Help with Frogspawn

mikersof

mikersof

Member
Hi all,
I need some help to cut through some confusion. On Friday, an online order arrived containing a Branched Frogspawn Coral (4 branches). He was looking good and was added to my 29 reef.
Doing my research, I found the FS to be a moderate difficulty coral needing moderate water flow and moderate lighting. After noticing that my FS was in trouble, I dug a little deeper and I'm seeing others have an opinion that the FS is a DIFFICULT coral. One of the 4 branches has died. The other 3 are not out as fully as before.
QUESTION 1: Should I attempt to keep him in my 29?
QUESTION 2: How often do you lose a coral when ordering from online suppliers or even LFS?
Lighting is Coralife 30 Inch Aqualight W/ 2-65W (65 watt 10,000K and 65 watt True Actinic).
Water flow
Maxi-jet 900 (2 alternating 1 at a time/15 min)
Filter that puts out 400GPM.
Skimmer... not sure how many gpm.
Water conditions as of yesterday:
PH 8.4
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 10ish
Phosphate 0
SG 1.022 (Yes, low and will raise it slowly with top off)
Temp 76
CA 220 (Slowly coming up)
Mag 450 (Slowly coming up)
KH 12
Iodide .2-.3
Iodate .6
Other items in 29:
Black Clown
4 Stripe Damsel
Coral Beauty Angel (Added Friday too)
Blue Leg Hermits
3 other coral frags (GSP, Colt, Fuzzy Mushroom) All seem to be doing WONDERFULLY.
Here's what he looks like now.
 
mx mr bean

mx mr bean

Member
hmm the first torch coral i had did that same thing (it developed a white film over each tip of the branches) dont really know why but my frogspawn and hammer coral have been doing great since then. im not sure why there doing that but maybe they were just a bad specimen. how high are they up in the tank?
 
happyhourh

happyhourh

Member
Keeping in a 29 is fine. Your lighting is a bit on the low side for frogspawn IMO. I keep mine mid tank with enough indirect flow that its tentacles are always swaying in the current.
I've found that LPS are pretty moody and even though they look almost dead, if you find a place they like they come back pretty quickly. Id say that white branch in your pic is dunzo though.
 
mikersof

mikersof

Member
Originally Posted by mx Mr Bean
hmm the first torch coral i had did that same thing... how high are they up in the tank?
There was a Torch that was in the same order. But her was in really bad shape coming out of the shipping bad. Water was really murky and there was a bad oder. He didn't make it but I didn't expect him to. I did acclimate him and put hum in my 80 but only to make sure I would get a credit from the online store.
My Frogspawn is on the reef top about 4" under the water line. Think he's getting too much light?
HELP! =)
 
mikersof

mikersof

Member
Originally Posted by happyhourh
I keep mine mid tank with enough indirect flow that its tentacles are always swaying in the current.
even though they look almost dead, if you find a place they like they come back pretty quickly. Id say that white branch in your pic is dunzo though.
He's just in such position water flow wise. Nothing that keeps him pinned one direction or the other.
Think I might try moving him down a bit to see f he might like a different spot?
 
C

cmaxwell39

Guest
Your calcium is really low. This probably did not kill the one head on your frogspawn, but you should probably aim to get it up to 400-450.
 
mikersof

mikersof

Member
Originally Posted by cmaxwell39
Your calcium is really low. This probably did not kill the one head on your frogspawn, but you should probably aim to get it up to 400-450.
Oh, trust me, I know. And I'm adding Kent Calcium 4 Tbls X 2/week.
Anyone want to help me understand how to safely raise the Calcium faster? Better way?
THANKS!
 
mx mr bean

mx mr bean

Member
you could move him down. since ur lights are a little on the low side for FS try to keep him just as high but maybe in a lesser flow spot.
 
renogaw

renogaw

Active Member
i can't see how your alk is at 12dkh and your mag and calcium are so low. i know you're raising them up, im just wondering if your test kits are bad. if you do normal water changes your magnesium should be around 1300, and calcium around 360. unless of course you have a HUGE stoney coral population.
 
