What Causes Loss Of Part Of Torch

[nbzak]

I have a 240 gallon tank, 6 months old, other than a few fish,snails,crabs I only have a Torch Coral. With a Solaris for lighting. Last week I did a normal water change of about 40% prior to the change I cleaned my glass and blew off a little bit of the live rock of debris. All Params were good. Than 5 days later I noticed the TORCH CORAL one of the sections was shrievled up, next day the whole section was gone. Rest of the coral looked good. Than hours later, another section shrielved up. I than test water, ph 8.8 (high), nitrate (5-10), amm (0), Nitrite (0). So, I started another water change. By morning the next section was gone. It has now been 4 days and Torch looks happy as ever, waving in the water.
Sorry to write so much, but I know info is needed. Does anyone know what cld have caused this....as everything is ok now.
I will try to attch photo but kept getting a failed message I will keep tryin.
Thank you NBZAK

 

[mx#28]

Really, it could be any number of things but here are a few ideas to start with:
How closely matched was your water-change water to your tank water? 40% is okay, but could be problematic if there was significant difference.
Could the torch have been damaged during the water change? Siphoning and pouring new water in can both be dangerous - as can removing LPS polyps that are heavy with water from their more weightless state in the tank. Hermit crabs are also commonly reported to cause damage just by walking across torches. Any chance of these kinds of things causing damage?
Torches are more sensetive and harder to keep than the other euphyllias, how long have you had it?

 

[mx#28]

A mod might consider moving this to the LPS section.

 

[nbzak]

Thanks I will have to keep an eye on the new water and I haven't seen anyone on the torch.

 

[xdfireguy]

Watch stirring up sand, they don't particularly care for solids (not food) in their mouths.

 

[nano reefer]

this just happened to one of my hamers. probably from clownfish hosting it. it has about 9 heads, and 4 are now dead. my params are fine.

 

[nbzak]

Originally Posted by xdfireguy
http:///forum/post/2660592
Watch stirring up sand, they don't particularly care for solids (not food) in their mouths.
I have at times stirred up the sand by using a powerhead, or the magnetic cleaner, so if that can cause the death than now I will need to stop doing that. Thanxs for your comments. nbzak

 

[coraljunkie]

What do they look like when they die? Do they turn into a brown jellylike substance?

 

[mr_x]

Originally Posted by CoralJunkie
http:///forum/post/2666571
What do they look like when they die? Do they turn into a brown jellylike substance?
that's what i'm thinking. brown jelly disease.
it's a bacterial infection. it could have been caused by the stirring up of the sand

i don't keep torches anymore because of that. i have 3 huge skeletons in my sump due to it.
none of my hammers or frogspawns have ever gotten it though.

meanwhile, i'm told the way to arrest it is to vacuum out all of the brown jelly and keep it in an area of higher flow than usual. also dosing with vitamin c was mentioned, but i don't know how effective that is.

 

[coraljunkie]

Yep. thats what happened to my torch. Lost 4 heads to brown jelly. Took it out and cut away the infected heads. Remaining 4 are thriving jusst fine. Also a good rinse with freshwater will help.

 

[nbzak]

Originally Posted by CoralJunkie
http:///forum/post/2666571
What do they look like when they die? Do they turn into a brown jellylike substance?
It just looks like an empty head of skeleton. thanks

 

[jerryatrick]

Originally Posted by NBZAK
http:///forum/post/2668500
It just looks like an empty head of skeleton. thanks

Cut the dead heads off and if you want you can dip the coral in either freshwater or a coral dip sold at most stores. My torch did the same thing and if you don't cut the dead heads off the disease will spread.

 

[coraljunkie]

Originally Posted by JerryAtrick
http:///forum/post/2668513
Cut the dead heads off and if you want you can dip the coral in either freshwater or a coral dip sold at most stores. My torch did the same thing and if you don't cut the dead heads off the disease will spread.
That is correct. Iwatched it move from one head to the next until I took it out and cut the diseaed heads off. Been fine ever since.

 

[jerryatrick]

Originally Posted by CoralJunkie
http:///forum/post/2668551
That is correct. Iwatched it move from one head to the next until I took it out and cut the diseaed heads off. Been fine ever since.
No joke, in a couple of hours I watched a head die.