SPS Tissue

[cbianco]

One of my Acro frags is melting...

On the bottom side the tissue is "holey" and falling off the skeleton. The white skeleton is exposed on the underside.

What is happening?
Can I stop it?
Will it spread to the other frags?

Thanks in advance.

Christopher

[gjuarez]

Its called necrosis, there is rapid tissue necrosis (RTN) and slow tissue necrosis(STN). What you want to do is frag it about 1/4 of an inch above where its RTNing. Alot of the times it will just continue to die, but this is what will give it the best odds.

[cbianco]

Thanks Jerry.

Do we know if it is likely to spread to other frags?

[g-ray]

Thanks Jerry.

Do we know if it is likely to spread to other frags?

It shouldnt spread

[gjuarez]

It can, although there is no scientific evidence that it will. It just happens in some instances. Is it receeding from the bottom or from the top ?

[cbianco]

It can, although there is no scientific evidence that it will. It just happens in some instances. Is it receeding from the bottom or from the top ?

It is receding from the underside of the coral. It did not start at the base, it started from the middle of the underside.

The polyps are still extending well. Kind of funny that the frag is on its way out and polyp extention is great. Go figure.

[gjuarez]

I was looking at your other thread. Your alkalinty is running a little high at 13dkh. That might have somthing to do with the coral dying. I have always tried to keep mine at 8-9 DKH and calcium from 450 to 480. You calcium might be a little low because of this, the high DKH might be causing it to precipitate.

WHen nutrients are high, corals start receeding from the bottom. When they receed from middle to top, its usually an alk issue. Lets see what others have to say

[cbianco]

I was looking at your other thread. Your alkalinty is running a little high at 13dkh. That might have somthing to do with the coral dying. I have always tried to keep mine at 8-9 DKH and calcium from 450 to 480. You calcium might be a little low because of this, the high DKH might be causing it to precipitate.

I'm currently dosing B-Ionic 2 Part. 2.5ml alk and 5.0ml cal, daily. I think it's time to cut back on the alk dosing to 3 times a week.


WHen nutrients are high, corals start receeding from the bottom. When they receed from middle to top, its usually an alk issue. Lets see what others have to say

Actually, this makes sense. Nutrients accumulate on the rocks VS chemical balance in the water column.

I'm still new to the SPS game. I guess everything is a learning process. I feel bad that in order to learn it means taking the life of an animal.

[gjuarez]

I have lost many corals as well. I learned the hard way. Your corals are looking good though. You dont necessarily have to loose them if you act fast. Good luck. The tan one with the purple tips is an A. Valida

[cbianco]

I have lost many corals as well. I learned the hard way. Your corals are looking good though. You dont necessarily have to loose them if you act fast. Good luck. The tan one with the purple tips is an A. Valida

Would the problem be "fixed" if I lowered my Alk? or Is fraggin the bad part off the only fix here?

[gjuarez]

You might want to start fragging. More often than not the tissue just keeps receeding. I remember giving a dying colony to a friend, pretty much just the tips were living. THat thing took off in his tank and regrew all the tissue.

If you do decide to bring you alk lower, do it very slowly. Slowly dose a little bit of the calcium to help offset the alk. Alk can cause the PH to fluctuate that why its reccomended to do it slowly.

[cbianco]

You might want to start fragging. More often than not the tissue just keeps receeding. I remember giving a dying colony to a friend, pretty much just the tips were living. THat thing took off in his tank and regrew all the tissue.

Fragging would be fruitless. Too many holes to make a clean cut. I couldn't save but maybe a 1/2 inch at most.


If you do decide to bring you alk lower, do it very slowly. Slowly dose a little bit of the calcium to help offset the alk. Alk can cause the PH to fluctuate that why its reccomended to do it slowly.

Should I dose white vinegar (and calcium) to bring the alk down?

Will additional calcium dosing bring the alk down on its own?

[gjuarez]

I dont know about the vinegar or the effects it will have on the alk.

Dosing calcium should be helpful in bringing down the alk. Check the parameters constantly. Take it slow

[cbianco]

I've dosed 2.5ml of calcium twice throughout the afternoon. I'm not dosing anymore until tomorrow.

The tissue on this frag almost seems to have stopped receding. Obviously, I will have to give it a few days to see the true end result of my melting coral. I am hoping for the best.

Christopher

EDIT: Jerry reminded me below, I also did a 5 gallon water change.

[gjuarez]

Good luck once again. I hope someone else chimes in to see what they would do to bring ALK down. Cant go wrong with aggressive water changes

[JimD]

A picture would help, it may not be RTN at all, it could be one of several things.. Adding vinegar will dramaticly affect your Ph, not so much your Alk. If you want to lower Alk, discontinue the addition of the Alk part of the B-Ionic and only add the Ca. and continue with regular water changes untill its in range, I like to keep mine around 8 Dkh. If its RTN, it can and will pread to other near by corals. Best to do is to segregate the effected coral and place into a Q. tank. Gonna need a good pic first..