Sick Bubble Coral Needs Your Help!!!

[FishPharmD]

I've had this bubble coral for about 4 months in my reef tank, along with several other corals and some fish. Up until 2 weeks ago, the pretty bubble coral would be fully expanded and doing great, just thriving. But here in the last couple of weeks, it has been all shriveled up. Sometimes, one of the bubbles will try feebly to expand, but it is a sad sight to see.
Anyway, my tank specs are perfect...temp 78-80, sal 1.023-4, nitrates <5ppm. The bubble coral gets DT feedings twice a week, and lives under VHO lighting about 1/2 way down from the top, gets good flow.

I am baffled how I could have such a healthy tank, yet this one stubborn coral refuses to come out. I have tried moving it to different areas of the tank, but it doesn't do well anywhere. Any one got any suggestions, explanations, or tips?

[Reefland]

Starvation?

This coral requires more than DT's to survive long term; in fact anything with a sizable oral disc such as the bubble should be fed meaty foods such as mysis shrimp or krill. Not sure this is the problem but it is a possibility.

Scott Z.

[zhenya]

Starvation?
Not sure this is the problem but it is a possibility.

Scott Z.

I think it is more then a possibility. I have one particular bubble coral that had been in my tank well over five years and had grown really well. I always feed it with the food items that Scott had mentioned at least twice a week.I really don't believe DT's can sustain this coral nutrional needs.

A little more information on captive care could be found here.

[cubicus]

Also too, it's important to replace VHO's every 6-8 months. After that, the spectrum being produced can decline pretty rapidly. Also only change one at a time every 5-7 day so as to not photoshock them.