Toadstool not polyping

[Aidanflower]

So i got a toadstool about two weeks ago and when i first got it it got waxy, shed over night and then opened up. Then it stopped opening up and it looked like it was getting bleached so i moved it down. It opened up for a day or two after i moved it. now it hasn't opened in 5 days. It has a waxy coating on it and i know that it does that when its about to shed but its had that waxy look for 5 days. I don't think it is dying because it its not melting, it has gotten shorter but that base has gotten thicker. It also does react to light, like sometimes its tilted but when i turn the light on it stands up straight. It also sometimes like folds together and then when it turned the light on in a lil it does fold out. Sometimes the "sockets" (where the polyps come out) do look a bit diff from day to day like sometimes the "sockets" look more pronounced and defined and other times they look smooth. I am also at the tail end of an algae bloom but idk if that affects anythingI am wondering if you guys have and suggestions.

I will be testing my water in a couple of min too

 

[Shirtlessbill]

My toadstool's shedding period has been as long as two weeks before. I wouldn't worry just yet. Especially because you've moved it a few times. What did your parameters come out as?

 

[Aidanflower]

Ph 8.3 ( i put a buffer in to keep it there)
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 30
Salinity 1.023 i usually keep it at 24 but to three is fine
I dont have a phosphate test but i will be getting my water tested for phosphates and be getting a tester today. I dont think theres a problem with phosphates because its a pretty new tank got it this past summer. I will also be getting a phosphate reactor sometime this winter wjen i get enough money from shoveling peoples snow im 14 haha.

 

[Aidanflower]

Wow! I meant nitrite 0 and nitrate 30

 

[Mebbid]

What is your alkalinity at? I notice that my soft corals stop coming out to play when the alk is in short supply.

 

[bribo12]

30 nitrates is pretty high, that could be your issue. But yeah check alkalinity too

 

[Aidanflower]

I just did a water change after i tested earlier i will check them shortly. Dumb question but what is alkalinity, i though it was ph?

 

[Aidanflower]

If it helps the toadstool is my only coral, i also have royal nature which is good salt and it say that it mixes to make perfect levels of alkalinity trace elements and all that stuff. My last water change was last week so i doubt that the alkalinity is low if I'm not mistaken

 

[Mebbid]

Alkalinity is a measure of bicarbonate in the water. While it's related to pH levels it's a different measure. While it might not be that it's best to rule out any possible issues and that's usually the first thing to check when having issues with soft corals not opening up.

 

[Aidanflower]

Okay thanks, i will look into that more. Any other ideas?

 

[Shirtlessbill]

Probably not this. But if it is new to the tank and the parameters like salinity are changing it might still just be acclimating. With corals you a want to shoot for consistent measurements and if it was introduced at lets say 1.024 and now it's lower it might just need some time to adjust

 

[Dav3]

I don't think it's been mentioned but toadstools like a lot of flow. Do you have enough flow in your tank? Other likely possibility is alkalinity is off as mentioned.

 

[Aidanflower]

So i decided to give it more flow and moved it up and now its getting better flow, i did this yesterday. Today i just got home and it shed! But now that im looking at it it looks like it has been nipped at on the sides. Even if it is a nip i dont know what it could have been. I have a hippo tang, desarjini salefin tang, two clown fish, 3 cardbals, flame angle, orange spotted goby, flame angle and a purple tang( just got him yesterday!) if im not mistaken they arent know for picking at corals. So now im questioning if it is melting?

 

[Dav3]

First off it does appear to be nipped by something. Flame angles aren't completely reef safe and are known to nip corals.

Second, your tank is too small for any of the tangs you have. The sailfin and hippo tang need at least 180 gallon long tank. The purple tang needs minimum 125. Being in such a small space can stress them and cause them to nip on corals as well. Also they are constant grazers and require more constant food supply than other fish. Not feeding enough could also cause them to nip on corals.

 

[Animal-Chin]

Toadstools like to freak out to change. I'm betting the tank it was in has a lower ph, or different salinity or higher alk and now it's adjusting to your tank. When I got my frag it did this for like a week, I thought it had died but then one day it came out again. They don't like change and now it's my tank monitor. If my alk drops it doesn't open. If after a water change my salinity is a bit to high, it doesn't open. I love it for just that, a "hey, check your parameters" kinda coral...

 

[Aidanflower]

First off it does appear to be nipped by something. Flame angles aren't completely reef safe and are known to nip corals. Second, your tank is too small for any of the tangs you have. The sailfin and hippo tang need at least 180 gallon long tank. The purple tang needs minimum 125. Being in such a small space can stress them and cause them to nip on corals as well. Also they are constant grazers and require more constant food supply than other fish. Not feeding enough could also cause them to nip on corals.

I am fully aware of the tank size needed. I have purchesed the tangs at about 2 -2 1/2 inches same with the flame angel. I just put the flame in yesterday afternoon and i think i remember seeing the "nips" on the coral before i put him in. I also feed every night

 

[Aidanflower]

My fish store also lets me bring in fish that are too small for my tank trade then in for a baby of that kind. They put it in a 215 gallon tank with all of the big fish and sell it.

 

[bribo12]

My fish store also lets me bring in fish that are too small for my tank trade then in for a baby of that kind. They put it in a 215 gallon tank with all of the big fish and sell it.

I understand this mindset but at the same time why buy fish that will outgrow your tank and become aggressive with one another eventually. You will have to tear your tank apart to get them and stress the heck out of them. 3 tangs in a 90 is just asking for trouble, once they reach a certain size they will become aggressive and you will have a loser. Why not when you rehome them get appropriately siZed fish. You could even get a kole or tomini tang. Then you could still have a tang. There are so many smaller pretty fish that you could fill that tank with.

 

[bribo12]

Sorry the tangs are not the point of this thread, I bet your alkalinity is off and that is the toadstools dilemma. Like was said earlier they are good water quality indicators and no polyps probably mean low alk

 

[Aidanflower]

Thank you. I will be doing research on alkalinity. But i will say that my toadstool is half out right now