What happened to this sps?

[Nick Steele]

Okay so I purchased an SPS from a store for my reef and I placed it in my tank on Sunday. Sunday and Monday the coral looked good still bright yellow and all (pic below). Today after work I came home and the coral is 99% gone. I have no clue as to why and would like some help.

Tank parameters Hannah and salifert test kits
8.1 dkh
420 calc
1350 mag
.03ppm phos
2ppm nitrate

Tank details
20G nuvo (16g total)
18 months old mixed reef ( 5 acros 3 montis and 25+ lps and softies)
2 AI 16 HD’s
2 jebao sow 4’s
IM UV sterilizer
Filter flood
2-4lbs of rock in back chambers as filtration
Started with sand but went bare bottom after Dino’s about 6 months ago (was thinking of adding it back soon)

All other corals are doing fine and look happy and are growing. Walt Disney and strawberry shortcake are visually growing each week and have good polyp extension. Green slimer frag has good polyp extension but is a low grower. Pink caddy frag is also growing but is almost a solid green color. Pink lemonade frag is in a battle with algae but is hanging in there. All lps and softies are healthy and growing.

Sunday

Today

Full tank shot (camera filter makes green looks yellow because of filter)

Healthy Walt Disney and strawberry Shortcake

Any and all help is greatly appreciated.

 

[tehmadreefer]

Could be a bazillion things. Some frags just die for whatever reason, it’s pretty normal.

 

[Nick Steele]

Well as long as it isn’t something totally wrong with the tank or me I guess I can live with it. Quickest $150 I have spent ever though.

 

[ScottB]

What was it sold to you as? It looks healed, so it is not a recent chop job. I guess I would want to understand what is different parameter-wise across the two systems before buying again.

Did you dip it? If so, what in? How long?

 

[Backreefing]

We all lose a few . Just acclimate slower next time .

 

[Nick Steele]

What was it sold to you as? It looks healed, so it is not a recent chop job. I guess I would want to understand what is different parameter-wise across the two systems before buying again.

Did you dip it? If so, what in? How long?

WWC afterparty.
It was healed over some definitely not a new cut.

I didn’t dip because I trust WWC. It did spend about 10 mins in a saltwater bath while I looked for any pest. Didn’t find any so into DT it went.

Talked with store manager and was able to acquire some reimbursement so am not as upset. Very good customer service!

Will wait a little before I buy something though.

 

[fishface NJ]

I love a lot of coral sellers here including WWC. They do their best to send pest free corals BUT poop happens. It's the coral buyers responsibility to remove the frag plug, dip, inspect , replace with a new frag plug if wanted, and place if possible in QT.

Acclimation of corals, ones system not being ready for SPS (some SPS are more sensitive) etc. can stress or kill a coral.

Good luck with your tank! It looks really nice.

 

[Nick Steele]

I love a lot of coral sellers here including WWC. They do their best to send pest free corals BUT poop happens. It's the coral buyers responsibility to remove the frag plug, dip, inspect , replace with a new frag plug if wanted, and place if possible in QT.

Acclimation of corals, ones system not being ready for SPS (some SPS are more sensitive) etc. can stress or kill a coral.

Good luck with your tank! It looks really nice.

Yeah I did a good thorough look over the frag and being the most expensive one I’ve bought I didn’t want to do anything stupid so I just went for it. I weighed my options that’s for sure.


Thanks for the compliment!

 

[ScottB]

WWC afterparty.
It was healed over some definitely not a new cut.

I didn’t dip because I trust WWC. It did spend about 10 mins in a saltwater bath while I looked for any pest. Didn’t find any so into DT it went.

Talked with store manager and was able to acquire some reimbursement so am not as upset. Very good customer service!

Will wait a little before I buy something though.

WWC are pretty upright folks; glad they are pitching in. Their QT and pest mgmt protocols also just fine. I was asking about dipping because some folks are a little aggressive -- dipping straight out of the bag when the stick is at it's most vulnerable -- and then dropping it under 400 PAR.

Your numbers are darn close to what I believe theirs to be, so the next line of thinking is transport & acclimation. This happened too quick, so we should be able to enhance your odds for next time.

Did this ship or did you drive it? "Salt water bath"? Was this their water, your tank water, or newly mixed?

 

[ScottB]

WWC afterparty.
It was healed over some definitely not a new cut.

I didn’t dip because I trust WWC. It did spend about 10 mins in a saltwater bath while I looked for any pest. Didn’t find any so into DT it went.

Talked with store manager and was able to acquire some reimbursement so am not as upset. Very good customer service!

Will wait a little before I buy something though.

New cuts of named/aquacultured stuff is fine. It is the wild stuff that people chop sometimes that is 50/50 on a good day. But yeah, that looked well healed.

 

[Nick Steele]

WWC are pretty upright folks; glad they are pitching in. Their QT and pest mgmt protocols also just fine. I was asking about dipping because some folks are a little aggressive -- dipping straight out of the bag when the stick is at it's most vulnerable -- and then dropping it under 400 PAR.

Your numbers are darn close to what I believe theirs to be, so the next line of thinking is transport & acclimation. This happened too quick, so we should be able to enhance your odds for next time.

Did this ship or did you drive it? "Salt water bath"? Was this their water, your tank water, or newly mixed?

I drove it home about 1 hr 45 mins it was in the bag out of direct sunlight so it didn’t overheat (same way I bring all corals home really). Water temp was 79 when when I got the frag home. I temp acclimated for 10-15 mins as I run my temp at 81F.

Bath was tank water I just wanted some time to inspect the frag before it went into the tank. Polyps were out at this point also.