pink lemonade not growing

[mayjong]

okay, this is weird. moved to the 60g cube a few months ago and ever since then my PLemonade has not grown or extended its polyps. usually this is one of the "hairiest" sps i have. i have at least 10 other sps, all growing with great pe. (not including montis)
i'm serious, i havent seen ANY pe on this guy for at least 2 months. used to be one of the fastest growers, too
weird.

[mayjong]

btw-
most (all) of my other sps were stressed during the move. most (all) browned out, some extremely so. all have recovered and are encrusting/growing with pe. not the PL, it sits there , looking like it is about to die (you know, flesh "sucked up" to skeleton, no pe)
however it has looked that way since the move. it has colored up from brownish to greenish in that time....other than that-nothin'

[Reefer1225]

I say give it time, maybe just adjusting. Yeah, Pink Lemonade usually grows pretty fast and has nice polyp extension. They are pretty hardy too. As long as it has flesh and color, it can make a comeback. Maybe look out for fish or inverts picking on it? Pest? Good luck!

[mayjong]

will do, i haven't moved it at all since the tank switch.
i know, weird because the p-lem usually outgrows and outlasts all others. there is no damage at all to any flesh, ( no spotting,stn, etc)
heck, i have an o-tort that is doing great and growing fine...

[Touring]

I say give it time, maybe just adjusting. Yeah, Pink Lemonade usually grows pretty fast and has nice polyp extension. They are pretty hardy too. As long as it has flesh and color, it can make a comeback. Maybe look out for fish or inverts picking on it? Pest? Good luck!

give it time...... 2 months is not long enough? you should of had seen results in the first 2 weeks.Assuming all the parameters are fine, hows the lighting/flow in the new tank?

[djsmallz]

+1 on time, when I first got mine it didn't seem to grow for the first 4 months then it took off.

[Reefer1225]

give it time...... 2 months is not long enough? you should of had seen results in the first 2 weeks.Assuming all the parameters are fine, hows the lighting/flow in the new tank?

Just my experience... I have had frags that went dormant for well over 2 months with no polyp extension, and one day PE just starts popping out and resumes growth. He can try moving it around for better placements, but I find it just stressed the frag more and its better to let it be. So, just saying no reason to panic and give it time assuming the OP has already checked that his parameters are on point.

[trueblackpercula]

What are your water levels at?

[ros_sco]

I have stimulated dormant sps to grow by clipping the end of the dormant branches off.

[rlpardue]

When people say they do that (clip the branches), what kind of tool are they using? Are we talking fingernail clippers here?

[mayjong]

well, i assume lighting (150w 14k phoenix and 4 stunner strips) and flow is fine ( 1 wp25at 100% else mode, 1 wp25 at about 60% on high, runs an hour a day to "blow out" behind the rocks)what gets me is all other sps are growing great. i could name 'em, but they're all the "normal" ones (tort, rp,bnest,stags, etc) and as posted above, they all started to improve after a couple of weeks after the move and are all very near or fully recovered and normal. just not the p-lem. it is what i would call a mini-colony (5" high, 10 branches or so) it is encrusted on the rock it is on, so it can't be moved, and i placed it in almost the exact same position as it was in the old tank. i may frag abrach and move it to a different position, to see how the frag does and see how the colony reacts (will it start growing again from that cut)
no doubt, i am not moving it,
params are kh 9-9.5, ca400, mg1350-1400.

thanks again

[ros_sco]

When people say they do that (clip the branches), what kind of tool are they using? Are we talking fingernail clippers here?

Tools like this is what most use, these are the Boston Aqua Farms small coral cutters. These or others like them are either labeled coral cutters or bone cutters. Some LFS have them, most online places do.


http://i526.photobucket.com/albums/cc348/ros_sco/coralcutters_zpsa12bdc68.jpg

[ros_sco]

will it start growing again from that cut

Yes, usually it will. One of three things will usually occur, a single branch will bud and start growing, multiple growing tips will bud and it will branch there, and sometimes it will just heal over.

