Is this going to kill my elegance coral?

[DI68]

Hi

I went on holidays for two weeks and found this when I came back. My elegance isn't opening / extending like it used to. The nitrates and nitrites were off so I did a water change immediately. This thing is coming out of a hole in the base of the coral. Not sure if the hole was there before or if this thing created it and it quickly retracts if I move the coral or shine a torch light on it.

I had a problem with nudibranchs eating my duncans and have since become paranoid with everything unusual in the tank. It looks feathery and is circular.

If it's a baddy, how do I get rid of it? We don't have Coral X in Australia. Thanks

 

[Stlrockguy]

It's a feather duster. Harmless filter feeder

 

[aquandrew]

agreed, it won't do any harm. your water should never show a nitrite level and if your nitrates are too high, your coral is not looking good because of that. how old is the tank? has anything died recently causing an ammonia and/or nitrite spike?

 

[DI68]

agreed, it won't do any harm. your water should never show a nitrite level and if your nitrates are too high, your coral is not looking good because of that. how old is the tank? has anything died recently causing an ammonia and/or nitrite spike?

Thanks for the advice. I found my dragonet dead when I got home which was upsetting. I had a green mandarin and target but the green died. He was a fussy eater and I had been target feeding him prior to leaving. My monti is fading away in colour and it looks like a wave, gradually moving across the plate so I thought there was some type of parasite in the tank. Another cabbage- looking hard coral bleached too while I was away. Am doing another water change today. I have had the tank since May and the corals were doing brilliantly except for my duncans dying which were due to nudibranchs.

 

[DI68]

It's a feather duster. Harmless filter feeder

Phew! Thank you!

 

[aquandrew]

this was likely all caused by the mandarin dying, depending on what CUC you have. try to give your tank some extra maintenance and keep the water pristine. your coral should come back to full health. the only one i would be worried about is the one bleaching, some corals don't recover very well and/or can take anywhere from a few days to over 6 months to recover. i would do a little research on nursing back the specific coral that has started bleaching. good luck!!!

 

[Daniel Fishy]

Elegances are hard to keep even the Australia ones. Do a wc I doubt one fish dieing would raise level to high.

 

[DI68]

this was likely all caused by the mandarin dying, depending on what CUC you have. try to give your tank some extra maintenance and keep the water pristine. your coral should come back to full health. the only one i would be worried about is the one bleaching, some corals don't recover very well and/or can take anywhere from a few days to over 6 months to recover. i would do a little research on nursing back the specific coral that has started bleaching. good luck!!!

Thanks Sorry what does CUC mean? I bought a treatment to add to the sump daily which reduces phosphates and nitrates and enhances coral growth and colour. Nitrites are back to 0 but nitrates 80ppm even with the 2nd water change. 0 ammonia. I bought a new phosphate reactor this week to be on the safe side ( already had one ) but the LFS told me this doesn't reduce nitrates and it will take a while to reduce.

 

[DI68]

Elegances are hard to keep even the Australia ones. Do a wc I doubt one fish dieing would raise level to high.

This is one of the corals I haven't had problems with so I am hoping it's the nitrates and I can correct it. My zoas are not opening either

 

[aquandrew]

Thanks Sorry what does CUC mean? I bought a treatment to add to the sump daily which reduces phosphates and nitrates and enhances coral growth and colour. Nitrites are back to 0 but nitrates 80ppm even with the 2nd water change. 0 ammonia. I bought a new phosphate reactor this week to be on the safe side ( already had one ) but the LFS told me this doesn't reduce nitrates and it will take a while to reduce.

CUC=clean up crew. do you have hermit crabs that would have taken care of the carcass?

 

[Brilliant_Barbs_21]

Boy 80 ppm is a problem. Do you have a refugium with macro algae and a skimmer in your sump? I'd do daily water changes at the minimum.