What's wrong with Duncan?

[roypersson]

Hello,

Thanks in advance for reading my post.

Unfortunately it appears that I have a dying Duncan Coral.

I have 6 polyp Duncan. I came home a few nights back to find three of these polyps on one side covered in what looks like a pink slime. I pink up the coral - shook it and it all came off.

Yesterday I checked my water parameters and learned that my calcium was a bit low (just under 400) and my alkalinity was pretty low. All other parameters (PH, Nitrate, Gravity, Magnesium etc) were fine.

I conducted a water change of 5 gallons (just a weekly water change for my 55 gallon) and then I dosed in some extra alkalinity and calcium buffer with some coral foods.

This morning I saw the pink slime coming back. I left it alone. Came home this evening and saw the slime starting to bubble. I took the attached photo. Just a few minutes ago I shook Duncan and the green part of one of the polyps came out leaving an empty white cavity!!!

Uh oh....

The other polpys (the one not afflicted have been acting fine). But I'm freaking a little.

I have a four lamp 50 watt 10,000 actinic light set (only a month old).

I've had Duncan since the first week of January. He was happy until a few days ago.

After adding Duncan I've added a small colony of Zoa's and some small SPS mushroom corals.

Just two weeks ago I added a green bubble pink foot anemone (RBTA).

Now... the RBTA was near Duncan - but to my knowledge they never touched.

I've heard anemone's can kill corals... is this just want happened here? What's interesting is that after I saw the slime a few nights ago I moved Duncan up from the sand bed away from the RBTA (thinking the RBTA crawled over it). But when the slime came back... I began to dismiss the RBTA theory.

I turn it back to you guys... whats happening to Duncan?

Also... my clowns wont host the RBTA... Why!!!!!

My tank has a yellow tang, two clowns, two fire shrimp, one engineer goby and for corals a long tentecal plate coral, kenya treeks, SPS mushrooms, and zoa's. One RBTA.

Let me know what you think.

Regards,

 

[UltimateReefer115]

Could be a couple reasons like the fire shrimp could be stealing food, the rbta could of did something, long tentacle plate corals usually move at night and the slime just could of done it all.

 

[roypersson]

stealing what food? I thought Duncan is photosynthetic?

 

[UltimateReefer115]

I dont think they are. When you feed it usually relies on that food, and shrimp steal that food when you are not looking. Trust me, I learned the hard way.

 

[rookie07]

I dont think they are. When you feed it usually relies on that food, and shrimp steal that food when you are not looking. Trust me, I learned the hard way.

They are photosynthetic, and plate corals do not move at night (they may inflate, which would cause tiny movement, if any).

 

[UltimateReefer115]

No, plate corals actually do move at night.

 

[roypersson]

Right - so whats up with Pink slimy stuff on Duncan?

Now - since I upgraded from my dual lamp to my four lamp light I've been battling algae growth (which I usually just scrape every other day). The algae growth is mostly green anyway - not pink.

 

[UltimateReefer115]

Well, I had green algae on my acan before. Try picking some of it off, and if that does not work, then I would suggest a freshwater dip.

 

[roypersson]

So this slime could be rampant algae growth?

 

[KathyC]

It sounds like Brown Jelly Disease.

 

[UltimateReefer115]

You might have red slime on your coral. I had it on my birdsnest, it makes the coral turn completly white and slowly kills it. It is on every polyp right if not frag that piece off, or move the hole coral to a different spot of the tank or a seperate tank, because what I here is that it can spread onto other coral. Any questions, dont be hesitant to ask.

 

[roypersson]

Yep sounds like brown jelly disease. I read online that I can dip it in freshwater and lightly scrub it to remove the brown jelly. Seems like its a goner though from what I read.

I suppose I could cut my losses and frag it / toss the rest. However from what I read it seems like the polyp itself has to become damaged (either from a crab, fall, sting , etc) for it to be infected.

Thoughts on saving whats left of duncan?

 

[KathyC]

It's worth a try to save the rest of it !
Do make sure you have alternating flow on it (not a constant current of the same strength).