Alcy Soc Dis F

FAQs about Social Disease of Soft Corals of the Family Alcyoniidae

FAQs on Alcyoniid Disease: Alcyoniid Health 1, Alcyoniid Disease 2, Alcyoniid Disease 3, Alcyoniid Disease 4, Alcyoniid Disease 5, Alcyoniid Disease 6, Alcyoniid Disease 7, Alcyoniid Disease 8, Alcyoniid Disease 9, Alcyoniid Health 10, Alcyoniid Disease 11, Alcyoniid Health 12, Alcyoniid Disease 13, Alcyoniid Disease 14, Alcyoniid Disease 15,
FAQs on Alcyoniid Disease by Category: Diagnosis, Environment, Nutritional, Pathogenic (Infectious, parasitic), Predator/Pests, Trauma, Treatments

Related Articles: Soft Corals of the Family Alcyoniidae

Allelopathy with other Cnidarians is a constant threat... as winners and losers. NEED to keep your system optimized and stable. NEED to CAREFULLY introduce all new stinging-celled life THROUGH isolation (quarantine) w/ water being poured back/forth to introduce the players.

Cauliflower colt coral (Alcyonium?) - brown slime trails and shrinkage 10/27/13
<Has the net gone crazy. Your email should have been sent to junk for being too large a file size.>
Hello WWM team!
Five days ago we introduced to our 55-Gal display tank a soft coral (what we believe to be cauliflower colt coral [Alcyonium?] - slimy, not leathery).
It seemed to be adjusting to its new home quite well for several days, but then yesterday it shriveled up a bit, then opened back up and today is shriveled for the most part and streaming brown slime from one side. We have been reading, consulted LFS, and have received conflicting/mixed information; would appreciate your input as we trust it most.
This coral was imported to our LFS from the wild. Its flat base rock had broken (perhaps some tearing hidden underneath that we cannot see?) - this was approximately at the same place as where the two major branches are barely connected. We acclimated using the bag method (accidentally dumping approx. 2-3 cups of the first mix of water into our system - oops!), followed by a dip in TwoLittleFishes ReVive Coral Cleaner (smells like Pine Sol)
<For good reason>
for over 5 minutes with fairly constant gentle movement. We then placed it with some difficulty, so it was moved around a lot before we finally got it puttied down in a fairly prominent location, close to the middle of the tank in medium water-flow.
We haven't noticed any of the fish nipping at it (2 Ocellaris anemone fish, 1 blue-faced comb-toothed blenny, and a blue-green Chromis). We also haven't noticed any crabs coming up to check it out (though we do have a good-sized
Mithrax rock crab - little grey tank of a critter with meaty fists and red eyes- that we have been unable to catch to date). We do have a large resident eunicid worm, but in another rock on the other side of the tank, not within reach. We do not have a lot of corals for there to be mega chemical warfare floating around in the water (only some yellow polyps that we purchased, plus hitchhikers including many brown polyps, some green polyps and what appears to be a nice patch of a hard carpet - all of these are over 8" away from this one, and all small in comparison).
Running with the 55-Gal display tank, we have a canister filter and an approx. 15-Gal modular sump with small refugium area (live rock and macroalgae) in the middle and a fairly hefty fractionator. To mix our water, we use tap water treated with Prime, with H2OceanPro salt mix using a power head for at least a day.
<Good; longer would be better>
Test results today are as follows, (We just bought the iodine test today when we went to discuss the issue with the LFS as we didn't already have one
- it seems odd that it would be zero when sufficient iodide/iodate are supposed to be present in saltwater mixes):
Temp 82
Salinity 1.024
pH 8.2

NH3/NH4+ 0
NO2- 0
NO3- 0
<.... see WWM re... chemo-photo-synthetic life needs appreciable nitrate, phosphate, potassium....>
KH 8
Ca2+ 320
Mg 1000
K 380
PO4 0
<See above>
Iodide 0
Iodate 0
We are currently supplementing Potassium and Magnesium to get them up to their appropriate ranges (then will be using Kalkwasser to help with Calcium).
<You are adding these to your change out water I hope/trust; not directly to the system water>
Lighting is a 4-light 48" T5 canopy - two 14K on the daylight cycle (8.5 hours) and one Fiji Purple and one Actinic on the dusk and dawn cycle (12 hours).
Some of the conflicting reasons as to why this poor coral might appear to be struggling included these:
1) Meltdown due to lack of iodide/iodate.
<Possibly; but more likely allelopathy>
2) LFS advised likely parasitic worms and recommended dipping every 2-3 days for 2 weeks.
<No; and don't do this>
3) Separation between the two branches sufficient for the animal to become two, thus warring with one another.
<No; genetically identical, not "seen" as enemy>
4) Sloughing slime to create a new coat; normal activity.
<To some degree; yes>
5) Just needing more time to adjust.
<And this>
Your thoughts will be much appreciated!
<See WWM re the comments made above (NO3, HPO4, Alcyonacean Allelopathy...) and in future, hundreds of Kbytes, NOT 10 plus Megs>
Thanking you in advance,
Guy & Heide
<Welcome, Bob Fenner>

FAQs about Health/Diseases, Pests of Soft Corals of the Family Alcyoniidae 15

FAQs on Alcyoniid Disease: Alcyoniid Health 1, Alcyoniid Disease 2, Alcyoniid Disease 3, Alcyoniid Disease 4, Alcyoniid Disease 5, Alcyoniid Disease 6, Alcyoniid Disease 7, Alcyoniid Disease 8, Alcyoniid Disease 9, Alcyoniid Health 10, Alcyoniid Disease 11, Alcyoniid Health 12, Alcyoniid Disease 13, Alcyoniid Disease 14,
FAQs on Alcyoniid Disease by Category: Diagnosis, Environment, Nutritional, Pathogenic (Infectious, parasitic), Predator/Pests, Social, Trauma, Treatments

Related Articles: Soft Corals of the Family Alcyoniidae

Toadstool Mushroom – 06/18/14
Dear WWM Crew,
First off, I’d like to say thanks for all the awesome info that you provide. Its been an invaluable resource for me and my aquariums over the last four years.
<Ah good>
I wanted to see if you could help answer a question regarding my Toadstool Mushroom Coral (Sarcophyton). I got this from LiveAquaria over 3 years ago and at the time the cap was around 2”. Since then it has dramatically changed as it has grown up to its current 20-24” size. About 6 months ago I moved it into a 220 FOWLR/mixed reef tank where it currently resides. It was previously in a 125 FOWLR.

