Button Polyps look bad, rest of corals fine..?

phishman1 · 01/30/2021, 06:35 AM

I have quite a few softies, water parameters look ok, exception is low magnesium which is getting raised slowly and low calcium which has a correlation to magnesium and that's going up as well.

I also understand the soft corals don't have an adverse reaction to lower calcium as the others do.

The problem in see now is that all corals are thriving, with the exception of a few button polpys and a clove polyp, those look faded and in fact the clove has not opened in a few days now.

Other parameters are perfect, light seems fine, and they were thriving but not so much now, is this normal, fade and rejuvinate?

Timfish · 01/30/2021, 07:57 AM

Could be one of several possibilities. In my experience when stocking a reef system there's always someone that won't be happy. When changes are made it may take a long time for certain animals to adjust, especially if the previous conditions existed for a long time and animals had acclimated to them. Corals need to shed their mucus coating periodicly to refresh their microbiome as it ages and that process can take a few days. There's some pretty complex biological warefare going on and it's "possible" one of the other corals doing better is doing something not nice to it's neighbors.

Best thing is probably stay on top of water parameters and chemestry and do 20% - 30% monthly water changes (smaller more frequent is what I'd do). Running GAC if not already might be a good idea for a month or two.

phishman1 · 01/31/2021, 06:16 AM

I keep hearing from people at the LFS that you don't have to feed soft corals, they get their nutrients from the water, is this true? Even the owner of the store said don't go out and spend money on coral food unless you have hard corals and the type that demand food to survive.

Oldreeferman · 01/31/2021, 09:52 AM

Yep, its LPS stony corals mainly and some SPS that have large mouths that can use a feeding weekly, softies get the necessary nutrients in the water column.
Some say none require feeding if nutrients are high in the DT and that is also true, so it really depends on the water quality & how fast you want the stony corals to grow, softies tho no i never fed them & they grew like weeds back when i had them.
Then there are non photosynthetic corals that you must feed daily ( receive zero nutrients from host algae or sunlight) .....avoid them like the plague as they will starve unless you pollute your tank daily trying to feed them.

phishman1 · 02/01/2021, 08:43 AM

All I have from my damsel disaster are 2 smallish clown fish.

I have a lot of soft corals as well, beginner type let's say as that is what I am.

Had 2 Gramma accidents and got frustrated, damsel killed the first one, my fault should have done my research there, second one apparently got stuck in a rock crevice and my emerald crab was dragging it out.

I am looking for something relatively cheap as I'm on a budget. The damsel has been removed.

I even thought of two Kupang Damsels and they are colorful and for a damsel I suppose less aggressive.

Blennies, Goby?

Anything of information would be greatly appreciated.

Jim

Oldreeferman · 02/01/2021, 11:25 AM

I really enjoy my Watchman Goby and he gets along fine with my 2 paired Clowns. They are not expensive & are hardy and do fine without a shrimp companion. Yellow with blue spots a pretty bottom fish and it cleans the substrate a bonus.

01/30/2021, 06:35 AM	#1
phishman1 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Daytona Posts: 62	Button Polyps look bad, rest of corals fine..? I have quite a few softies, water parameters look ok, exception is low magnesium which is getting raised slowly and low calcium which has a correlation to magnesium and that's going up as well. I also understand the soft corals don't have an adverse reaction to lower calcium as the others do. The problem in see now is that all corals are thriving, with the exception of a few button polpys and a clove polyp, those look faded and in fact the clove has not opened in a few days now. Other parameters are perfect, light seems fine, and they were thriving but not so much now, is this normal, fade and rejuvinate?

01/30/2021, 07:57 AM	#2
Timfish Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 1,985	Could be one of several possibilities. In my experience when stocking a reef system there's always someone that won't be happy. When changes are made it may take a long time for certain animals to adjust, especially if the previous conditions existed for a long time and animals had acclimated to them. Corals need to shed their mucus coating periodicly to refresh their microbiome as it ages and that process can take a few days. There's some pretty complex biological warefare going on and it's "possible" one of the other corals doing better is doing something not nice to it's neighbors. Best thing is probably stay on top of water parameters and chemestry and do 20% - 30% monthly water changes (smaller more frequent is what I'd do). Running GAC if not already might be a good idea for a month or two. __________________ "Our crystal clear aquaria come nowhere close to the nutrient loads that swirl around natural reefs" Charles Delbeek

01/31/2021, 09:52 AM	#4
Oldreeferman Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2019 Location: NW Indiana Valparaiso Posts: 505	Yep, its LPS stony corals mainly and some SPS that have large mouths that can use a feeding weekly, softies get the necessary nutrients in the water column. Some say none require feeding if nutrients are high in the DT and that is also true, so it really depends on the water quality & how fast you want the stony corals to grow, softies tho no i never fed them & they grew like weeds back when i had them. Then there are non photosynthetic corals that you must feed daily ( receive zero nutrients from host algae or sunlight) .....avoid them like the plague as they will starve unless you pollute your tank daily trying to feed them. __________________ Montipora Digitas, Cyphastrea, Blastos, different Leptoseris, Green Stylo, GSP, gorgonions, Ricordea mushrooms, psammocoras, Birdsnest coral, Clownfish, Watchman goby, Royal gamma. Current Tank Info: Nano Reef tank

02/01/2021, 08:43 AM	#5
phishman1 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Daytona Posts: 62	Final post looking for peaceful fish suggestions All I have from my damsel disaster are 2 smallish clown fish. I have a lot of soft corals as well, beginner type let's say as that is what I am. Had 2 Gramma accidents and got frustrated, damsel killed the first one, my fault should have done my research there, second one apparently got stuck in a rock crevice and my emerald crab was dragging it out. I am looking for something relatively cheap as I'm on a budget. The damsel has been removed. I even thought of two Kupang Damsels and they are colorful and for a damsel I suppose less aggressive. Blennies, Goby? Anything of information would be greatly appreciated. Jim

02/01/2021, 11:25 AM	#6
Oldreeferman Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2019 Location: NW Indiana Valparaiso Posts: 505	I really enjoy my Watchman Goby and he gets along fine with my 2 paired Clowns. They are not expensive & are hardy and do fine without a shrimp companion. Yellow with blue spots a pretty bottom fish and it cleans the substrate a bonus. __________________ Montipora Digitas, Cyphastrea, Blastos, different Leptoseris, Green Stylo, GSP, gorgonions, Ricordea mushrooms, psammocoras, Birdsnest coral, Clownfish, Watchman goby, Royal gamma. Current Tank Info: Nano Reef tank

01/31/2021, 06:16 AM	#3
phishman1 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Daytona Posts: 62	I keep hearing from people at the LFS that you don't have to feed soft corals, they get their nutrients from the water, is this true? Even the owner of the store said don't go out and spend money on coral food unless you have hard corals and the type that demand food to survive.