renogaw

renogaw

Active Member
my frogspawn started as 4 heads, and is now 6 heads in less than 2 months. i have it in a 90 gallon with 4 65w pc's. it's not looking bad due to lighting--your water parameters are no good for lps's and is the most important thing you have to fix.
 
ags

ags

Member
Your lighting is sufficient. If you calcium and alk are low do a 20% water change and follow it up with weekly 10% water changes. That will correct it almost immediately. As for maintaining, I use Bionic's 2 part additive on my 90. It maintains a fairly consistent calcium and alk levels. .
 
ninjamini

ninjamini

Active Member
You should not have added any coral with that chemistry.
That said it could have been acclimation by you or the online retailer.
It could have gotten damaged in shipping.
It could have been sick.
It might not have likes your Lights, flow, fish, aclimation, salinity, calcium...
Some times it just dies. But in a very healthy tank it should not happen often.
A sick or damages coral may recover in a good tank. Your tank had a few issues. Not to blast you by any means. This is how we learn.
 
C

cmaxwell39

Guest
What kind of salt are you using. If you are using something like instant ocean it does not have as much calcium in it as does something like Reef Crystals, Oceanic or some other "reef" salts. You might try switching salts to see if that helps. It is also possible that you got a bad batch of salt. Try testing your newly mixed water and see what kind of Calcium and Magnesium readings you get. They should be closer to Calcium 380-450+ and Mg around 1300. If your newly mixed water does not read close to that I would get some new salt. HTH.
 
mikersof

mikersof

Member
Originally Posted by ninjamini
You should not have added any coral with that chemistry....
A sick or damages coral may recover in a good tank. Your tank had a few issues. Not to blast you by any means. This is how we learn.
I really like your last comment. hehehe How true!
Of course, taking advice from LFS, who never checks calcium or mag. "Sure, your water is JUST FINE!"
But, I'm learning. And it very well may have been something the shipper did. I had a Torch with the same order that was DOA!
But, we go on. I'm striving now to bring my water from where it is to optimal.
Thing is, before I ordered these two corals, I added a Colt, Fuzzy Mushrooms, a Branch Flower Pot and Green Star Polyp placing frags from shrooms, GSP and Colt in my 29. All are THRIVING. So, I truly thought I was ready for the LPSs. <sigh>
Thanks for the advice!
james =)
 
mikersof

mikersof

Member
Originally Posted by cmaxwell39
What kind of salt are you using....
Try testing your newly mixed water and see what kind of Calcium and Magnesium readings you get.
WOW! Now that is an AWESOME idea and I will do just that.
I'm using Kent.
I will be looking into the reef specific salts.
THANK YOU!

james =)
 
farslayer

farslayer

Active Member
I have several frogspawn, I would never think they were difficult. First, your lighting is fine, but you will want him midway up or higher due to the poor penetration of PC lighting. Your temperature is too low, raise it slowly to somewhere around 80 or 82. Your calcium is low, but that did not kill the frogspawn head. Your flow should be moderate and indirect, but I think you said you covered that. Make sure no other coral is close to him whereby he could be getting stung. Try spot feeding him something such as cyclopeeze. My first frogspawn purchased about 6 years ago is still alive, but when I got him one head retracted and died, never coming back. It happens unfortunately.
 
mikersof

mikersof

Member

Originally Posted by Farslayer
II would never think they were difficult.
Your temperature is too low, raise it slowly to somewhere around 80 or 82.
Your calcium is low, but that did not kill the frogspawn head.
My first frogspawn purchased about 6 years ago is still alive, but when I got him one head retracted and died, never coming back. It happens unfortunately.
Thanks much Farslayer! Your words carry great encouragement. It truly is an ongoing process of learning, trial & error as well as successes and failures.
OK, I admit it. I'm addicted!
james =)
 
ninjamini

ninjamini

Active Member
Best place to get corals is from other reefers. 2 reasons.
1. they will be healthier and not have had the trauma of shipping, followed by bad acclimation.
2. Thats one less coral taken from the reefs.
Better for you, better for the reefs.
No club in your town? Time to start one. The one I go to here in s fla has a coral

[hr]
every meeting. Get corals cheap. Often rare corals. Or ones with great color. Want something? Post it on the forum.
 
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