Help with the frogspawn

[Mihai]

Hi guys I'm having a problem with my frogspawn: it stopped opening. I
got it 19 days ago and it was doing fine until yesterday. Initially I
though that a Xenia was bothering it a bit on a side, but after moving
the Xenia it didn't started to feel any better. Actually, today it
looks worse, none of the polyps come out more than 1-2mm. Until now it
looked really happy and was coming out big and nice.

I have two things that might be the cause, however, both of them were
present during the last two weeks, so why now?

First is the lights: I have four NO fluorescents (three 6500K white
and one actinic). This might be too low for frog spawn. However, it
looked happy under them for the past two weeks.

Second is the temperature: it's not 84-85, but it was like that all
the time...

Regarding feedings, I sprayed the coral with finely chopped marine
meats (squid, shrimp, etc), and it seemed to eat it.

Please let me know what do you think the problem is so I can try to
fix it (I have some extra 65W PCs and I can get a fan if that's the
problem).

Thanks,
Mihai

 

[brandon4291]

When I get lax on calcium addition and maintenance, my fs fails to open brightly. The day I give the system a dose, the LPS seem to open fully and resume normal activity. Of course there are several factors at play, but each time my FS/Hammer coral display this attitude it has been addressed each time with a check of the Ca++ levels and the proper makeup dosing.

 

[Ben1]

To be safe I would run some carbon and do a water change. How big is your tank? If larger or deeper I would move the coral closer to the light or add more lighting. Of course as already stated be sure the CA/Alk levels are in check.

 

[Mihai]

The tank is 90gal (and hence unlikely that something dramatic happened with the water). Besides, none of the other corals seems to mind the water (a hammer coral (same genus!), lots of different xenias, different mushroms (actinodiscus, rhodactis), yellow polyps, button polyps, leather corals, zoanthids).

The frogspawn is already pretty high up (maybe 5" from surface).

I heard that xenia is really sensitive to the water quality and they are all fine... I'll run some carbon to see what happens. I'll also check on CA/Alk.

Thanks,
M.

 

[Mihai]

OK,
Ca - 390 (not changed in 2 months)
Alk - 6.6 dKH
pH - 8.2
what next?

I don't have any sps and only 2 lps (the hammer and the frogspawn), so I don't have big swings in those parameters.

What next?
M.

 

[Anonymous]

You said you directly fed them(it). It may just be the digestive process. They will eat but do not need direct feeding.

 

[Anonymous]

You said you directly fed them(it). It may just be the digestive process. They will eat but do not need direct feeding.

 

[Mihai]

I fed them two days ago. It can't be that... Any other ideas?

M.

 

[brandon4291]

Based on how you are narrowing it down, I am leaning towards standard LPS behavior. As I reread the top of your post, it seems you have only noticed this problem for 20 hours max right> it is quite possible this is the natural expansion/contraction sequence for whatever its doing (feeding, digesting, recovering from shrimp assault or minor insult from whatever source)--meaning if the current parameters stay in check it may just open up again in another day.

 

[Anonymous]

Yes it could. Euphyllia could take a few days to digest the food. They are not very fleshy. I must admit though, she may want/need more light.

 

[Mihai]

OK, I'm determined to save this coral. I went out and got a 10gal tank that I filled with ~6gal of RO/ID water + salt. I put a maxijet 1200 in a corner, I plan to put the frogspawn in the other corner. That should take care of any water problems I might have in the main tank.

Now regarding the light: what should I do? On one hand I think of giving it a lot. On the other hand I am afraid that putting 130W of PC on it will shock it.

I have the following lightning options:
2 x 65W power PC (one 10,000K, one actinic)
1 x 42W fluorescent bulb (equivalent to 200W incandescent)
1 x 19W fluorescent bulb (equivalent to 100W).
I was thinking to get the 42W fluorescent baby right on top of it...

Any advice?


Thanks,
Mihai

 

[brandon4291]

Be prepared for minor polyp retraction again, due to the new change of environment. Going from compound-laden to extremely clean water is again a drastic change (though a safer one) and I commonly see mucous ejection and polyp withdrawl for a little while after a thorough environment cleansing or move to new quarters. Your light sources aren't too bad off IMO, it'd be more dangerous to up the lighting quickly

 

[Anonymous]

When I get lax on calcium addition and maintenance, my fs fails to open brightly. The day I give the system a dose, the LPS seem to open fully and resume normal activity. Of course there are several factors at play, but each time my FS/Hammer coral display this attitude it has been addressed each time with a check of the Ca++ levels and the proper makeup dosing.

