Sick leather

[MsBeanCtr]

I'm not sure what's going on with this coral. It's been doing great for several months and then I wake up to this! In the second picture you can see two spots. The brown one is like a layer of goo that rubs off easily. Underneath the brown goo is there is a white spot. (I couldn't get a good picture without sticking my hand in there-sorry) Please offer any suggestions.

Thank you!

 

[Devilishturtles]

That's weird. Leathers do "shed" for lack of a better word, and will sometimes stay closed up for days at a time while they do so.

If it were mine, before doing any drastic measure to save it, I'd let it be and keep a close eye on it to see if it bounce back on it's own. If it continues to spread you might consider either dosing it with lugols (diltuted 10:1 and spraying the area with a baster or something) or fragging off the infected area.

But...IMO I'd let it go for a while to see what happens. It may bounce back all on it's own.

What kind of flow is on it?

HTH, and please, someone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[MsBeanCtr]

What kind of flow is on it?

It's in a high flow area.

Thanks for info-I'll keep an eye on it.

 

[melosu58]

Is there any corals close to it? I see one side but not the other side. I`ve had good results with SW dips with iodide for 10 or 15 minutes. Not a FW dip but SW with a couple caps of Kent`s concentrated Iodine in about a half gallon of water. If that dont work then you might have to frag off the bad end as Lindsay said.

 

[MsBeanCtr]

Is there any corals close to it?

No, it's way off by itself. I've been watching it and it's not opening up at all now. I think I'll try the iodine dip. This is my first coral, and I've had it for over 6 mos. I'd really hate to loose it. I'll follow up.

 

[MT79]

What are your water parms (SG, PH, temp, ammo, nitrite, nitrate, Ca, Alk)?
Do you do regular PWC's? If so how much and often? Do you use GAC?

 

[MsBeanCtr]

What are your water parms (SG, PH, temp, ammo, nitrite, nitrate, Ca, Alk)?
Do you do regular PWC's? If so how much and often? Do you use GAC?

I do pwc's of 20% every week (15 gallons of ro with reef crystals). I do not use GAC. I tested water on Sunday, but I'm at work currently and don't remember the exact results, except for the following: SG - 1.026 PH - 8.0 Temp - 79.8 CA - 380. The rest I'll have to get back to you on.

 

[MT79]

I would run GAC until it clears up. Maybe something else is releasing chemicals that are bothering the leather. Also as the leather necrosis it will release toxins into the water that could then make things worse all around. GAC and a protein skimmer will aid in removal of them, along w/ PWC's. Chemical warfare is a problem w/ soft corals. I would suggest using GAC at least occasionally on a tank w/ softies. 24/7, changed weekly if you do not use a skimmer, along w/ PWC's.
I'm primarily concerned w/ SG and Alk. Low or high Alk can cause issues w/ coral tissue, as well as Alk swings. RC's/IO is alittle low on Ca generally too(usually test 340-350 right out of the bucket using RO/DI) Test and post your numbers to be sure everything is good. That is the first place you should start

 

[MsBeanCtr]

I did a couple of more water tests when I got home.

Alk 2.5
Nitrate-10
Nitrites-0
Phos-less than 0.2
Ph 8
Ca 380
I run a skimmer 24/7

I think that was it. I was going to try an iodine dip but the leather has attached itself (the "stalk" part) to the entire side of a very large rock so it would be difficult to remove it to do the dip. Do you think I could use a bag of Boyd's chemi-pure in the sock? Also, do you think the SG is too high? I have another 15 gallons of water ready to go (I got worried about the leather releasing toxins into the tank).

Today the leather isn't looking as bad as it had in the past couple of days. It's still not extending fully and it has the two areas that look kind of white.

TIA!!

 

[Hara]

a real reading of 1.026 is not too high. If however, you are not using a refractometer, that reading could be quite different.

 

[MT79]

2.5 meg/l is about as low as you want to go on Alk. I would like to see Alk at least at 3 meg/l. It helps insure it's not too low due to test kit/user error. Being in the middle of the "proper" ranges is best for this reason, and it will also allow for some fluctuation w/ out going too high or low.

Do you think I could use a bag of Boyd's chemi-pure in the sock?

I've never used it, so I can't say. I prefer just a good AC like Marineland black diamond carbon.

Also, do you think the SG is too high?

As Hara said, on a hydrometer I would go w/ about 1.024 to allow room for error here as well. Be sure to wash the hydrometer after every use and soak it occasionally w/ vinegar/water to remove Ca deposits, etc. Otherwise they can be very misleading.

Today the leather isn't looking as bad as it had in the past couple of days

A few PWC's and GAC should take care of it. HTH and good luck.

 

[MsBeanCtr]

2.5 meg/l is about as low as you want to go on Alk. I would like to see Alk at least at 3 meg/l.

What are your thoughts on adding some Kent Marine Superbuffer to increase the Alk?

I've been keeping an eye on the leather a couple of times a day and it seems to be s-l-o-w-l-y coming out of it. It was so strange....this coral has been doing well over the past several months. In fact, it was getting so large I was thinking of trading it in on something a little smaller. When fully expanded, the top of it was the size of a dinner plate.

Thank you very much for all of the help.....this site has been so very helpful. I'm just thankful that you folks don't limit the number of questions that I can ask!

 

[MT79]

thoughts on adding some Kent Marine Superbuffer to increase the Alk?

That should work. What I find is one of the best, cheapest, and easiest ways to increase Alk is to just use baking soda dissolved in some RO water(it's sodium bicarbonate). It will not cause any issues, and it is not uncommon among reefers to use it. Be sure to use baking SODA and NOT powder. This will generally not change PH, but if it does it may lower it a little bit. Don't increase Alk more than .5 meg/l a day. Here is a calculator to determine how much baking soda to use, or whatever product you may choose.
http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chemcalc.html


PS- FWIW if you have low PH to begin w/, you can bake the baking soda, spread it in a cookie sheet, for about 45 mins at 400 deg. That will drive off excess CO2, etc. That means the new, baked baking soda will increase PH rather than lower it. Baking it will also alter the amount needed to raise Alk, so be sure to choose the proper one when using the calculator.

I'm just thankful that you folks don't limit the number of questions that I can ask!

No, but it will cost $1 for each additional question

 

[Innovator]

Your parameters, if accurate, do not seem to be worrisome in regards to your issue. Corals without a limestone skeleton do not benefit from high calcium levels to those that need to calcify. 2.5meq/L is in accordance to natural seawater and I have seen much lower with corals still doing well. Consistency is the major factor in husbandry efforts and in your case rapid supplement additions; however, IME this might have more to do with adequate flow. Oftentimes Sarco's will develop spots and/or pits on their tissue followed by a small rationing of brown jelly, which seems to follow suit with what you've documented. This can be especially detrimental during their shed and can even leave holes straight through the tissue. Even though the coral is in a "high-flow" area, sometimes a counter-current flow pattern is needed where the coral is randomly blown from different angles.
At this point, your best bet is to perform a water change, add carbon, and direct flow towards the coral to keep any detritus from settling into the infected area. Don't be afraid to use a toothbrush or turkey baster to remove any brown jelly from the infected area.

 

[MsBeanCtr]

Just an update here- the leather is doing much better. It seems like it's taking a while but I think it's coming back to itself again.

 

[melosu58]

That is Good News. Thanks for the update