Colt Coral

[swabearf16]

I bought a Colt Coral from this site. It looked great for a few weeks. Now, it looks dark brown, shriveled, and the base of the stalks look like it's slowly falling apart. Any help is appreciated.
Amm/Trites/Trates - 0 (Salifert)
pH - 8.1
SG - 1.026
Temp - 79
Aquatinics 72" T-5
150 Gal/35 gal Sump/Fuge

 

[nick76]

Originally Posted by SWABearF16
I bought a Colt Coral from this site. It looked great for a few weeks. Now, it looks dark brown, shriveled, and the base of the stalks look like it's slowly falling apart. Any help is appreciated.
Amm/Trites/Trates - 0 (Salifert)
pH - 8.1
SG - 1.026
Temp - 79
Aquatinics 72" T-5
150 Gal/35 gal Sump/Fuge

If your params are all in check I would think it might be shedding. Mine gets a little crinkly every once in awhile when it sheds and looks kinda beat up.

 

[swabearf16]

Thanks, Nick. I'm assuming that's a natural process for this coral then. I'm also assuming I can expect a full recovery....Right?

 

[perfectdark]

Is there flow directed toward it? if not try some moderate indirect flow or low direct flow. Mine likes to move a bit in the water column. Ive had mine for 4 months and its never shed, but it has fragged itself.

 

[nick76]

Originally Posted by SWABearF16
Thanks, Nick. I'm assuming that's a natural process for this coral then. I'm also assuming I can expect a full recovery....Right?
I have been told they shed, and notice a period of time where they look a bit wilted. Assuming that that is the case then yes u can expect a recovery.
Originally Posted by PerfectDark
Is there flow directed toward it? if not try some moderate indirect flow or low direct flow. Mine likes to move a bit in the water column. Ive had mine for 4 months and its never shed, but it has fragged itself.
Yeap mine has also divided after like 6 months, it was about 7 inches across and is now two pieces with a 2nd branch growing on the bottom of the one that split.

 

[swabearf16]

It's pretty much getting moderate flow and it's mounted pretty much in the middle of the tank. It's looking pretty bad right now, like it may need some Red Bull or something.

 

[scsinet]

Check for predaceous nudibranches. I got some in on the Colt I ordered from this site before as well. By the time I realized what it was they ate my entire Colt Coral.
Look for tiny slug looking things either on the colt coral or near it. They can be any size from a few millimeters to an inch or more in length. They will look similar to the colt coral itself. If you find them, pick them off with a tweezers and dispose of them. You'll have to do this many times before you get them all.
The bigger ones look like the attached picture.

 

[swabearf16]

Thanks! Good tip. I'll check now and later tonight when the lunars come on. Never thought about possible predators. Colt is still looking poorly. It went from about 5" to about 3" and it's much darker now. All other coral are doing fine.

 

[dlee]

Originally Posted by SCSInet
Check for predaceous nudibranches. I got some in on the Colt I ordered from this site before as well. By the time I realized what it was they ate my entire Colt Coral.

The exact same thing happened to me in a Colt ordered from this site about 6 weeks ago. I had 2 of the nudibranches that crawled out of it

 

[nick76]

yea I forgot to mention check for those...I also had one on my colt awhile back.
This little sucker was on my colt when I got it a about a day after I put it in the tank.

 

[swabearf16]

I don't see any Nudibranches. The Colt is looking mighty poorly right now. Complete stalks are about to separate from the rock. Should I trash it before I get dead stalks floating all over the tank or is the coral doing something that's perfectly normal. It just doesn't look very good to me. Will a pic help diagnose my problem?

 

[swabearf16]

These pictures will show the color and stalk separation. Again, I don't see anything chewing on them.

 

[nick76]

Originally Posted by SWABearF16
These pictures will show the color and stalk separation. Again, I don't see anything chewing on them.
hmmmm

Im sorry man I really dont know what to tell you, Im trying to think of every posibility but if your tank is fine Idk what it could be. How many watts do u have over the colt? is anything picking on it?(fish&inverts) where is it posisitioned? flow? Sometimes corals can be damaged by getting to much light when u 1st add it to the tank if it is used 2 a lower wattage of light over it.

 

[perfectdark]

You could take it out and do an iodine dip and or a fresh water dip. Sometimes this helps, if there is any infection it will kill it and if there are any unwanted hitchikers on it the FW dio will rid it of them.

 

[swabearf16]

It fell apart and was polluting my tank. It's taking a Hefty ride to the street now. I did try the iodine dip on what was left but I reckon it was too late. I'm doing a partial water change now. All other corals still looking fine. I'll get another Colt soon and try it lower in the tank next time. Thanks y'all for trying to save it for me.