When I moved it into the 220, I also upgraded the lighting from 4 X 80W T5s to 3 Rapid Led Onyx Fixtures hung 10” over the tank. Also, I added some additional flow with an MP40 (I also have an MP60 which was also on the 125).
Over the last 4 months, it has changed from a gold color with long extended polyps to a blue-greenish color with little to no polyps extended. It also tends to “close up” or “scrunch up” more so now that it did in the past. I attached a photo of what it currently looks like along with some of what it looked like in the past. I guess I’m wondering if this is normal behavior for the coral.
<Something "normal" given the changes you detail in the lighting, move. This specimen appears starved to me>
Could it possibly be receiving more energy or nutrients from the brighter lighting?
<Mmm; possibly... but perhaps there's less nutrient to go around in this new setting. DO you have measurable NO3 and HPO4? >
Could the increased flow also be a factor in the polyp extension?
Please let me know as I really enjoy this coral and want to make sure there isn’t something seriously wrong.
Thanks,
Michael Schmidt
<Need your nutrient measures... what specifically do you feed it, your system? How much and how often? Do you utilize chemical filtrants? Bob Fenner>

Re: Toadstool Mushroom – 06/19/14
Bob,
I'm honored by your fast reply. I love your books, articles, and email responses by the way.
<Thank you for your kind words>
As far as feeding goes: I think it should be getting "some" nutrients. I have a pretty high fish load - porcupine puffer, harlequin tusk, foxface, yellow tang, small hippo tang, flame angel, along with quite a few various damsels and everything's healthy although I have had some Ich outbreaks in the past before I setup a QT. I also have quite a few soft corals
<Yes; to the right of the Sarco... Lemnalia? Another softie; perhaps a bit of allelopathy going on>
and a few Montipora corals which seem to be doing good & growing. I feed small amounts of various pellet food on an auto-feeder 2X daily and also feed frozen (usually various rod's foods, shrimps, scallops, clams) 4x/week and Nori/macro 1-2X/week.
As far as measurables go: I just tested and my levels are as follows:
Phosphate .04 (this has been steadily dropping over the last 3 months from .15 as I added a GFO reactor as part of the upgrade to the 220 - could this drop be the problem?),
<Yes indeed. I would turn off for now>
and Nitrate 10-15 PPM which is a best guest with a color test kit (usually its around 5-10). 8 dKH (usually 6-8), Ca 420 (usually 400-420), Mag 1365 which are at/near my goal levels b/c I just dosed alk/ca a few days ago.
For chemical filtrants: I run a cup or 2 of carbon in a 7" filter sock changed once per week.
<Fine>
I run a bio-pellet reactor w/ 2-3 cups of pellets that feeds into a large Reefoctopus skimmer.
<Fine as well>
In addition to those I run a UV ( I know, I know but they seem to work well together), a 40 gallon Chaeto/DSB fuge, and the previously mentioned GFO reactor which all output to the return pump intake. This is all in a 125 baffled sump. Last but not least, there's about 275 lbs of live rock throughout the whole system.
I'm pretty diligent with maintenance, changing 28 gallons every Thursday and testing/dosing every Sunday. Overall its pretty clean & nuisance free but when doing weekly water changes, I still need to clean algae from the sides & gravel vac the sand bed (which gets a little brown algae growing on it) to keep it looking good. I'm guessing this is normal when the CUC consists of myself and a few urchins.
<A worthy team>
Hopefully this all sheds some light.
Funny thing is that this coral looked "normal" since the beginning when I didn't really know what I was doing and now that I think I have a handle on the hobby, it starts to look "weird". I know I've made a lot of changes since the upgrade and there are a lot of moving parts (lighting, flow, chemicals, and nutrient levels) that it can be hard to pinpoint the problem but what would be your best guess as to why it has very little polyp retraction and a change in coloration?
<Could be many factors... best to proceed slowly>
One last thing I just thought of, when it does show polyp extension (they stick out 1/4" at most), it usually happens at dusk/dawn when my blue lights are brighter than my whites. They are controlled with an ALC module to ramp up to 80% with the blues being on for around 10.5 hours and the whites on for 9. I rarely see any polyp extension at night.
<Often the behavior of nocturnal-active organisms gets reversed under captive conditions... when food is available, and no real predators and pests as in the wild>
Thanks so much,
Michael
<Ah, welcome. BobF>

Leather coral not opening – 09/9/13
Do these look like fish bites or something else?
<Mmm, can't make out much... but don't look "bitish" to me. Bob Fenner>
Adam

Re: Leather coral not opening – 09/9/13
What could make little circular holes like that?
<The polyps themselves most often... Something malaffecting them; usually water quality related, allelopathogenic second as common cause... See WWM re Alcyoniids, Health, Systems... BobF>
Adam

Tyree Leather Question; ID, hlth. 9/6/13
Hi there,
<JR>
First to start, I was told when I purchased this toadstool it was a Tyree Neon Green Leather. I have attached photos, do you believe it is indeed?
<Will have to guess what you're after here... Was SteveT paid some money, or paid himself some for lending his appellation to this sort of phenotype Alcyonacean? Can't tell from here. Could be>
I have looked at others online and notice slight variations in the polyps.
<Oh! There's all sorts of dissimilarity here to be expected; due to recent experiences, conditions in locus>
Are others mis-classifying similar leathers?
<Doubtless; consciously and not>
Or was mine mis classified. I only have one not great picture of it when it was open.
<See it/this>
The real question is should I worry it has been closed for 3 days.
<Oops; have you read on WWM re such? I would... Alcyoniid beh. FAQs>
The other corals
<... Umm, and re Allelopathy... how was this animal introduced here? Read on!>
I have (all on separate rocks) are open and healthy. When I was attaching the frag, I unfortunately had to touch the leather a few times. The first day, it was on the sandbed
<.... this species grows attached to rock; not on substrates>
opening within 20 minutes, after attaching on day 2 it closed and hasn't reopened. Is it just reacting, possibly shedding from handling? Does it still look healthy despite being closed?
<Macroscopically (which doesn't count for much); yes>
My parameters are:
Nitrate- undetected
<Uhh, keep reading... All chemo-autotrophs need measurable NO3, HPO4 and more... Something the folks making the big bongo bucks selling novices chemical filtrants, gear seem to want to neglect mentioning.>
Nitrite- undetectable
KH- 180-200 on strip test
PH- around 8
Salinity-1.026
Thanks for your time
JR
<You'll thank me/use much more after reading, more fully understanding what's going on here; and better, what can be done to "make things better".
Bob Fenner>

Do you see what I see?

