PLEASE HELP! Can I save this beautiful coral?

[Wayne@RC]

can anyone please ID? and how can I cure this guy? what do I feed him?

[RotaryGeek]

Yeah its still got some color to it so you can save it. It might not gain color where its already bleached out, but the colored parts will regain there color over time.

[GT3]

Just $5? Of course, but if it was bleaching in LFS, then no, it means dying.

[betamed]

bummer?

Keep it in lower light and feed it if you can. I've seen worse come back. The post that if it was bleached at the LFS means it won't recover makes no sense to me. It just takes good care and excellent water to bring a coral back to health.

[ToddG.]

I highly doubt that will make it back but ya never know good luck

[Sk8r]

It can recover: these big stonies can come out again years after the rock is used as structural...as a dead coral---I had one that had been dead 2 years that resurrected. Get your parameters to match mine, as given in my sig, and you may be able to. You'll need to test alkalinity, calcium, and magnesium, and I hope you have pretty good lighting. Just don't touch it, don't mess with it, and get that water perfected ASAP.

[Ohiomom]

Me too had one that I did not see any flesh on for over a month that is now growing..it does have a chance!

[Wayne@RC]

thank you guys. i did feed it frosen briane shrimp and it ate so i think there is hope. i will up date? what is this coral? thanks

[Wayne@RC]

here are my lights in my boicube what do you think they are the ok?

[Fretfreak13]

Those are power compacts, and if the coral is a favites (which I think it is? Correct me if I'm wrong), you'll need higher lights for it.

[Sk8r]

Test your water. If you don't have tests for alk/cal/and mg, get them. I use Salifert. Elos is also a good brand. Test. If you want to raise stony, you'll need them anyway. Write down your results. Kent Reef Buffer, Kent Turbo Calcium, and Kent Tech M are good supplements, if given strictly by the directions on the bottles, and if testing records are kept frequently. I'm not sure about the identity of that coral: it could be brain, which is favites, and I have had it thrive in all kinds of lighting---so it is not as fussy about that as it is about its water quality. Several stonies can be raised in lesser light, notably bubble, etc. It's not that hard to raise corals, but you do need spot-on water as I've outlined in my sig. If you need further help, ask: we're happy to help. Don't bother to feed this coral: it eats light, and some particulate (I suspect), and calcium from the water.

[zma21]

That would be the last purchase I would make from that LFS.

Because A) He sold a mostly dying animal to a customer. Doesn't care about the happiness of the customer.

And B) he kept the animal in his tank although it was dying. He could have given it to someone with better tank conditions in an attempt to save the coral. He doesn't care about the animal.

[Dave VG]

Yes with alot of TLC. SK8r is giving good advice good luck to ya.

[Wayne@RC]

zma21, i know this coral is in bad shape and the lfs told me that also. this have a nano frag tank and this poor guy was in there today. that tank is 6.99 ea pr 2/10. sence im cheap and a newbee this is worth the try for me. every employee has been very helpful and informative. the lfs has been in louisville for 30 years and is still #1 in the area, so i think everyone of there employee cares very much for there pets. SK8r and Dave thank you so much and i will be asking a lot more ?s.

[mrstihl]

if it pulls through it will look like you got a great deal.

[Wayne@RC]

i think he will make it

[Pallobi]

That would be the last purchase I would make from that LFS.

Because A) He sold a mostly dying animal to a customer. Doesn't care about the happiness of the customer.

And B) he kept the animal in his tank although it was dying. He could have given it to someone with better tank conditions in an attempt to save the coral. He doesn't care about the animal.

overall LFS's do not care about the customer or the livestock... i am very much against LFS (and i used to work at one)... of course there are a few exceptions to every rule... but your better of getting your livestock online or from local reefers... if i had my way, all LFS would be out of business, they are a waste of time unless you really know alot and what you are doing... GL with your coral... a little TLC goes a long way in this hobby :)

[Wayne@RC]

@@@@@ Update @@@@@
here are 2 new pics after 24 hours in my cube, i think it looks better. what do you think?

[anderson99]

here are my lights in my boicube what do you think they are the ok?

Yes, those lights will be sufficient. I have several favia mini colonies/frags growing under pc lighting.

[Wayne@RC]

sweet nice to hear that, didnt know if my lights were good enough.

[noahm]

If it is going to make it, it will probably start to brown up starting where it is already colored. Once it is good and pigmented, you can start moving it closer to the light if you want. they are tough critters. Good luck.

[Wayne@RC]

awesome, thank you for the advice, i need it. but my tank is looking good. i will post more pictures tonight, i got some pom pom zenea and i wierd mushroom yesterday. i need some help IDing. thanks everyone

[ludnix]

I wouldn't be concerned at all about getting that for $5. They are pretty tough corals and if you give it a new home with some mild light it will easily start to regain color. Feeding it will go a long way to helping it recover. I keep a favid under 4 watts of LED and see growth, so I certainly wouldn't worry about your lighting.

Like Sk8r said, your water parameters will be a big factor in your tank's health. I would look into getting some test kits if you don't have any already. Calcium, Alkalinity, and Magnesium are the big 3 for reef tanks, the test kits usually come with information on what the ideal values are.

[travis32]

Just last weekend I received a brain where the skeleton was completely bleached, but there was some new flesh growing on top of the old skeleton. Under my PC lights in under a week it has started poofing up and starting to encompas the skeleton of a former dead brain. The previous owner said he didn't know what happened to it, but one day out of the blue it just started having new growth on it. He gave it to me with the rest of his corals indicating it may or may not come back. Granted I gave him a flat amount for all his corals, but, it was the only one that looked at all like it had issues.

So, if it's eating and starting to poof up and show signs like it enjoys it's new home, then, give it a few months and it may be a lot bigger and regrow.

[Wayne@RC]

travis32, thanks for the great news. i will post more pictures after feeding tonight