[Touring]

bring your cal up. mine usally stop growing at 400

[mayjong]

maybe i'll try the ca..
and the trimming
:)

[mayjong]

well, still no pe. i'm going to frag soon

1st pic is the p-lem, second is another frag , you can see the pe. all other sps has good pe.
heck you can see the pe on the setosa right behind it

really weird, p-lem is usually the fastest growing and very hairy....
no growth in a couple months....

[Dog boy Dave]

well, still no pe. i'm going to frag soon

1st pic is the p-lem, second is another frag , you can see the pe. all other sps has good pe.
heck you can see the pe on the setosa right behind it

really weird, p-lem is usually the fastest growing and very hairy....
no growth in a couple months....

You got a water quality issue m8. All of the corals in your pics are stressed. The Nasutras are extremely sensitive to certain chemical issues (don't ask me which, have seen it before and have fixed it with aggressive nutrient management but not sure which parameter was off. ) and I have seen many look like yours. I know this isn't what you want to hear. Dont take it as a flame. Regards

[s2nhle]

Are you using any carbon dosing? also try to maintain Alk around 8.

[mayjong]

what makes you say water quality? how do they look stressed?
no carbon dosing, i use Randys 2 part.
as far as params, i have found as long as they are stable, anywhere within acceptable ranges are fine. some say raise ca, some say lower alk. every time i test (every time) my params are spot on 9-10 alk, 390-410ca. it is stable, all other sps is growing. i'm stumped.
the only thing i can think is flow is too high in that area. i'm very hesitant to change anything, but it has been over two months and there has been nothing...
time to frag and move a piece, if it grows and has pe, then i guess i'll know!

all opinions welcome :)

also- cell phone pics suk

[MammothReefer]

My pl lurked for some time before it started to take off a few months at least. Also kept mine directly in thr cross stream of 2 pumps. It grew really dense but I was ok with that

[Touring]

well, still no pe. i'm going to frag soon

1st pic is the p-lem, second is another frag , you can see the pe. all other sps has good pe.
heck you can see the pe on the setosa right behind it

really weird, p-lem is usually the fastest growing and very hairy....
no growth in a couple months....

you have had that in that tank for 2 months and it hasent encrusted on that rock yet? hmmmmm hows your lighting?

Bring that cal up!!

[Touring]

post a vid of the flow, here some of mine

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/ggchula/th_5F36CC46-253C-4ECB-8EF5-D7D3EE78E8ED-17390-000006B29FA7AE23_zps4ba1f909.jpg (http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/ggchula/5F36CC46-253C-4ECB-8EF5-D7D3EE78E8ED-17390-000006B29FA7AE23_zps4ba1f909.mp4)
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/ggchula/th_0993AFA2-14B0-4EA3-9D3E-FB04F7A71C12-17390-000006B2829E93DD_zps9ec5e799.jpg (http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/ggchula/0993AFA2-14B0-4EA3-9D3E-FB04F7A71C12-17390-000006B2829E93DD_zps9ec5e799.mp4)
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/ggchula/th_7BAB48B6-7685-4986-9BC8-38134297B055-17390-000006B26579F8CE_zpsc226d1dd.jpg (http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/ggchula/7BAB48B6-7685-4986-9BC8-38134297B055-17390-000006B26579F8CE_zpsc226d1dd.mp4)
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/ggchula/th_719D97DF-BAA0-4DA5-9E47-8C8BE71EB486-17390-000006B23B2E8CC2_zpsfac33963.jpg (http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/ggchula/719D97DF-BAA0-4DA5-9E47-8C8BE71EB486-17390-000006B23B2E8CC2_zpsfac33963.mp4)

[mayjong]

tested again last night, ca at 390, kh at 10.
i re-directed the flow of the wp-25 up a bit, so it's not in direct flow. i'll wait a few days, see if that works.
if not i'll frag a piece and move it, and manually dose ca and raise it up a bit. i'll try around 420-430.

all other sps growing fine...my surf and turf has grown an inch+ in a month

[Constrictor6090]

tested again last night, ca at 390, kh at 10.
i re-directed the flow of the wp-25 up a bit, so it's not in direct flow. i'll wait a few days, see if that works.
if not i'll frag a piece and move it, and manually dose ca and raise it up a bit. i'll try around 420-430.

all other sps growing fine...my surf and turf has grown an inch+ in a month

Bring cal. up to 440 or so and I would bring alk down a little, try to keep pH very stable. PLs also love high light. Mine grow like crazy. Double in size every month

[Constrictor6090]

They do like very clean water though. Water changes and stability and you'll be set

[reefinder]

I'm with Dave your coral is showing stress from something in your water. Could be one small overlooked thing but check everything.