On the other hand, I had a mega calcium spike that went almost to 500ppm and the same happened to my frogspawn. All got better when calcium dropped.


In this case, I'd think it's the light. To test the theory, you might move the frogspawn higher in the tank and see if it improves at all. It may have been fine in the light for two weeks and just now run out of steam.

Good luck

 

[Anonymous]

The tank is 90gal (and hence unlikely that something dramatic happened with the water). Besides, none of the other corals seems to mind the water (a hammer coral (same genus!), lots of different xenias, different mushroms (actinodiscus, rhodactis), yellow polyps, button polyps, leather corals, zoanthids).

The frogspawn is already pretty high up (maybe 5" from surface).

I heard that xenia is really sensitive to the water quality and they are all fine... I'll run some carbon to see what happens. I'll also check on CA/Alk.

Thanks,
M.

IMO, Xenia is much stronger than Frogspawn and can take a lot more diverse conditions and much lower light and still look good. FS also tends to sting a lot stronger than Xenia, so I doubt the xenia damaged it...it would be the other way around.

 

[Anonymous]

I don't like the idea of moving it to a small tank...ther is no way, IMO, that the 10 gal could provide a better or more stable environment than the 90 gallon. Just my two cents.


You calcium and alk seem a little low, but I guess a frogspawn could adjust to that....but why in the world are you running your tank in the mid 80s? Cooler temps are more stable.

 

[Mihai]

The only thing the 10gal can provide better than the 90gal is light: I can put much better light on it. And clean water. I'll try to make it really stable. It's just a temporary hospital thing, not final: my 2x250W are on their way (should come Tuesday/Wednesday).

Regarding the temperature I was waiting for the new lights to come to install some fans in my canopy mainly because nobody seemed to mind. I mean, all other corals are fine. I installed a fan yesterday and brought it down to 80 last night, I'll see today if the
frogspawn comes out in 2 hours of light coming on. If not, it's not the temperature: I'll move it in the 10gal with better light. I'll keep you posted.

Still no advice on what lights should I use... Plese, any advice would be appreciated.

M.

 

[Viper070]

hey mate just read through the whole thread here. now im relativly new to this forum but in my opinion, wont multiple changes in evironment cause more damage then good.

"The only thing the 10gal can provide better than the 90gal is light: I can put much better light on it. And clean water. I'll try to make it really stable. It's just a temporary hospital thing, not final: my 2x250W are on their way (should come Tuesday/Wednesday). "

If the lighting is the problem u will have to reproduce the same intensity in the main tank b4 u move it back yes????????or logic suggests a reoccurance????

u said it had been closed up for like 1 day and u seem to be freaking out. Just because its retracted dont mean its dieing??????

It is possible to love somthing to death even with the best intentions

My advice settle down and let it be for couple of days and see what happens moving it now may prove to be fatal or prolong its recovery.

no need for added stress at this point.

just my opinion do what u will with it cheers.

 

[Mihai]

hey mate just read through the whole thread here. now im relativly new to this forum but in my opinion, wont multiple changes in evironment cause more damage then good.

Well, it looks to me that if I leave it there will die for sure. So I have to take the risk. There are not multiple changes (just a big one )

"The only thing the 10gal can provide better than the 90gal is light: I can put much better light on it. And clean water. I'll try to make it really stable. It's just a temporary hospital thing, not final: my 2x250W are on their way (should come Tuesday/Wednesday). "

If the lighting is the problem u will have to reproduce the same intensity in the main tank b4 u move it back yes????????or logic suggests a reoccurance????

u said it had been closed up for like 1 day and u seem to be freaking out. Just because its retracted dont mean its dieing??????

As I said my 2x250W are on their way, probably will be installed in one week. So, yes, I'll get more light in the main tank before I move it back.
It's been retracted for three days and a night now. That's what freaks me!

It is possible to love somthing to death even with the best intentions

My advice settle down and let it be for couple of days and see what happens moving it now may prove to be fatal or prolong its recovery.

no need for added stress at this point.

just my opinion do what u will with it cheers.

I sure as hell don't want to stress it, but it seems to me that it's passing away if I don't do something.

M.