Unhealthy Bubble Coral

[Rutrag]

I'm kind of in a hurry to get out the door, so I'll have to fill in some details later. I've had this bubble coral about 3 months. Here's what he looked like about a week after I got him:

Here is is tonight:

Lights are 150W metal halide (unsure of color temperature) + 28W Actinic VHO. He's about halfway up the tank (approximately 12" from lights)

SG= 1.026
pH = 8.0
Ammonia = 0
Nitrite = 0
Nitrate = 5
Phosphate = 0
kH = 11
Calcium = 460
Temp = 80

I think the problem started with too much flow on him, and I redid a lot of rockwork last weekend to deflect that.

Fish include the fire clown, royal gramma, Carpenter's wrasse, Kaudern's cardinal. The only mobile invertebrate is a coral banded shrimp. No other corals are close to him.

Any ideas or thoughts to help him out are appreciated.

 

[melosu58]

He does not look that bad. Is the tomato clown bothering it? BTW here is my bubble coral after 13 1/2 yrs.

 

[Rutrag]

The clown was hosting on it, until I got a long tentacle anemone a few weeks ago. He'll still swim over the bubble coral during the day a little, but nowhere near like he did before.

I'm kind of surprised you think he doesn't look that bad. There has been a lot of tissue receding on the left side and I can see the fins of the skeleton coming through. I'm not sure it didn't get hurt when I rearranged the rockwork and had a stack of live rock (including the bubble) tumble.

 

[crzytrace]

looks like some tissue ripped. keep him in lower flow and try to keep the area free of algae. he should recover. if he starts looking worse maybe try an iodine dip.

 

[Rutrag]

This may seem really basic, but exactly how do you do an iodine dip and what do you use for the iodine? Supplement type iodine, drug store, special stuff for dipping corals?

I've seen people mention it, but I really have no clue.

 

[crzytrace]

i use lugols solution by brightwell. i drain 1/2 -1 gal tank water into bucket, depending on the size of coral I need to dip. I then stir in 15drops for 1/2 gal, 30 drops for a full gallon. water should be a very light tea colored. I then place affected coral, making sure to get it to retract before i take it out of the water so it doesnt rip itself, in the bucket for about 10 mins, swirling the water around a little once in a while,or picking up coral and very gently swish it around. then place back into tank. he definately wont look very happy but by the next day mine usually look better than before the dip.

 

[melosu58]

They just get like that sometimes. They will be looking OK and then just start receding for a few hours or day and the next thing you know it`s back to normal. Iodine dips are for leather corals IMO. Now that the clown is not bothering it do you see it getting any better.