[Jmcgreef]

This may not be the issue but don't forget to check test kit expiration dates, accuracy, etc

[Cytranic]

I bought a pink lemonade at Macna, when I got it home it had great polyp extension. Since then it hasnt grown and the polyps barley come out. All my other SPS including some high end stuff is growing and doing great. This Pink Lemonade is slooooow in my tank.

I'm also thinking its still adjusting and will take off soon.

[mayjong]

ok.
so i changed my bulb last night, it was just over 6months old on a magnetic ballast. i also have raised my ca up to about 420 over the last couple days.
we'll see in a few days....

[Touring]

I bought a pink lemonade at Macna, when I got it home it had great polyp extension. Since then it hasnt grown and the polyps barley come out. All my other SPS including some high end stuff is growing and doing great. This Pink Lemonade is slooooow in my tank.

I'm also thinking its still adjusting and will take off soon.

I know people use the term that the coral need to adjust in the tank but if your tank parameters are perfect there should be no problem. The reason your other corals are fine is probably because they got use to the not so perfect conditions.....

[mayjong]

still nothing.
i'm going to get my reactor online this weekend. 2/3cup carbon and 1/3 cup gfo to start...

[mayjong]

reactor up and running. 2/3 c carbon, 1/6c gfo. tumbling away.
no change, execept my skimmer stopped producing foam for 2 days!

[82ndengineer]

I got a frag of this from a buddy of mine that has had his for about a year or so. His has encrusted big time but no real branching out. Whereas mine has done nothing but branching to the point where I have to prune regularly. It might be location. Mine gets hit by 2 tunzes and a return nozzle.

[mayjong]

ca is now at 430 (for about a week). alk at 9.5 mg at 1400 .
fragged it last night. still no pe, all other sps growing well.

[trueblackpercula]

ca is now at 430 (for about a week). alk at 9.5 mg at 1400 .
fragged it last night. still no pe, all other sps growing well.

More flow try more flow also take close up pictures with flash on to see if you have pest

[mayjong]

i thought it had too much flow. it is about 4" below and 18" in front of a wp-25. it is getting pounded. i moved the frags to a higher light, less flow area.we'll see.
10-4 on the pic.
just keeping this alive because it is so weird!

[trueblackpercula]

Well too much flow is not good also do you have any angels fish or Pygmy angels?

[mayjong]

nope. 1 rainsford goby, 2 longspine cardinals, 1 yellow wrasse, 1 fire fish and a cleaner shrimp.
i posted a pic of it earlier in the thread. there is no tissue loss, no bitemarks, no evidence of redbugs, never any fish around it.
it has literally not had ANY pe, or grown that i can tell, in at least 2 months. the flesh is still yellowish/greenish/pink and looks normal
all my other sps have good pe and are growing.
at this point all i can think of is too much flow. i find that unusual, because i've seen other sps being really buffeted by flow and loving it. i always thought as long as the flow wasn't ripping flesh off, sps would be fine!

[mayjong]

just an update.
p-lem still has 0 pe, all other sps are fine with pe.
i cut two frags and put them in a different spot about 2 weeks ago. (more light, less flow) neither has any pe either!
even stranger, both are clearly encrusting the glue they are mounted on.
ca 420, kh8.5-9, mg 1350.
i'm stumped

[mr. pluto]

get another piece, i have 1 frag that for 6 months ,look's naked but encrusting
and 1 next to it that has pe. nobody wants a lemonade with no pe. LOL

[mayjong]

true!