Re: re: Tyree Leather Question 9/6/13
Ah my mistake. I know Steve Tyree has his name attached to many things in this industry, but I thought Tyree green toadstool was a specific name for a specific type of toadstool.
<Likely is; I don't know what is meant by "specific type"... Have seen something similar listed as "ORA" "type">
In my reading over the past few days I have seen that leathers are usually the aggressor, or at least the victor in chemical battles.
<Indeed they are; though all such life wars in various ways, degrees>
I thought this could be the issue so I did a water change yesterday and I run activated carbon, but I can change it out just incase.
I have also read that toadstools will cover themselves with a mucus or waxy like substance from time to time.
<Kind of a continuous behavior... build-up, and shedding>
There seems to be some debate as to what exactly this is a response to. I didn't have much time to get my baseline observation of how mucus covered or wax covered it appeared while it was open, so I don't know if this is one of those cases. I had hoped it would come through in the pictures I sent, all I have is my camera phone and it always wants to focus on the glass specks and not the corals.
<Heeee!>
I introduced the toadstool by float method over approximately 25 minutes.
<... please read where you were referred to... this SOP is NOT useful for mixing Cnidarians>
I also introduced an Australian hammer coral over the same period. Both corals are approximately 1 inch diameter. The toadstool being 1.5 to 2 inches tall. The hammer is doing great.
<Euphylliids/Caryophylliids generally "rank higher" on/in allelopathogenic rankings/battles>
I have green star polyps, orange and green Zoas, green Zoas,
<... and see WWM re these, Compatibility FAQs>
the toadstool and hammer coral, and 2 trumpet corals. I have read Zoas can sting touching corals, but are they usually a threat via water column?
<Can definitely be>
Also, none of the corals touch or are even on the same rock.
<Doesn't exclude their negative interacting>
I also have a healthy maxima clam. A yellow watchman goby, and paired tomato clowns.
I realize it isn't a perfect world where you can just tell me the exact answer, but should I remove a coral, change my carbon, or just wait and see.
<To read. B>
Thanks again,
JR

Yellow Fiji Coral... hlth., no data 5/11/13
I am having a problem with my yellow Fiji coral.
<...? Sarcophyton elegans? This soft coral is a poor survivor in most hobbyist settings>
I noticed a film on it thought it was shedding like most leathers do and blew the film off and when I did it opened up two huge holes in it.
<Mmm, likely a predator or two at work here... do "dig around" the wound sites... for mollusks and worms... And see WWM re (Errantiate Polychaete/Bristle) control (baiting/trapping/removal>
One on the base and one on the cup of it. I want to save this coral if at all possible. Thank you for any advice
<... search for all on WWM. Bob Fenner>
Re: Yellow Fiji Coral 5/11/13
No pred.s in the tank
<... likely there are... again, try a baited trap, at night>
the tank is 8 years old...I have a clown and a damsel in there and snails and yes it is a Sarcophyton Elegans. I have searched your website over that is why I finally emailed you....we treated for dino last week so it had no lights for 3 days but I kept an eye on the param.s and when we finally uncovered the tank and turned the lights on It was still bright and yellow.
<... well; the holes could be from other cause/s... Need data re the other livestock, mechanicals/controllers, water quality tests... Perhaps allelopathy or a chemical over-under imbalance... B>

Purple finger coral, hlth. 2/7/13
Bob, My Mother gave me a purple finger coral.
<The soft coral?>
It has never done anything for her so she gave it to me. Now the problem is she glued to a piece of live rock. That's why I think it has never done anything. I took a chisel and hammer and broke the live rock in pieces and moved the coral to the bottom of my tank. Do you think because she glued the bottom its toast?
<No; this Alcyoniid is tough, easily fragged>
Has not done nothing yet.
<... see, read on WWM re health>
Thanks! P.s. The fish store believe or not is taking the elegance back.
<Ah good. Bob Fenner>

Finger leather disease 12/20/12
Something seems to be eating my finger leather it is like a black web.
<Does appear to me as well>
I noticed it first on one of the fingers and have since removed it and recently rotated the piece to discover that whatever it is has made a big dent in the base as seen here.
<Mmm, could be worm/s, a type of Mollusc, even some fishes will chew a hole like this>
Given your experience would it be best to frag the healthy fingers off, attempt to treat it, or attempt to cut off the dying chunk in the base?
<A part of the base is best... In this case, just cutting the animal above the chewed, damaged area, using an iodide-ate dip/bath, tying the Alcyonacean down to a hard/rock base, per what is posted on fragging/asexually reproducing soft corals on WWM. Bob Fenner>
<Of course, you need to determine the cause/source of the damage and correct/remove it>

Re: Finger leather disease 12/22/12
On that note I have a bit of a strange question. I have not had much success with iodine dips before and happen to have a ton of ground kelp sitting around the house which dissolves in water and is rich in iodine.
<Interesting... in our town (San Diego), was a company (Kelco) that has traded hands quite a few times... that extracts alginates (emulsifiers) from some of the large Phaeophytes (brown kelps/algae) harvested off the coast... I don't know http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iodine that Iodine (actually iodide) is collected in the process, but it can be (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iodine )...>
I'm wondering if I mix kelp into a container with the water and keep the coral in that water for a bit whether it would have the same or similar effect. The damage seems to be increasing and I have not observed anything in the tank biting the coral so I suspect it is some kind of fast acting algae or fungus.

Leather Pests? 4/17/12
Hi WWM,
<Amy>
We woke up this morning to find our leather closed up and these little spiked things sticking up all over on it!
<Bizarre!>
I've been trying to search all morning to find out what they are but I've had no luck!
They don't seem to be moving and are small, probably a few millimeters in length only. I've attached a photo for you!
Hope this is something you've seen before and can tell me what I should try to fix the problem!
Thank you!
Amy :)
<Due to their sudden appearance and distribution, am guessing these are part of the soft coral itself... some sort of reaction to... another Cnidarian? Water quality change? I'd be changing out a good deal of the water, possibly utilizing carbon... and reading here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/AlcyDisF15.htm
Was another stinging-celled life organism added recently? Showing a difference in appearance, behavior?... It may need to be removed, re-acclimated... Search WWM re allelopathy. Bob Fenner>

crop

Toadstool leather coral, likely allelopathy 2/9/12
Recently (the past 2 weeks) my toadstool will not straighten..
<5 megs...... what is the blue organism next to this Sarcophyton?>
I've had him for a little over 4 months.. now I know this is normal (according to info from your site) if it is "molting" or parameters have changed in the tank. My parameters have not changed, but today when I was taking a close look I noticed this nodule on the side of the stalk. my question is, is it possible its growing a new head... if not any suggestions on what it may be..
David
<... read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/AlcyDisF14.htm
and the linked files above. Bob Fenner>

