Inheritance of a 40 Gal Reef tank

[Blue Baron]

My wife and I have had this reef for about a week now. Unfortunately, neither of us are 100% sure if/when something is wrong with the coral.

Now, we're both experienced aquarists (my wife moreso than I), however, not with coral.

On one of four torch corals in the cluster, half of it has apparently bleached, and refuses to extend it's tentacles. The other half occasionally forces it's tentacles out, but is usually retracted.

There is no other sign of stress, all water parameters (that we're testing) seem within spec.

Is this possibly normal behavior that I'm being overly paranoid about?

Here's what I'm testing for, and what they tested out as:

PH: 8.0 +/-
Nitrate: 5.0 +/- ppm (mg/l)
Nitrite: 0
Alkalinity: Somewhere above 300 ppm

 

[Anonymous]

Is this possibly normal behavior that I'm being overly paranoid about?

Well, corals do expand and contract, but that looks like it might be the result of trauma to me.

Since you say you inherited it, can I assume the tank was taken down from it's previous house and moved to yours. Any chance to torch got bumped into something during the move?

 

[Anonymous]

Welcome to RDO!

From your readings, you need to get your ph up a bit. shoot for 8.3 Also, try to get the nitrates down. A water change or two should help both.

The torch does look a bit traumatized as Laura said. If all the other corals are doing good (especially the other heads of torch) It should be okay. I've had heads of frogpawn (same LPS family) grow back after trauma. So It shhould be okay.

Keep an eye out for infection/brown jelly. You might have to frag off the dead head if it gets bad.

B