Acanthastrea quick death, any thoughts?

[jtboehmjr]

Hi All,

I'm new to the forums but have been keeping reefs for many years. The last year I have been keeping some Acanthastrea lordhowensis morphs and they have been doing great. Until the last few days.

I have lost two colonies and one is on its way. All my tank levels are fine. They are basically going from looking great to melting away within 24 hrs. Very strange. The only thing I could think might be doing it is the Phospate remover (PURA Phoslock) I put in about a week ago. Maybe it is stripping something out of the water. I have used it before everything was fine. Any thoughts?

Thanks!

PS: All other corals, mainly zoos, leathers, mushroons, duncan, xenia, clove , gargonians are doing fine

 

[mr_X]

is the skeleton turning red where the flesh peeled back? if so, it's some sort of bacterial infection i'm told. you could try something like a dip in "revive".
phosphate remover isn't the issue.

 

[rickytsui]

u might have melting pot which they will eat your sps away

 

[Reefs Creation]

I also read that if your see pink/red skeleton its bacterial infections, you can try furan 2 as a dip for that, or intercepter for bugs that might be attacking it. I have tried revive and iodine based dip without success. Sometimes its best to just cut off the dying part. Also, if you have never fed them, start doing so, I saved some acans just by target feeding them, thats because I havent fed them over a year. lol. Goodluck.

 

[jtboehmjr]

HI all, thanks for the thoughts. No, the skeleton is remaining white but it does seem like an infections. Whatever it is seems to be attacking the whole coral at the same time, not just the edges, like the coral is just dissolving. I don't see anything on the coral (w/ magnifying glass). Very strange.

 

[bizarrecorals]

This is one tough coral to kill, do you feed it? watch out for unwanted critters that may attack the acan, been doing this for a long time, havnt lost one yet, where did you purchase the coral from? Keep it away from current, a lot of Aussie coral do not require too much light , believe or not 2 t5 is more than enough.

 

[bizarrecorals]

Sorry Alen, I strongly disagree with the furan, if is not done right, it'll wipe out this persons whole tank, if the iodine dip does not work, sometimes is just meant to be.

 

[grisha]

check you temperature. see if your reefsafe angel is swimming around

 

[Reefs Creation]

Sorry Alen, I strongly disagree with the furan, if is not done right, it'll wipe out this persons whole tank, if the iodine dip does not work, sometimes is just meant to be.

Tommy, I meant as a dip not in tank treatment.. and of course you should rinse it before putting the coral back in the tank.
Its worth a try if its bacterial infections. People treat zoa pox with it.

 

[jtboehmjr]

I know acans are hard to kill. Mine all started out as small frags and have grown in my tank for at least 3 months to year. All have at least doubled (or much more in size/polyp count). All other fish and corals are happy and healthy. It could be a fungus or bacteria. I recently introduced some star polyps to the tank, they are doing well but may have been carrying something. I may try a iodine dip. thanks for the suggestion.

 

[Master Shake]

did you get any new fish that may be eating them aka angels, butterflies etc...

 

[artie1209]

Some food for thought. What else do you have in the tank? Could it be an interaction between species? Have you added anything new to your tank in recent weeks. Fish Inverts, Live rock? Changed salt brands? I have read that rapid phosphate removal is believed to cause RTN in SPS. What was your Phosphate readings before you added thew media and what are they now? Although it is only ancillary evidence I would suggest you remove the Phosphate Media and do a 20-30% water change.
Good luck!!

 

[bizarrecorals]

I forgot to mention, sometimes I cut 16"+ peices, you find razor clams in the skeleton, not that many people know they exist, they're black sharp looking clams that comes in all sizes, a lot of the times the clams will die and if you don't get them out, they'll rot.

 

[basiab]

I recently introduced some star polyps to the tank, they are doing well but may have been carrying something.

That may be your problem. I would remove them from the tank and see if it helps. When the star polyps start growing fast and others slow down or die it may mean the star polyp is winning an Allelopathic war.

 

[anthony27]

very intresting you say red cause i have a issue with red cyno on my zooanthids well 2 of them and red cyno on the sand. I have noticed this when I turned my lights off in teh fuge/sump for 5 days. All my bulbs are new probly 4 weeks old and my levels are dead on.