Poorly Toadstool 1/6/12
Hi Guys,
<Hello George>
can you give me some advise please. I have a Toadstool coral that has recently developed a yellowish area on it. All my water conditions are fine. I have only had a marine tank for 6 months. I have a few hermit crabs, a sand sifting star fish and a couple of snails. The coral had been in the tank for about 3 months. It seems ok apart from the yellow colour which has appeared. It looks like a bit of yellow dust. It is only on a small area. Any advise or suggestions would be most welcome.
<This Sarcophyton species, providing conditions are present for it's survival, is likely shedding and will usually change to a slightly darker color in the early stages of shedding. During this process the polyps will not open and it will appear as if it is dying but it's not.
Two weeks is generally the norm for this process to complete but can take longer. You may want to take a turkey baster and blow water across the yellowish area just to be sure it's not debris or waste of some kind.
May want to read FAQs here and related FAQs found in the header regarding Sarcophyton health.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/alcyondisfaq4.htm>
thanks
<You're welcome. James (Salty Dog)>
George

Help infected toadstool!! 12/19/11
Hi,
<Scott>
I'm trying to get some help for my toadstool.
Water parameters ( 76degrees, pH8.25, SG1.025, Alk 3.4 , calcium 420, mg 1380, n03 2.5, po4 .03 ) And I have a reef octopus skimmer running 24/7.
<Ok>
The toadstool has adequate current and is usually happy as a clam! ( or a toadstool)
This past week it closed up and I figured it may just be getting ready to molt like they do. This time there was no sloughing off of the outer layer of skin and a patch of brown mucous formed in the back right area of the head (see picture).
<Mmm, yes; looks like an injury due to a bite>
The mucous has a white ring around it. I'm thinking infection. All the other toadstools in the tank are happy. If it is infected should I take it out and quarantine ? Iodine dip?
<At least increased addition of iodide/ate>
Also I'm not sure if it makes a difference but the toadstool has hosted a clownfish for the last 4 years. Could the fish rubbing have caused this?
<Mmm, only if the Sarcophyton was compromised... which there is evidence of at the base. I'd be removing the Aiptasia and likely the Valonia here. Bob Fenner>
Help!
Scott Cooke

Re: Help infected toadstool!! 12/19/11
Hi again Bob,
<Scott>
The Aiptasia you are seeing at the base is actually another toadstool that the main one dropped as it moved across the rock.
<Really? Do expand this image and look again please. I have done so (posted on WWM's dailies in a bit) and see something w/ tentacles unlike an Alcyoniid>
It has split 5 little ones off of it's foot as it has moved over the years.
The darker coloration at the base is just that (coloration), no algae. It has always been there.
<Okay>
With those out of the picture it is just the wound on the crown.
<Mmm, this I wouldn't over-react to.>
Would dosing the tank with iodine hurt anything else in the tank?
<No; it will not, but not iodine... Wrong valence state for this element.
Please read Marco's piece here re:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/IodineSWArt.htm
and the linked files above>
I have tons of sps, lps, anemones, Zoas, and other softies. I'm a little reluctant to put anything that isn't natural into the tank.
Thanks,
Scott
<And I'd daub a concentrated bit (on a cotton swab, underwater) directly onto the "sore" area on the Sarco's crown. BobF>

Re: Help infected toadstool!! -- 12/19/11
Here is a close up photograph of the small sacro baby I was describing at the base. Are we talking about the same thing?
<Yes; and does appear to be a small Alcyoniid>
Also, attached is a more close up picture of the "sore" area.
<Mmm, what is that brown bit rising up? Perhaps a Hydrozoan... Again, I would "stick" this area w/ an iodide/ate prep.>
I will look into dosing the tank. Thank you for the iodine site link, I learned a lot from that page!
Thanks!
Scott
<Thank you. BobF>

Common Questions but SO IMPORTANT TO ME PLEASE. Sarco, carpet anem. mis beh. 4/19/13
I have a 140 gallon reef tank with over 150 gallons of water in the sump.
All Parameters are great, all my hard corals, anemones, etc
<Should I assume you're aware of allelopathy twixt Cnidarians?>
are open and healthy.....but my 2 Tyrees (aust. green leather toadstools) won't open.
<... Sarcophyton species... Not Steve per se>
It's been 3 months....They are about 6 inches below the water level with LED lights above. HELP PLEASE HELP
<...>
I've added Iodine, I've put healthy opening green leather frags right next to them, etc.....Any genius ideas?
<... they/these may have been compromised ahead of your receiving them... there may be the celebrated (mentioned above) chemical warfare going on... Esp. among competing Alcyoniids... >
2nd minor question.....Healthy expensive Carpets have moved behind the rock
<A good clue>
and are open under the lights behind the rock. I can't reach to try and move which wouldn't be smart anyway.......Any tricks to get Carpets to move, i.e. turn off lights on that side of the tank or increase annoying flow to that area, etc....
<Just patience... if anything, moving other stinging-celled life that's too near them (w/in a foot)... I would be reading re the measure of RedOx, using ozone likely, chemical filtrants, adding a much, MUCH larger RDP refugium, humongous DSB to this system... for the reasons that will become obvious to you while reading on WWM>
Your loyal follower begs for your opinion....
Thanks,
Adam
<Welcome. Bob Fenner>

Toadstool Help 8/24/11
Dear Crew,
<Justin>
I bought a nice toadstool from my LFS thinking it would be a great addition to my 125g. I drip acclimated it over night, did my normal Lugol's dip,
<Mmm, maybe burned hence...>
and it looked perfectly fine, polyps extended and everything. I placed it about 8" under my lights (T5 4x39w) and continued about my business. A few hours later this is what he looked like: DSC_8424.JPG
<Beat up... chewed, or...>
I promptly placed him at the bottom of the tank, and am awaiting to see what happens. I have a neon green toadstool, and it's doing great, so I am not sure what is going on here. Please let me know what more I can do. Thanks!
Sincerely,
Justin
<Likely allelopathy at least at part at work here. Use the search tool on WWM with the string: toadstool coral allelopathy and read. Bob Fenner>

Re: Toadstool Help 8/24/11
Dear Mr. Fenner,
<Justin>
Thanks for the plethora of information. Though the toady never came in contact with anything,
<Don't have to touch... Alcyoniids and others produce copious chemical warfare material>
I can think of, I am wondering if the 100+ polyps of Lavender Hairy Mushrooms might have been the culprits.
<Ah yes>
The original spot was at least 6 inches away from anything, but you never can be quite sure. To be safe, I hooked up an old Marineland Magnum 350 as a way to do some carbon filtering, in the event there is something that is in the water column it doesn't like (from the mushrooms, or perhaps the mini carpets I have). I have included a picture, as the toady has seemed to respond well to the new placement, and addition of carbon filtering. Thanks again! I appreciate all the help. Hopefully in the coming weeks I will see it turn around.
Sincerely,
Justin
<Mmm, well, I'd be moving this animal to quarantine, mixing water as gone over in my review/ppt on Cnidarian allelopathy:
http://wetwebmedia.com/CorlCompArt.htm
and the linked files above. BobF>

