Mysterious LPS Deaths

[Europhyllia]

I have been experiencing some sudden mysterious LPS deaths.
Coral will look fine and happy one day, then shrivel up and peel completely off the next.
Nothing to lead up to it. I've lost this way: duncans, frog spawn, torch and dendros
Values are:
ph 8.0 to 8.25, alk 12 dkh, calcium 410, mag 1300, temp 78-79, no detectable nitrite, nitrate, phosphate or ammonia but I got algae so they'll suck up some of the N3 and Phos.
What could it be? How do I stop it?

[hobogato]

what is your fish list?

[Europhyllia]

mandarins
bartlett's anthias
midas blenny
blue gold blenny
eviota gobies
ocellaris clowns
PJ Cardinals

[justahobby]

Maybe the blue gold blenny? Any pep shrimp?

[Europhyllia]

tiny blue gold blenny, tiny pep shrimp
My worry is I still might have this:
http://www.maast.org/forums/showthread.php?t=58273&highlight=florida
I found a couple of clams knocked down overnight
(blue gold blenny is way smaller than clams and not active at night)

[hobogato]

hmm... nothing jumps out there - liveaquaria says the blue and gold blenny will nip at sps, but doesnt mention lps.

[hobogato]

oh, if you have that crab in there, that would make sense.

[Europhyllia]

yes. plus the fat little fish is active during the day, not night and I've never seen him nip anything. He's only around 1 1/2"

[Europhyllia]

I have never seen that crab again.
It could have gone with my liverock to RayAllen (dead at that point since I had it in the tub for a long time before giving it to RA)
I wanted to trap it but Rob's idea scared me so I bought moonlights instead.
Haven't seen it though. I don't know it it's in there or not. :(

[corruption]

Most blennies have the potential to nip at any corals -- LPS, SPS, softies or clams -- but usually the smaller Ecsenius sp. are safe in that regard.. Nothing else comes to mind either -- perhaps tank placement? How high were they in the tank?

-Justin

[justahobby]

I got $20 on the peps.

[Europhyllia]

I got $20 on the peps.
That's interesting. I've never thought of them as dangerous.
I only got them a few weeks ago. My LPS problems only started a few weeks ago as well...

[corruption]

If they correlate, I'd call them suspect #1 -- I'd consider em suspect either way... they're definitely pretty un-caring in what they eat -- part of why they're great for aiptasia... but why people don't keep em around forever usually :)

-Justin

[Europhyllia]

hm but they hide! how would you get them out?

[aquasport24]

I used to have frogspawn and duncans w/ 12 peps with no problems. You can place some kind of cages on some of the LPS to find out if it water fault or you have predators in your tank.

[stoneroller]

12 is on the upper range for alkalinity, too high for my taste

What's your salinity?

[LittleReef]

Which LPS were dying? Chalices?

[Europhyllia]

salinity is 35. list of affected LPS above

[Gseclipse02]

hm but they hide! how would you get them out?


a flame hawk will take care of them lol


salinity is 35. list of affected LPS above


???1.035????

[justahobby]

JT, pretty sure she means 35ppt. I had to think twice about it lol

[Europhyllia]

Yes, the question was about salinity, not specific gravity ;)
I measure salinity in ppt using a refractometer. I aim for 35 ppt
That corresponds to a specific gravity of about 1.0264

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-12/rhf/index.php

[ErikH]

I have never had problems with peps and my Duncan colony... I suspect a fish or flow issue, possibly even lighting...

[Third Coast Tropical]

Yes, the question was about salinity, not specific gravity ;)
I measure salinity in ppt using a refractometer.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-12/rhf/index.php

:applause:

Off subject, but glad to see someone else using salinity (ppt) and not specific gravity

[justahobby]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=14218022


And post #12 is for Erik :D


Bottomline: If it's happening overnight, then you know it's an invert.

[Europhyllia]

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

How do I get them out?

[justahobby]

Mine were very food (and acan) aggressive. I lured them with food and scooped until I got all of them.

[mpwolken]

Do your clowns ever bother the LPS. Mine killed a torch.

[Europhyllia]

I did think the clowns were bothering the Duncan's to death but they didn't go near the other ones that died.

[bimmerzs]

I have also never had an issue with pep's and duncan's, frogspawns nor hammers. You are sure they are pep's and not camel shrimp right.....I have seen them mislabeled more than once.

Cheers,

[Europhyllia]

One more thought: For the last few weeks I've been using Dollar General glue for frags. Could there be something in the glue? I noticed the Duncans shriveled up right after I worked around close to them securing a new frag.

[StevenSeas]

what kind of glue is it? what does it list the ingredients as?

[Europhyllia]

it is cyanoacrylate super glue gel.
Doesn't list any additional ingredients though. I think gel generally is ~95% cyanoacrylate and 5% something else (to give it the gel consistency)
It could be complete coincidence. Or maybe I had something else on my hands. I just noticed the shriveling after glueing the frag. Just shriveling at that time, not yet peeling.

[justahobby]

FWIW I use a generic (i believe) black, blue, and yellow capped super glue gel from walgreens. Never had any problems....

[StevenSeas]

i too use a generic super glue as it is works just as well. just checking it didnt happen to have other odd stuff in there.

[Europhyllia]

I have inspected the peps and they have no white lines so I think they are really peps and not camel shrimp.
No way to get them though as they never come out of the rocks far enough.
One of the LPS that died was really far up on top where the peps don't go. I'd be surprised if the went all the way up there... ?

[justahobby]

Do you think it might be Brown Jelly Disease? I don't know that it causes overnight death or if it will attack duncans....

[Europhyllia]

I thought about that but I don't see any brown slime

[allan]

Karin,

I know you don't like the idea, but an eel will get those peps out of there for you.

[RayAllen]

The rock you gave me is still in buckets so if the crabs in there its definately dead.

[Europhyllia]

LOL. I am scared a TANG will bother my small fish! An eel will also get out my gobies, blennies, clowns and Mandarins! lol

[Europhyllia]

The rock you gave me is still in buckets so if the crabs in there its definately dead.
It had already been in buckets and smelling horrid when I gave it to you so if it was in the rocks it was most definitely dead by the time it stunk up my trunk on the way to you ;)