Is My Sea Fan Dying?

[FishinAround]

I just noticed today that some of the tips of my red sea fan where now white. It looks as if the outer red layer (not sure if they're polyps or what it's called) is missing. Is this new growth or is it dying off? Is something eating it? I've never noticed anytihng nibbling on it. It's just at the end of the "branches" but no where else. I tried to take a couple pics but it just doesn't come out. Thanks.

[michaeljames]

It may just be shedding, some pic's will help?

[JamesJR]

IT may just be. It is hard to know because you haven't posted any pics or info as to what type of sea fan you have. Are you feeding it?

[bertoni]

Does it have photosynthetic symbionts?

[FishinAround]

Ok here's a couple pictures. It's a red sea fan (gorgonia). I usually alternate between PhytoPlex and Marine Snow and try to feed about once per week. It's is a 120g reef with 2x150 HQI MH and 2 2x65 watt PC's (50/50). Params are as follows:
Ammonia = 0
Nitrite = 0
Nitrate = 0
Ph = 8.3
Alk = 10 dKh
Calcium = 440
Temp = 80 - 82 (its summer)
Hope this help narrow things down.

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/130486Sea_Fan_3.JPG

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/130486Sea_Fan_2.JPG

[bertoni]

I wouldn't use Phyto-Plex or Marine Snow. The Phyto-Plex is preserved algae, and perhaps other ingredients, and the Marine Snow is almost entirely water. Some Cylcop-Eeze or DT's oyster eggs might be appropriate. DT's Phytoplankton is also a good product, although I doubt the gorgonian will consume it directly.

That species might be from deep water, which means it has no photosynthetic symbtions. Such species are much harder to keep.

[JamesJR]

That sea fan is detinately starting to die back a bit. The white portion is where the tissue has receeded. They like lots of current, but if it is too strongly directed at it it can cause the tissue to receed. I also agree that the diet may not be working for it. Very difficult to keep many gorgonians.

[trothatl]

Are the polyps still opening? I had a red sea fan also (note that I said "had") and for the first few weeks the polyps would open every couple of days and the entire fan would look like it was coated in white crystals. Eventually, though, the tips started turning white like you said yours are doing and the polyps quit opening.

When my fan started getting white ends, my toadstool quit opening its polyps and a couple of weeks later my plate coral also retracted its tentacles, lost its greenish color, shrunk, and had its mouth permanently half-open. I kept them in the tank another couple of weeks and was afraid I would have to remove both of them, but instead I removed the fan. Within a couple of days, the toadstool and plate corals showed signs of life and within a week both were back to normal. This could be coincidence, but I believe the dying fan may have been releasing something into the water that the affected the toadstool and plate. All of my water parameters were normal and constants throughout this period, so I don't think there was a different factor that could have affected all three corals.

I wish I had researched sea fans in more detail before buying it. From what I've read from several sources, they are collected from very deep water and therefore don't like strong lighting. Photosynthesis doesn't contribute much, so they need to be fed several times a week.