Is my limp soft coral dead? Not yet 10/23/10
Hi, I am new to the saltwater tank hobby. I have a 14 gallon oceanic bio cube tank that has been running for about five weeks. I have a soft coral that is now limp. It originally was upright. Should I take it out of the tank?
<Mmm, I would put it into another established system if you have one... Or at least move this Sinularia from where it is presently... The Sarcophyton next to it may well be poisoning it...>
Will it poison the rest of my tank?
<Not too likely... you'll see it decomposing and remove it, change some water in time>
Is this abnormal?
<In such small systems stocked thus? No, not abnormal... Am attaching a piece (not in print yet, please do NOT redistribute) re stocking small systems w/ Cnidarians>
I attached some pictures of it. I appreciate any help you can give me.
Thanks,
Michelle
<Do read the article and here: http://wetwebmedia.com/alcyoncompfaqs.htm
Bob Fenner>

Re: Is my limp soft coral dead? 10/23/10
Hi again,
Thanks for the info and the article. It looks great. I won't distribute it.
Thanks again,
Michelle
<Welcome dear. B>

Colt Coral under attack? Cladiella sp compatibility. 10/8/2010
Hello
<Hi Kelly>
Thanks for a great web site. I know I join lots of people around the world who use your site to learn more about this wonderful hobby
<Thank you for the kind words.>
Attached is a photo of my colt coral that seems to be being eaten alive.
<Ouch!>
Unfortunately the culprit has chosen a week while I am traveling so I am unable to do night time spot checks.
<Of course... it is one of the constants in aquarium keeping.>
I am also unable to ask my brother to move it to my quarantine tank because it seems to have "fused" itself onto a piece of live rock about half way up it's trunk
<Not uncommon.>
My only option is to try and identify the culprit and move it to my quarantine tank until I return in a week
Mine is a 14 month old 250L tank and other inhabitants are (in suspect order)
1 small globe urchin,
1 large pincushion urchin,
<Most urchins are herbivores, but there are some ones that are not reef safe. have a look here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/urchins.htm >
4 peppermint shrimp, <Likely. Peppermint shrimp are NOT reef safe.>
2 hermit crabs (plus any number of hitchhikers). 
I also have an assortment of small snails plus a turbo snail but I don't think it's them? 
On the fish suspect list (again in order) a juvenile Longnose butterfly, <Another distinct possibility
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/forcipcompfaqs.htm>
2 clowns, and
1 yellow goby.
Although butterflies have a reputation for nipping I have never seen the butterfly fish worry the coral in any way except if it is stealing food from them when I target feed the coral
Do you have any suggestions?

My follow up question is will this much damage to the trunk (caused in less than 5 days) be terminal?
<This is more of a wait and see. If you see signs of it melting down,
remove it ASAP.>
Kelly
<MikeV>

Soft Coral tank 01/12/09 Hello, I was wondering why some of the my soft Corals shed so much. I have inquired here before regarding my Toadstool and although it is o.k. it seems to want to shed a lot along with another Toadstool I have and my Cabbage Coral. Here is what I have in Corals;2 Toadstools (one Brown, one blond) Green star polyps (growing like crazy), I colony of Brown button polyps (open, but not in full "bloom") 1 Colt coral (always looks good, full and tall), 1 Cabbage coral (on one rock but two colonies, assorted mushrooms (doing well, spreading). I have 4 HO T5 lights, 2 actinic and 2 10,000k plus 2 PowerBrite strips (nice shimmer). Mag = 1280-1320, Calc = 400-420, Alk = 9-10 dKH, Temp = 80 degrees and SG = .025 <Salinity would be better at closer to 1.026.> I guess the two main concerns I have is about the Toadstools and Cabbage, especially the Cabbage. The Cabbage has a pattern of half of it shuts down to shed and the other half looks beautiful then the beautiful bunch closes down and the other bunch finishes shedding and looks great. This goes on CONSTANTLY. It is well over 1 year old and is spreading (but not like I have heard it would) and there is new growth. The Toadstools are shedding every 1-2 weeks. <wow> I inquired earlier about toxins and have added Chemipure elite but that didn't seem to change anything. I have a skimmer in the sump and all parameters are good. What would be your assessment of the constant shedding and any remedy is appreciated. <Interesting... well, leathers tend to shed to rid themselves of external irritants. Do you have any algae or other corals stepping up onto their space? Best, Sara M.>
Re: Soft Coral Tank 01/13/09 No offense Sara but I did not purposely mention that nothing is bothering them as I thought anyone responding would not give such a simplistic answer. Of course, there all type of people and some may overlook a simple thing like crabs walking over them, however that does not explain the constant shedding. I took painstaking effort to describe my issues if someone else could give me a more useful explanation of what may be going on in the tank it would be appreciated. <Good Sir/Madam-- I'm sorry if my answer to your question did not give you enough information. Shedding once every 1 to 2 weeks is just not all that unusual for Toadstool leathers (i.e. for Sarcophytons). These leathers just seem to shed more for some reason. Thus, I just don't think you need to worry about the Toadstools. As for the Cabbage coral, it sounds to me like you have two individuals that have grown together and are now "stuck" together, something like "Siamese twins." This might likely explain why they are shedding all the time. One of the corals might be constantly trying to outgrow or shed off the other one. They're stuck together and irritating each other and both trying to shrug/shed off the other, which ends up actually slowing them both down since they're "wasting" so much energy shedding. This explanation is what makes the most sense to me. However, I didn't want to say this was the case until you confirmed for me that there weren't any other obvious irritants. The irritants aren't always things we can see (they can be chemical too). I hope I've given you enough information now. If someone else would like to add to my input here, they are welcome to. Best, Sara M.>
Re: Soft Coral tank, Alcyoniid shedding... beh., hlth. 1/14/09 Yes, yes....this was my thinking about the Cabbage as well. I at first dismissed it because they were so close together when it was smaller I thought it was one colony but as it grew larger I can see the distinction. Thank you for the reply, have a great day! <Cool... a great day to you as well! -Sara M.>

