pagoda cup cora concern

[SakkieJ]

G'day all.

I am new to this hobby started about 6 months ago and hopefully one day I will have a thriving reef tank.

Tank complete as successful cycle and I do have some corals in my tank.

I have a question about my pagoda cup coral. I bought one about 6 weeks ago.

Used AF Protect Dip from Aquaforest and dipped the coral before adding it to my tank.

One thing I noticed was that the pylons never really extended fully, also when I bought the coral there was this black spot which I assumed was normal.

This morning I after performing my weekly water parameters check, I noticed that the pagoda cup coral is starting to lose some of it's flesh.

Not sure why this is happening. I did have a small outbreak of Aiptasia and used Aiptasia-x to kill it.

I do feed it once ever two weeks.

As a newby to this hobby, I do have millions of questions, but first if someone can help with this, that will be great.

Fish:
2 clownfish
3 pajama cardinals
3 bluegreen chromis

25% water change every 3 weeks

Water parameters:
Alk 10.4
Cal 480
Phosphate 0.06
Mg 1200
Salinity 1025
Nitrate 20

Thanks

 

[TX_REEF]

I’m not sure that pagoda cups really require feeding. How is the light and flow on the coral? Pagoda cups (and most LPS generally) do not generally appreciate getting blasted directly with high flow or light

 

[ReefingDreams]

I’m not sure that pagoda cups really require feeding. How is the light and flow on the coral? Pagoda cups (and most LPS generally) do not generally appreciate getting blasted directly with high flow or light

Agreed. Also, you have to balance that with making sure detritus isn't arming on it. Detritus or sand can cause similar symptoms to what you show in your picture.

 

[SakkieJ]

I’m not sure that pagoda cups really require feeding. How is the light and flow on the coral? Pagoda cups (and most LPS generally) do not generally appreciate getting blasted directly with high flow or light

Little to no flow on the cup. My lighting system is the fluval marine 3.0 light system. The cup is not in the middle of my tank more to the left edge. It could be the lighting. not sure.. see my settings attached.

 

[SakkieJ]

Agreed. Also, you have to balance that with making sure detritus isn't arming on it. Detritus or sand can cause similar symptoms to what you show in your picture.

That does make sense. As I understand detritus is decaying food. I used to feed my fish directly above the cup. That could cause the problem, correct? Recently I changed my feeding location.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

That does make sense. As I understand detritus is decaying food. I used to feed my fish directly above the cup. That could cause the problem, correct? Recently I changed my feeding location.

if you feed above the coral and the food drops straight down onto the coral and stays there, I would say there is not enough flow. Coral does not want to be blasted by stream of water, but the water needs to move constantly inside the tank.

 

[SakkieJ]

if you feed above the coral and the food drops straight down onto the coral and stays there, I would say there is not enough flow. Coral does not want to be blasted by stream of water, but the water needs to move constantly inside the tank.

I do have two Jebao jets on the opposite sides of the tank.. there is a current and flow in the tank.. I usually turn the jets off when I feed the fish.. the cup have a little flow over the top.

 

[ReefingDreams]

That does make sense. As I understand detritus is decaying food. I used to feed my fish directly above the cup. That could cause the problem, correct? Recently I changed my feeding location.

Detritus is a general term for anything that settles in a tank. So if you have anything settling, whether it is decaying organics, inorganic particles, or bits of sand or mulm, that sitting on flesh will cause it to deteriorate and decay. Even once removed, the decay can continue. Also, if you have food landing on the coral and fish nip it off, that could cause issues (irritation and/or decay).

 

[SakkieJ]

Guys all the replies are really appreciated.

I used a turkey baster to clean the cup yesterday.

Will the cup recover? This morning the cup lost more flesh. Should I just leave it and monitor? Or should I consider a dip bath?

 

[ReefingDreams]

Guys all the replies are really appreciated.

I used a turkey baster to clean the cup yesterday.

Will the cup recover? This morning the cup lost more flesh. Should I just leave it and monitor? Or should I consider a dip bath?

A dip is likely just to stress it more. But if you do dip, an iodine based one like Lugol's is all I'd do as an antiseptic.

 

[SakkieJ]

Good call.. will monitor the Cup and hold thumbs.

Thanks

 

[MrGisonni]

Yes it looks like some detritus has settled on top of that cup Coral and caused some damage. You might want to give it a little bit more flow.