Elegance Coral Issue

[brendan001]

Hey guys, still fairly new to the marine world. I noticed yesterday though my elegance coral has stopped opening up. It use to open up massively but now it barely allows the tentacles out. My other coral (hammer and torch) are going fine. I've had this elegance coral for three weeks and this is the first time I've seen it acting up since I bought it. Any ideas would be great. Will try to post some pictures soon.

Parameters are:
ph: 8.2
alk: 10dkh
salinity: 1.026
mag: 1200ppm
phos: 0.25 (just detectable due to kit and have been using PhosBan)
nitrate: 0ppm
calcium: 400ppm

 

[brendan001]

Normally:

D

 

[GrampsReef]

Following. I'm having a similar problem. I've had mine for about 2 months. It was really happy until a week or so ago. Now it appears really unhappy. I just beat Dion's at about the same time is started to look ticked. Water is all correct except phos is .38ppm. B4 and current below.

 

[Danroo]

Doesn’t elegance corals like high magnesium? I’m not sure though probably around 1400?

 

[PghReef]

I've had a few Elegance corals over the years. My current one was one of the first corals I added to the tank after it was stable. It's been pretty hardy for me, I even had it blasted with a little to much flow for awhile and the skin receded and started to detach fron the skeleton at the point of high flow. Its gone through periods where it didn't extend right,the tentacles would be short and knubby, and sometimes just look awful.

A few tips I find helpful with these guys.

- As always start with healthy stock! Don't buy one that doesn't look perfect thinking you can nurse it back to health. This is not a petco rescue kind of coral.

- Lot of debate on sand vs rock placement. Sand breeds disease, rock can be to rough and cause injury. Personally I mount on a rock near the sandbed. Build up a little pillar like structure off the rock so the polyp opens nicely and sways. Set it and forget it, don't move them around. Flow should make the tentacles wave but not so strong it pulls the polyp off the skeleton. Lighting should be lower, if you have strong reef lighting having it partially shaded isn't a bad idea.

-Feed them!! These corals love to eat. Mysis and Larry's reef frenzy are amazing. I thaw, turn off the flow, and baste once a week or two. When mine doesn't look 100% and isn't extending normally or inflating as large I know it's hungry. If it's injured feed lightly but continue to feed so it has the strength to regrow and heal.

It is very easy to tell a healthy Elegance from a sick one IMO. Even if they look ok, with the polyp opened and tentacles extended wave your hand gently over the top of the coral. A healthy coral will respond with a feeding like response and will almost feel sticky. The tentacles will all softly stick to your hand almost like static electricity for lack of a better explanation. If it does that it's healthy and can be fed and nurses to health without dips or treatments.

As a last resort I have heard of people using Cipro baths and tank treatments for these guys. Never done it myself but research it.

Here's my guy, probably about 80% opened. It is about 7 or 8 inches by 5 or 6 inches now and the tentacles are long enough to rival most torches mid day. Bought it a year ago maybe 4 by 2 inches.

 

[brendan001]

Following. I'm having a similar problem. I've had mine for about 2 months. It was really happy until a week or so ago. Now it appears really unhappy. I just beat Dion's at about the same time is started to look ticked. Water is all correct except phos is .38ppm. B4 and current below.

Mine seems to be doing better now. I hand fed the little guy a bit more and redipped it a few days now it’s close to full size again!

 

[sfin52]

Nitrate at 0 your starving the zooxanthellae

 

[GrampsReef]

Mine seems to be doing better now. I hand fed the little guy a bit more and redipped it a few days now it’s close to full size again!

I'm just getting back into reef tanks after 20 plus years. So, I'm not sure what dipping is and how it helps. Would you let me know. Thanks.

 

[GrampsReef]

Nitrate at 0 your starving the zooxanthellae

I'm not the author, but mine is not doing well. My Nitrates are at 5.6 ppm but they were at zero a few weeks ago.

 

[Lavey29]

Where do you have it? Light and flow? Your nitrates at 0 starve your corals. Yous phosphate is to high which is most likely why it's closed and your magnesium is quite low too.

 

[sfin52]

I'm just getting back into reef tanks after 20 plus years. So, I'm not sure what dipping is and how it helps. Would you let me know. Thanks.

Sorry I didn't me to reply to you.

 

[jay1976]

I know this is an old thread but the number one thing for elegance corals is the feeding,best way to do it if they are happy is a small piece of shrimp put into the tentacles,if they are unhappy take the elegance coral out of the display put in a small tub with tank water and dose the tub with reef roids or something similar for half an hour on a daily basis till the coral starts to come back,continue this till it starts to open completely,then 2 times a week of small shrimp and done.Parameters not as important as regular feeding , I learnt the hard way with this coral.

 

[FUNGI]

I know this is an old thread but the number one thing for elegance corals is the feeding,best way to do it if they are happy is a small piece of shrimp put into the tentacles,if they are unhappy take the elegance coral out of the display put in a small tub with tank water and dose the tub with reef roids or something similar for half an hour on a daily basis till the coral starts to come back,continue this till it starts to open completely,then 2 times a week of small shrimp and done.Parameters not as important as regular feeding , I learnt the hard way with this coral.

I assume raw shrimp and not the cocktail versions...

 

[jay1976]

I assume raw shrimp and not the cocktail versions...

Yup they love shrimp cocktail just remember to scoop out the guacamole and thousand island sauce when they are done feeding leaves streaks in your glass otherwise......ha ha ha