Nitrite spike... Allelopathy twixt Cnid.s 4/25/08 Hi, <Ho!> I have a 54 Gallon corner reef aquarium with sump filtration, aqua c remora skimmer, 2 Koralia # 2's, 50 lbs LR, 25 Lbs LS, 130 Watts of PC lighting. Livestock includes 2 false Percs, 1 royal Gramma, 1 Firefish, and 1 banner cardinal. Small clean up crew 4 Nassarius snails, 4 blue leg hermits, 4 red leg hermits, and 3 emerald crabs. I have 2 discoma colonies that came on LR, and recently purchased a small hairy mushroom colony and a toadstool leather. <... get... very large> The levels were Ammonia-0, Nitrite-0, Nitrate-2ppm, phosphate-.03, Sp. G. 1.0253, Ph. 8.06, Calcium 420, dKH 3.15 mg/l. For about 10 days the toadstool was looking fine as was everything else. Yesterday, it began to slump over and retract its polyps (picture included). <Yes... I see it being burned by the Corallimorph in the foreground...> I couldn't determine if this is normal leather behavior or if something was wrong. <Mmm, in too small a world, too close to a better-established Cnidarian...> However, today the leather looked worse. I performed a water change and performed water testing. To my surprise my Nitrites were up to .25. <Yes... reaction from the life t/here> I haven't ever had nitrites in the tank. Could the leather's problems be contributing to nitrite spike? <Yes> Or is it doing poorly because of nitrites. I haven't really changed anything else in the system and can't figure out what would cause increased nitrites. Any thoughts/links, etc. would be helpful. Thanks, Mike <Please read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/cnidcompppt.htm for background, then onto the Compatibility FAQs files for both groups of Cnidarians... Your options will be obvious. Bob Fenner>

Re: nitrite spike... Allelopathy twixt Cnid.s 4/26/08 Thanks, Bob. Relocated toadstool to a QT that was up and running. The plan is to get this guy in shape and return to LFS. It seems like it was a bad choice for my system. That's what happens when you listen to LFS and don't do your research. Lesson learned... Mike
<Ahh! BobF>

Somethings nibbling my Sarcophyton! 04/11/2008 Hello Crew, how are you all on this fine day! <<Hello Simon, Andrew today>> Since Bob helped me rather well last time I am seeking some advice on a new problem. I have attached a picture of my leather coral (Sarcophyton) that last night appeared with bite marks all around it. This all happened over a short period. Two days ago it was fine, all polyps out and reaching up to the light, yesterday it looked like this. <> It has been a little 'in and out' over the last month, but I had put that down to the usual 'sloughing' of surface skin that they do every now and again. <<Sure>> I have three possible fish culprits, a Niger Trigger, an Emperor Angel, and lineatus Tang. I say the tang because I noticed it nipping some Zoanthids yesterday. Do the marks look like fish bite marks, and if so which is most likely? Or do I have an unseen invertebrate (Nudibranch?). I am sorry that my picture is not great, I am in the lower leagues of photography I am afraid, still looking for promotion but without the funds to buy a star player (a top camera). Maybe I will have to ask the chairman!! (woman!) <<Yes, all three of those fish will have a tendency to nip coral. In reality, i would be tempted to go for the Angel or more likely the trigger, as the niger trigger should only be housed in Fish Only tanks>> Only the surface layer of the coral has been eaten (Or is it diseased?) it does not go all the way through. It looks like there are little green blobs around the wounds. Is this likely decaying tissue? I could not get a close enough photo. They do not look like Nudibranchs, but I am no expert which is why I am writing this! <> If it is my Emperor then is the only solution to remove the coral? The Emperor is going no-where as it is the most majestic thing this side of the milky way! <<Of course, the choice is yours when you have confirmed the biter. Remove the offending fish, or the coral>> Thank you very much, Simon, England <<Thanks for the questions, hope this helps. A Nixon (also in England)>>

Uhh... what's that to the lower left? Source. RMF.

Re: Somethings nibbling my Sarcophyton! Further 04/14/2008 Thanks Bob, those are 'hairy mushrooms', Rhodactis. Do you mean that this could sting the others, or possible allelopathy at all? I was not aware that these had large/ extendable nematocysts please advise should I move this coral away from the Sarco's? (and therefore everything else as well?) Thanks a lot, Simon, England <Yes... sorry for the lack of clarity. I am indeed speculating that the Corallimorphs are mal-affecting your Sarco... note the arrangement of damage on the toadstool. I would at least separate these Cnidarians... a good foot or more between. Bob Fenner>
Re: Somethings nibbling my Sarcophyton! Further 04/14/2008 Thank you again Bob, will do. Simon, England <Ah, good. Please do send along a follow up in a month or so. Cheers, BobF>

Re: Somethings nibbling my Sarcophyton! Further - 04/14/08 Will do! I don't know if you saw my previous answer to Andrew, but I thought that it was quite interesting that the 'green' blobs (not a scientific term I know!) were actually the polyps. <Ahh! I did see, yes> Good health to you! Simon, England <And you, BobF, Ca>

Sinularia flexibis, hlth./comp. -- 03/18/08 I added a large healthy Sinularia Flexibis (spaghetti coral) from LiveAquaria to a 90g reef tank (other coral inhabitants: brown toadstool mushroom coral (Sarcophyton sp.), green toadstool mushroom, (Sarcophyton sp.), Ricordea mushrooms, other assorted mushrooms, pipe organ coral. While the spaghetti coral is thriving, the soft leathers (Sarcophyton) are not; they have retracted their tentacles and appear 'slimy,' 'flat' and 'collapsed/closed'. <It's probably that you have too many different types of soft corals and leathers in the same tank. Exactly how many is too many? I honestly couldn't tell you. We usually don't find out until something starts suffering.> (I have rearranged so as to modify light and water flow conditions to no avail. They are additionally often covered in the sweeper tentacles that extend from the spaghetti coral at night (Very long webbed strings that can extend half the length of the tank) that have presumably broken off on it. Are such sweeper tentacles deleterious to the health of the (soft) corals <likely so, to some degree or another> - or are my concerns misguided such that I should instead be looking for some other potential problem (everything tests out fine so I am thoroughly perplexed by the change in condition). <These animals produce all kinds of chemicals and toxins, it's often impossible to predict exactly how one coral will affect all others under a given set of circumstances. But generally, this sounds like an allelopathic problem of some sort to me.> Additionally, a change in location of the leathers is not thought possible given the size of the tank and rock wall positioning - and in any event, unless perhaps placed on tank's bottom where lighting may not be sufficient, all locales likely within reach of such long string-like protrusions from the spaghetti (if that is in fact what is causing the disturbance). <This could very well be the case (especially if they are mesenterial filaments).> Note: a frogspawn introduced at same time as spaghetti also died - <LPS corals are thought to be especially vulnerable to leather coral toxins.> although I suspect the butterfly may have picked at it sufficiently (have been conscientious in selecting coral species that would not be harmed by the butterfly - <Good start, but the next step is to think more carefully about selecting corals that will not harm each other. At this point, the only advice I can give you (aside from removing the S. flexibis) is to run a lot of activated carbon.> this was a surprise to me, introduced based upon the advisement of a professional reef-keeper / maintenance person). Thanks! Mike <De nada, Sara M.>

