need help with possibly dying corals

[reefmack]

I've never had a coral die on me (only been doing this 7 months) but I think i may have a casualty soon... Both my Yellow leather (small brown spots and withdrawn often) and my colt (sagging and small) are not looking well - all other tank inhabitants seem to be fine (corals, fish, clams, and inverts)... how do you know when a coral is officially a goner and when you still have a chance it will recover? i don't want to keep them in there too long (ammonia, etc.) but don't want to give up on them either... help!!

[Great Reefer Man]

With leathers and colts, I would not give up on them until they turn to mush and pieces of them start floating around the tank! And even then I might think they will recover!!!!!

These two types of corals are notorious for behaving as you have described. Shriveled up, ugly, different color, etc. Only to have them come back bigger and better and more beautiful than ever! This can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks to even a month or more. The leather corals will often shead a waxy layer of skin during this time.

Both these corals are VERY hardy.

HTH
Dennis

[reefmack]

thanks for the confidence... the colt looks in better shape than the leather - it's starting to decay right in the middle... but i'll give it some more time - i'm ready after your post!!! the colt actually looks like he has a chance - his polyps are out but he's just really small and slumped over - not his usual magnificent self (HUGE and upright).

[mastaJ]

You might want to try blowing the corals off with a turkey baster too...I find that once every...10...days or so I need to do this because there is some sort of brown "thing" on the center of the coral...I dunno what it is, but, o well he recovers

[ReefHawk]

Iodine is good for the softy tissues, just dont overdo it. Use amount as recomended but dilute it slightly and squirt onto the colt.

Something else to consider is new addition to the tank if you made any. I recently moved a hairy mushroom next to my colt and it has been stung by the shroon and its not really touching. Many corals like shroons secrete a mild toxin to keep other corals away. The colt coral is very sensitive to water parameters too I've found. Adding new LR can cause nitrite spikes, sometimes ammonia as weel. The colt will not take this well at all IME.

Any additon to a tank should fllow with close eye to what changes happen in the water chemistry and the adjacent corals. If the water quality is off make frequent chages to get it back on track. As long as the colt is not too far gone before you get the water on track it will survive. Again a little iodine on the colt might help and as stated blow away any slime from the colt. Same thing appllies to the leather basically IME. (In My Experience)

[scubadude]

Originally posted by ReefHawk
Iodine is good for the softy tissues, just dont overdo it. Use amount as recomended but dilute it slightly and squirt onto the colt.

DITTO! also you might want to consider fragging the parts out that still look healthy. rinse them good with some tank water after fragging and dont put the tank water bak into the tank, then do a small dose of Iodine into the tank

[organicreefer]

i agree with scuba if its obviously rotting its best to frag it

[reefmack]

i've never fragged a coral before - how do i go about it???

[ReefHawk]

Colts are kinda tuff to me, but many have great success once they get it right. I dont like the super glue style, I think the rubberband or toothpick would be the best. Colts slime up bad when cut and they need to be help in place for like 3 weeks to adhere to the new surface.

Here's a good link for colt propagation:

http://www.atlantisaquatic.com/colt.html

Brian also has propagation pages on xenia and sps corals.