Coral Behavior - Leather, Brain, & Torch

[gee_lo]

Happy Sunday,

I am a new reefer, and am inquiring about the behavior of my 3 corals. I have a torch, a finger leather, and an open brain.

The leather, in addition to completely closing up every night, dosen't exten his full polyps (for a day or so) , every 4-5 days. His fingers will stay fully extened, but his soft brown "hairs" aren't revealed. Is this normal? I always thought that polyp extension was a sign of the coral's health, so I am beginning to worry. But his fingers do extend fully every day ?!?

THe torch (which has 3 skeletal "torches") goes through phases where just 1 of his torches seems to pull back in to the skeleton. They don't pull back entirely (like he did when the LFS guy bagged him for me). But there is a clear difference between the recoiled torch and the other two that are fully extended and waving in the current. Also the torch that is pulled in seems to have a much neon green color and a different texture (shriveled) than the extended ones (plump).

THe open brain, seems to go through phases, where he will stay plump and juicy for a couple days, then spend a few days "shriveled".

These behaviors may be completly normal, or a sign of stress. But before I start getting more paranoid than I already am, I figured I would ask. The LFS around here is of NO help...so I look to you kind folks.

Thanks,

Angelo

 

[Reefguide]

All of those sound odd. Have you checked your water lately? How long have you had the set-up? I have all of those corals, and none of those sounds normal. Give us a bit more info on your set-up, lighting, ect.

 

[gee_lo]

Thanks for the reply Reefguide,

I was going to post my parameters in the 1st post....But I figured I'd wait to see if that was normal coral behavior.

So my set up is as follows:

- 54g Corner aquarium
- 10 gallon sump
- 80 lbs. live rock (50lbs. Marshall Island - 30lbs. Florida aquacultured)
- 250w 10k MH w/ 2 28w actinics (Pendant)
(MH Bulb 8" above water level)
- Kent Nautilus Skimmer w/ Mag 7
- Mag 7 main pump
- 250 w heater
- 4 Maxi Jet Powerheads
(2 aimed across reef from upper left and upper right. 1 aimed towards the front, shooting from upper back. 1 behind reef wall shooting through rock (not in direct aim of any coral)). All timed on a Red Sea Wavemaker.
- 79 degrees (with both digital and glass thermometer)
- PH 8.05-8.31 (Too big of a swing???) (checked with recently calibrated Pinpoint digital monitor)
- NO3: <5mg/l
- KH: 120mg/l
- Ca: 420mg/l
-Specific Gravity: 1.021 (Kept stable with a Dosing pump that runs 24/7 from a RO/DI Reservoir). (Use "Deep 6" hydrometer to check ...$50 Powerbuy Refractometer on the way!!!)
- 5 Stage RO/DI


- Maintain Calcium and Alk w/ Kent Tech-CB 2 part additive.
- Daily additions of Kent Iodine, Iron, Strontium.
- Recently started the corals on a varied diet of: Kent's ChromaPlex, Coral-Accel, MicroVert, & PhytoPlex.
- All additives added as per instructions.

Tank has been running 4 months. The previoulsy mentioned corals are all i have now. As well as lots of macro (halimeida). No hair or nuisance alge. Fish: Purple tang, clarki clown, PJ Cardinal. Inverts: Coral Banded Shrimp. Clean-up crew (70 mixed snails & hermits).

As far as lighting: the torch coral & the open brain are about 16" away from the MH. THe leather is about 22" away from the MH.

All the corals seem to do great. Usually fully extended (during the day) and look happy to be alive. But, as I said, every few days they seem to get a little shy and dont expand fully, as explained in my first post.

Do they retract their polyps after they feed, as if they are absorbing their nutrients? (thought i read that somewhere) Or should they be wide open all the time? Maybe their just moody!

Thanks for any ideas or suggestions. Much appreciated!

-Angelo

 

[Reefguide]

SG is at 1.021 ? Why are you keeping it soo low?

 

[gee_lo]

Yes...The SG is low....That is why i am coming to you guys. I told my LFS guy that my 1st batch of salt water, mixed to 1.021, and he told me that was fine. So I just stuck with it. Might that be the reason that the corals are acting strange? Does the SG have that kind of affect on corals? THe fish seem more than happy. If i need to raise it, (I see 1.024 is often suggested), how do i do it in a way that won't shock anyone? A higher SG in water changes? I change 5 gal a week. What would you suggest the SG of the new water be if I am only introducing 5 gal at a time?


Other than the SG...did any of my parameters seem off?

Thanks again,

Angelo