Unwell Coral, Alcyoniid allelopathy 3/9/08 I have a soft coral in my reef tank which was absolutely flourishing until a couple of days ago when we introduced three new corals. <Oh oh... it's losing> I think it is a leather coral (soft) maybe something called Devils Finger. It retracts quickly when the lights are switched off, but in the morning comes out and is quite large with polyps extending from the fingers. We have had it for a couple of months now with a couple of other sorts and it was growing rapidly. It was a soft pink in colour. <Mmm, might be artificially dyed> This week we introduced another leather coral, a bit like a toadstool, a leather coral which is flat, and a star polyp coral. We attached these fragments to our live rock using Milliput. While doing this the Milliput seemed to leak a foggy substance (small particles) and the Devils Finger (If it is that) retracted quickly and went very mauve in colour. It has remained like that now for four days, despite water changes and a thorough clean of the external filter. We have put Poly Filter and Carbon in the external filter. <Good> Could you have any idea what has upset our coral which was so well established and doing so well. Will it recover. I shall be very glad of your advice. Byan King ( In UK) <In a word, allelopathy. Read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/cnidcompppt.htm and the linked files above... and then on to the "Compatibility" FAQs files of the Cnidarian groups present... via the index or search tool. Bob Fenner>

Bleached Sarcophyton 1/23/08 Hello Crew! <Kirk> As I was getting ready for a good nights sleep last night I gazed into my 29gal softy tank and to my horror noticed that my Sarcophyton (ehrenbergii? Toadstool shape with polyps primarily around outer edge of the head) was looking very white. It has a good 6" head and was uniformly discolored and I have 2 small frags from this one that are showing the same signs. My Calcium test kit ran out about 2 weeks ago and I have been lax in getting a new one. Well, I got one today and my calcium was at 250ppm. I know, Yikes! <No big deal; easy to rectify> I also noticed today that just a few of my mushroom polyps looked a little bleached around the edges as well. <Oh... in the same small system...> The pumping xenia and Zoas in the tank all looked fine. Is this bleaching typical with low calcium or should I be looking for something else? <Mmm, yes... very likely a "cascade effect"... the low calcium or whatever caused it, stressing the Cnidarians... their reactions poisoning each other...> My light fixture went out about a month ago and I replaced it with an identical setup (dual PC, 1 10k, 1 actinic, 65W each). At first I thought this might be the culprit but it seems like it bleached out almost overnight. One other thought, I have a very small green Zoa (2 polyps) <... Irk... even more toxic> that broke off from the main colony and I was able to rubber band it to a piece of rubble and it is starting to takeoff. The other day I moved it closer to the top of the tank to get some extra light, well, apparently somebody got a little clumsy and knocked it to the bottom of the tank into the sand upside down. I noticed this first thing in the morning yesterday and replaced it in a more stable spot. Only the moon lights were running when I did this so I don't know if the Sarcophyton looked white at this time or not. <The Zoanthid... most likely the primary instigator here> I have bumped up water changes and upped my dose of SeaChem reef complete to boost calcium back to normal levels but don't want to over do it and shock anything. <Good idea> Other tank specs: Nitrate: 0 Nitrite: 0 Ammonia: 0 Ph: 8.3 KH: 8 Other Stock: 2 ocellaris clowns Bi-color blenny Skunk cleaner shrimp Serpent star Blue / scarlet leg hermits Nassarius / turbo snails Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Kirk <Mmm, do peruse here: http://wetwebmedia.com/cnidcompppt.htm and the linked files above... to gain insight, a gist of what is probably occurring here. Bob Fenner>
Re: bleached Sarcophyton 1/23/08 Thanks Bob! I almost didn't even mention the Zoa falling because it was so small, <Take a read about re this life... VERY toxic... even to humans> I'm glad I did now. I guess it just goes to show that no detail can be too small and even the smallest creature can have a big impact in a small system. Thanks for the reference, I will pay particular attention to properly securing individuals in the future. <Ahhh, BobF>

Unintentionally Kill New Finger Leather? Corallimorph incomp. in an established sys. 8/30/07 WWM Crew- <Part> Thank you for everything you guys do - you are a great resource for many aquarists. <Welcome> I've had my 75 gallon tank for about 10 years. I started off with fish-only and in the last five years it's been a modest "reef." The tank contains the following fish: flame angel, maroon clown pair, yellow tailed damsel and another yellow colored damsel - all have bee alive for over three years. I have the following corals: toadstool leather, many mushrooms, clove polyps, button polyps and a small colt coral. All inhabitants are doing fine <Acclimated... used to each other...> and I've had them all (except the colt that I bought a few weeks ago) for several years. I've fragged my toadstool several times (great fun) and my mushrooms have grown from 5 to over 30! I rarely buy new things for the tank and just enjoy watching things grow. I also only buy hardy organisms that I'm sure I can handle with great success. <Good technique, focus, attitude> I've always wanted a finger leather and I've heard that they are very hardy. <Can be...> I purchased a finger leather on Aug 27th. During the 28th it opened about half way - it was looking okay. For some reason I decided to clean the tank a little (?!?!?) - I removed some algae, gravel vacuumed the bottom, and replaced about 15 gallons of water. I also fragged my toadstool again - it was just too huge - at least 10" tall! All of my corals are quite hardy (haven't died on me yet!) and a cleaning rarely causes any problems. However, I should have taken into consideration the stress of the new finger leather. The coral has really shrunk and hasn't opened up at all as of late Aug 29th. There are areas on it that contain dark gray/blue areas - I hope it is not decaying!. <Appears to be on its way...> I've also noticed it giving off small squirts of some slimy substance. The coral also seems to be removing itself from the rock it's attached to - not completely, it is still somewhat attached. I hate to waste money and I definitely don't like causing a coral to die. I've attached several pictures - does it need help, is there anyway I can save him? Please help. <Mmm, Daryl... I espy a Mushroom in the vicinity of this soft coral... This is very likely a simple case of allelopathy... need to be separated space-wise, perhaps the use of activated carbon... All covered here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/shroomcompfaqs.htm Bob Fenner>

Re: Unintentionally Kill New Finger Leather? -- 08/31/07 Thanks a bunch Bob! Love your book... <Thank you... and thank goodness we're working on a new edition presently... it's more then ten years old!> The coral is still with us... I move him away from the mushrooms and placed him on the bottom of the tank. I've attached a few pictures of what it currently looks like. As far as the mushrooms go, I didn't expect them to be a problem as one of my toadstool leather frags sits right in the middle of a bunch of mushrooms that touch the base of the leather (see pic). <Yes... but, do understand, the new animal/colony is the odd organism out here... it is NOT recognized chemically by the old group of cnidarians as a "friend" or at least something to be tolerated... There might be other causes for its apparent poor behavior... but allelopathy is a very strong candidate... The best would be to move it elsewhere... to another system> What should I expect from this coral - is it just dying a slow death, or is there hope? As you can see in the pictures, it seems as though some of the fingers are perking up a bit...a sign of hope??? Thanks for all your help! Daryl <Always some hope... read where you were referred to... elsewhere on WWM re Cnidarian compatibility... Add activated carbon at the least... BobF>

