Coral dying?

[Regan_tyler]

This is my first sps not sure if it's doing good. My lfs gave it to me for free to try out.

 

[bribo12]

Looks fine just brown. What are your phosphates, magnesium, calcium and alkalinity readings?

 

[Regan_tyler]

I have no idea I live in Alaska and that stuffs hard to find

 

[bribo12]

Lol I understand. It looks fine though, the polyps look out

 

[Regan_tyler]

I was just worried it's skin (no idea what it's actually called) seemed to keep coming upward instead of just staying, I don't know much it's my first sps

 

[MacDracor]

It looks like a montipora digitata. I had one that color a while back. The bumpiness is just the polyps extended. There is some tissue recession on the bottom, but with proper care, it'll recover from that quickly. Montis are tough, and fast. Is the bottom what you were worried about?

 

[Regan_tyler]

Yea it just kept seeming to come up more an more. Also I had another question completely off topic but is there's device that has probes that I can put in my sump that'll just display my parameters not like a controller but just display my parameters?

 

[bribo12]

Yea it just kept seeming to come up more an more. Also I had another question completely off topic but is there's device that has probes that I can put in my sump that'll just display my parameters not like a controller but just display my parameters?

Yeah they have pH probes, calcium probes, etc... I think they have them for all the major parameters. Also, it sounds like stn on your montipora which could be caused by a bunch of things. It is hard to know without parameters though. Usually it is from alk swings, low magnesium, temperature swings. Lots of stuff can cause it, best way to deal with it is to frag the coral a little above where the recession is occurring.

 

[Regan_tyler]

Where would I order the probes an display things at or what would they even be called?

 

[bribo12]

Where would I order the probes an display things at or what would they even be called?

I know your in Alaska, idk if marinedepot or drs. Foster and smith ship there but both those sites would have them.

 

[Regan_tyler]

Okay I have another off topic question what's the most prettiest/ colorful Lps coral in your opinion?

 

[bribo12]

For color with lps I like acans, scolymias, and open brains. They seem to have the most mix of colors on them IMO.

 

[Regan_tyler]

Okay I'll have to look those up also what would be a good way to feed my small zoas?

 

[MacDracor]

That's a nice mix of zoas and palys. For the most part, they should be able to provide for their energy requirements through light, and their growth requirements through filter feeding and absorbing nutrients from the water. No supplemental feeding should be needed in a healthy system. Their mouths are too small for most things we would be able to target feed anyway.

 

[Regan_tyler]

How toxic are the palys?

 

[MacDracor]

Zoanthids and palythoas both contain palytoxin. The concentration varies from species to species, and even a specialized marine biologist would have difficulty telling you for your specimens. However, the toxin is contained within their tissue and generally only released if that tissue is damaged. Fragging, for example. Even then, healthy human skin provides a good barrier. It becomes an issue if you have cuts, scrapes, or touch a mucous membrane (mouth, nose, eyes) before washing your hands.
In short, wash your hands, don't mess with your tank if you're cut, and you'll be fine. As a rule, those precautions should be followed regardless of the presence of toxic animals, as aquariums include many things we don't want in our eyes and mouth.