat overburnt? (over year old). I am going to be adding a some new ati bulbs soon as well.

 

[Elementalj]

The loss of intensity over time cuts into their nutrition IMO but some corals themselves seem to do well in that level of lighting. I agree with Mike that you could remove the old skeleton carefully if you wish, but without further information on tank parameters I'm not sure I could suggest what's going on.

These animals are more delicate than most assume. Over handling, incorrect tank situations per specific species and infection seem to be harbingers of doom to many, while others seem unfazed in appearance they too could be affected and just aren't showing if yet.

Test your water please and tell us what you've got for specs. I'd like to see temp and salinity and to know If either of those two are constant, along with the others to be able to assist.

 

[Elementalj]

As per the Duncan, and any other coral. They have defenses that can and will kill other corals should they come into contact. I keep more aggressive corals away from my more delicate colonies.

 

[Be102]

The loss of intensity over time cuts into their nutrition IMO but some corals themselves seem to do well in that level of lighting. I agree with Mike that you could remove the old skeleton carefully if you wish, but without further information on tank parameters I'm not sure I could suggest what's going on.

These animals are more delicate than most assume. Over handling, incorrect tank situations per specific species and infection seem to be harbingers of doom to many, while others seem unfazed in appearance they too could be affected and just aren't showing if yet.

Test your water please and tell us what you've got for specs. I'd like to see temp and salinity and to know If either of those two are constant, along with the others to be able to assist.

As of earlier today, I was at a salinity of 1.026, temp is typically at 78, and these were the test results I got for phosphate and nitrate earlier today. If you need the other levels I can provide them too, just haven't tested yet for them.. I use Red coral pro salt so I never have had to dose or anything so my levels shouldn't be too low.

I was unaware that the duncan was in-fact able to harm the coral. This is what it maybe could have happened? Is there a rule such as tentacles will result in harm to others?

The skeleton was more of a question of care, cause at this point it is too dead to really stay wedged into the rock work, that would allow the little head to get any light.. but also gets stuff thrown on it as my pistol shrimp moves around. I guess I was curious if I should bother trying to cut it off and attempt to attach it to a plug or something or just let it be. As for the health of the other corals, I feel that they are actually quite healthy, well I am under the impression considering they came out and spread daily that they were not very harmed.. but who knows lol. They haven't showed much growth so that is strange, unless I am just expecting a lot more growth than what happens normally..

 

[Elementalj]

Nitrate and phosphate look a little on the high side. Show me Magnesium Alkalinity and Calcium now.

 

[ebushrow]

All corals have the ability to sting and kill corals adjacent to them....that's why in nature you never see a frogspawn in the middle of an acropora colony. Some are much more aggressive than others.....even a bubble tip anemone on the move will sting and kill corals....everything has an arsenal of nematocysts in their tentacles....some are able to handle it better than other.