HoCkEyGmC
Aquarium Advice Addict
the big parameter swing took the star sometime over the past 3 days. my nitrates were 5 times the norm so im thinkin that thats what did it in. this has been a hard week and its only 2 days in.
Another Loss ='[
- Thread starter HoCkEyGmC
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HoCkEyGmC
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each leg has al least one gash in it, it has now gone limp, i moved it because i saw the gashes and it hadnt moved since last, well, a while ago.
Was anyone there the past two days that can account for any abnormal conditions? Sorry, I don't remember if you mentioned it in the previous thread. How did the salinity and temp range, if anyone can account for that as well? How are the corals doing?
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HoCkEyGmC
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i have been home since sunday night, the tank was being fed once a day while i was gone, they wouldnt have been able to notice any difference, all that they knew was to feed the tank. all of the corals seem to have made it through the stress, they didnt look too good yesterday but now it looks like they will all make a recovery. the temp was down to 78 and went back up today. the nitrates went over 25ppm which is unheard of in my tank. i did a PWC as early as possible which was today. i cleaned up my filters it the old pwc water. there was a big sandstorm of what may have been nasties from what was in the back of the nanocube on the bottom of the tank. there was sand or nasties for almost an hour but the star was still a little torn up already before i even got home from my vacation. i noticed that it wasnt doin too good rite away cuz first off it hadnt moved then second off the legs were ripped up. i guess i just gotta monitor the tank for now and get a better person to watch over the tank. parameters are back to normal now with nitrates at 5 ppm. still thinkin about a wrasse and maybe another star in my future for the tank.
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HoCkEyGmC
Aquarium Advice Addict
not absolutly sure about the salinity but i remember everything being normal. it is possible that the person watching the tank topped off without dechlorinating the water. i still dont really know how it happened. my corals are still recovering but getting better daily. it was a small marble star or fromia.
Kurt_Nelson
Aquarium Advice Addict
That would be my guess, seeing how quick things went south.
Have you asked the person if they topped off the water at some point? Have you tested your tap just to see what the water chemistries show? <--just curious since it would take alot to completely crash a system in two days unless you have absolutely horrid water.
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HoCkEyGmC
Aquarium Advice Addict
havnt actually tested the water yet but i did ask and they did not top off at all. could it have been the emerald crab? i think i missed pulling some parts of the cardinal out cuz my nitrates keep going back up. my brain is semi-shriveled up and losing color, my xenia was shriveled up when i got home a few mins ago from my lfs. dont worry, i only got a little torch for my 3 gal. the xenia is opening all the way back up now. my mushroom was also shriveld but now it looks a little better. and lastly my blasto shrunk a little but its opening back up now. my main concern is the brain, it isnt getting a whole lot better like the other ones are. thoughts?
"Brain" corals tend to take longer to recondition other than Xeniids ime. Make sure it is receiving adequate flow and take note of any excessive sliming and/or jelly like substances (usually brown) around the tissue margins. Didn't you mentioned something about the lights being on more than usual in your other thread? I cannot imagine what is going on with your tank being that you left only for two days. My only thoughts, and please forgive me as I make no blind accusation, is there were unwarranted hands or an accident within the tank or vicinity and you are just not being told about it. I mention this based on experience unfortunately...keep up on the water changes for now until things begin to straighten up more 
Edit** Unless the fish was already weakened I doubt the emerald would bother it; however, a starfish is fair game. Any hermit could also have wounded the star, but it would have had to be left for dead to cause such a massive die off imo.
Edit** Unless the fish was already weakened I doubt the emerald would bother it; however, a starfish is fair game. Any hermit could also have wounded the star, but it would have had to be left for dead to cause such a massive die off imo.
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HoCkEyGmC
Aquarium Advice Addict
"Brain" corals tend to take longer to recondition other than Xeniids ime. Make sure it is receiving adequate flow and take note of any excessive sliming and/or jelly like substances (usually brown) around the tissue margins. Didn't you mentioned something about the lights being on more than usual in your other thread? I cannot imagine what is going on with your tank being that you left only for two days. My only thoughts, and please forgive me as I make no blind accusation, is there were unwarranted hands or an accident within the tank or vicinity and you are just not being told about it. I mention this based on experience unfortunately...keep up on the water changes for now until things begin to straighten up more
Edit** Unless the fish was already weakened I doubt the emerald would bother it; however, a starfish is fair game. Any hermit could also have wounded the star, but it would have had to be left for dead to cause such a massive die off imo.
yes, the lights were on a strange schedule while i was gone. i am also weary that something happened that im not being told about. also, how should i go about bringing everything that lived to a full recovery? just daily pwc's(easily manageable for the remainder of the week)? and i wouldnt call it a "huge" or "massive" die off, it was two things that died and because i wasnt there to observe any of it the parameters got screwed up. but whatever, this is all a learning experience. and also, if things do manage to get worse, should i take something out and put it in the 3 gal temporarily? i know that i really need a qt/hospital tank i just dont got the time or cash to set one up rite now. also, on a qt do i need a light or will just a lamp pointed at the tank work or what. if i do need a light, what is a relatively cheap one?
Thanks so much everyone!
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HoCkEyGmC
Aquarium Advice Addict
a slight update: xenia is growing bumps that look like popped out white dents (out-dents). the mushroom looks strange (could it be splitting?). brain is gaining color back on the outside part of its body. frogspawn is slitghtly shrunken. blasto is regaining size. and my urchin is making my zoa's unhappy if you know what i mean. another quick question, will a 3in by 1 1/2in (polyps' size) torch coral do ok in a 3 gallon with 18 watts of pc 50/50 14000k actinic and 7400k daylight?
Where are the bumps coming from, the base or stalk? If so it could be a sign of reproduction. Mushroom looks strange, as in convoluted or twisting? Possible sign of reproduction or still unhappy. I wouldn't put a torch in a 3g, much too small eventually unless for holding purposes imo, but yes the pc's should be more than enough light.
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HoCkEyGmC
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bumps are comming from everywhere on the stalks. the mushroom is just all around weird lately, stange to describe. and the torch is just there for holding purpses until the 28 is back on track, i just wanted to make sure that it would be fine for a week or a few. how should i go about bringing everything that lived to a full recovery? just daily pwc's(easily manageable for the remainder of the week)? lastly, do i need a light for a qt? what exactly should be in it besides a filter some, fake plants, heater, and powerhead?
I imagine the Xenia is reproducing and probably stemmed from the excess organics in the water. Within 24hrs-48hrs you should start to see some tentacles and pinnules extruding if that's the case. For holding purposes that would be just fine. You may have to photo-acclimate the torch depending on the previous placement at the lfs. Are you considering the 3g your quarantine tank? Just being sure since there is a difference between a Holding tank and Quarantine tank that most do not differentiate.
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HoCkEyGmC
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not considering the 3 gal as a qt at all, i was thinking a little bit about making it a small fuge for the 28 tho. also, what is photo acclimating? ive heard of it before but never really knew what it was. i have a 16 gal that im planning on using as a qt.
Ah ok, picture is clear now lol. I only mention photo-acclimation because a 3g is shallow. Place the coral at the bottom of the tank and if you can raise the fixture any, do so. You are trying to limit the intesity of exposure so the coral isn't shocked with that amount of light, depending on its previous placement. Quarantine tanks either have a sponge filter or hob filter, a heater, and pvc for fish to hide in. QT does not need specific lighting and indirect lighting will be best since medications may degrade with direct light exposure. You can use a mesh bag full of sand from your main system to help kickstart a cycle in QT Depending on how you see the tank adjusting and achieving a healthier outlook, water changes could vary around 10% weekly until you deem it recovered.
Depending on how you see the tank adjusting and achieving a healthier outlook, water changes could vary around 10% weekly until you deem it recovered.
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HoCkEyGmC
Aquarium Advice Addict
Ah ok, picture is clear now lol. I only mention photo-acclimation because a 3g is shallow. Place the coral at the bottom of the tank and if you can raise the fixture any, do so. You are trying to limit the intesity of exposure so the coral isn't shocked with that amount of light, depending on its previous placement. Quarantine tanks either have a sponge filter or hob filter, a heater, and pvc for fish to hide in. QT does not need specific lighting and indirect lighting will be best since medications may degrade with direct light exposure. You can use a mesh bag full of sand from your main system to help kickstart a cycle in QT
ok things are much more clear now, what do you mean by pvc? like some wide grade somewhat long pieces? they had the torch under mh at the store. and could i seed the tank with an freshly used ready to change sponge or carbon or ceramic? im going to be replacing all of that with rubble/purigen soon. and i normally do about 17% pwc's weekly so should i be good w/ that?
If they had the torch under mh then you should be fine, but I would start it out at the bottom of the tank just to be safe. You are better off seeding a tank with sponge or substrate (in mesh) so yes the sponge would be fine. Pvc is inert so it will not alter medication concentrations and your fish can use them for hiding. 90 elbows, straight pieces, whatever you choose as long as they are sized so your fish can swim through without getting stuck
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