Re: Unintentionally Kill New Finger Leather? -- 08/31/07 Thanks Bob- <Welcome Big D> I eagerly await your new book. I've added Chemi-pure and a 12"x12" poly-filter to my wet/dry. Daryl
<Real good. BobF>

Cladiella coral problems 6/6/07 Hello everyone! I hope you have all been well. I have a bit of a dilemma this morning. My 90 gallon (over stocked) reef aquarium has been doing excellent for some time now with inadequate filtration (I have been doing 25% and greater water changes weekly to maintain good water parameters). I finally got my new filter system in I had Jeff at LifeReef Filtration Systems make a custom wet / dry sump and a 36" tall by 7" diameter skimmer for my system to help handle the load. The tank has nearly 150 lbs of live rock in it and a sand bed about 1" deep through out the entire display. The new filter system is incredible the water is so clean now that I have had people telling me it looks like the animals are floating in air. The skimmer is my favorite part of the whole system, very easy to clean, worked right away instantly producing dark matter in the cup and it looks great too. My problem started before the filter was installed and has progressed to a point that I am beginning to worry. My large Cladiella coral has had a white powder like substance gathering on the shelf rock below it for a bit now. I was thinking something may just be burrowing in the rock below it, however, I had to do a large water change yesterday and found that it looks as if the coral is deteriorating below where the arms have grown out and reached the surrounding rock. One side of the coral (all of this is happening on one side only) <Possibly a good clue> the base of the coral is white where it attaches to the rock and seems to be lifting off of the rock. This coral has been healthy and happy for a quite a while now so this is quite surprising to me. The water parameters in the tank check out great <.2 nitrate, 0 nitrite, 0 ammonia, dKH 12, calcium 420, PH 8.4, temp stays between 75 - 77 degrees Specific gravity is 1.035. <Mmm, no... likely you mean your salinity is 35 ppt, a spg of about 1.025 at this...> Every other coral in the tank has been healthy and happy (LPS coral: Torch, Trumpet, and Candy Cane) <Ah, yes... one of these is near the mal-affected side, and/or the prevailing current comes from...> As a matter of fact they have doubled in size in the last month and a half or so. I have two Sinularia sp corals on the other side of the tank (I am thinking they could be clones) and they are doing well and growing rapidly as well. Other than those I have one white pulsing Xenia that has separated into 7 colonies now and is doing wonderful, and a patch of green star polyps that has grown nearly 3" in all directions in the last 3 months. I have 3 crocea clams all nearly 5" now, were 3" when I got them. I have two coco worms that have spawned 3 times (that I am aware of) and now I have about 75 very small coco worms through out the tank that I have seen so far. There are also several species of fan worms showing up everywhere, some bright orange sponges have begun to pop up in the shady areas of the tank. <These could be allelopathogenic as well> We have been seeing a few different types of brittle and serpent starfish (very small) come out at dusk to scavenge. The tank has pretty much been thriving. Yesterday however I came in and my ventralis Anthias that has been eating great, schooling with the Chromis and staking his claim to the larger cave in my tank was dead, all the fish were breathing very heavy, the yellow tang had red streaks on his fins and body, the six line wrasse was laying on his side gasping, the xenia wasn't pulsing as it normally does, I thought they were all going to die right then and there. I immediately did a 40 gallon water exchange (I keep a vat of water mixing for such emergencies and the convenience of not having to mix right before I have to work on the tank), I changed out the pads in the filter added two drops of Lugol's solution, hoping the iodine might have a positive effect on things as well as the water exchange. My guess was that something poisoned the water whether it be a sick coral or an outside source. <Something internal> Today I am glad to say things have perked up considerably. The fish are swimming around again, and eating (though not with as much gusto as before the incident) I am sure it will probably take more than a day for them to get through the shock of what they experienced. The tang is bright yellow again, no red streaks anymore, and is acting near normal, the coral beauty is as pugnacious as usual and seems to be back to normal the green Chromis are still breathing quickly and seem to be in a bit of shock (staying together and hiding quickly when anything gets near the tank) as they did when they were introduced to the tank. Nothing new has been added to the tank in quite a while (2 months or so) and those animals were in quarantine for 5 weeks before that. Since I have seen improvement in the fish since the water change I am not too worried about them. Any ideas as to what is going on with the Cladiella coral though? Thank you for your time, Brian <Well... you really need a much larger volume... which it appears you're aware of... And likely to move out the Cladiella entirely or the likely cause of this ongoing chemical warfare... My first guess of what is listed, the Euphyllia... Please do read re the "Systems" and "Compatibility" of all the species/groups you have... on WWM... You can/could adopt other "stop gap" measures to limit the various means of aggression here (chemical filtration, ozonation, a DSB and macroalgal culture in a tied-in refugium)... but really... a larger system, fragging to much smaller size, moving... are more viable options. Bob Fenner>
Re: Cladiella coral problems -- 06/08/07 Hello Bob, Thank you for your timely response! I took the Cladiella coral out of the 90 gallon reef and cut away the dead / dying areas on it, then sent it home with a friend and his 180 gallon reef. since then the tank has shown more improvement. All fish are going back to their normal behaviors. I am running Chemi-pure in the system now also. I wanted to ask you if in the Cladiella place should I put a torch coral, frogspawn, or hammer coral there would that work out in close range to the torch, or would there be problems raising from that as well? <Take a read on WWM re Euphyllias... the family (still listed as Caryophylliidae by moi)> I am trying to figure out something to fill in the space the Cladiella left. <Leave this gap for now...> I suppose putting another torch there would do the trick as well, <Mmm, again... read... Better to either frag or just wait for the existing colony to grow... will> or bringing some kelp into that area. <... read> Your insight on this is greatly appreciated as always. Thank you, Brian
<Bob Fenner>

Toadstool Trouble...Another Case Of Allelopathy -- 05/17/07 I read through your articles regarding troubled Toadstool leathers and have found some that look like they might be what are happening with mine, but I am not sure without seeing any of the pictures. I had bought one the was purple in color that stood about six inches high and roughly four inches across when fully opened. <<Nice>> For the first several weeks everything was fine, but all of a sudden two weeks ago, it shriveled up, kinked in the middle at about a 90 degree angle, white stuff formed on the crown and the sides of the stalk which are peeling almost like a sunburn does. <<Mmm, very bad signs...and likely the result of allelopathy>> And now, today, I noticed brown splotches forming all over it. I have noted that there were a few whispy, almost spider silk...I don't know, I guess I could call them tendrils extending from the crown--I saw 2, to be exact that sounded similar to what was described in one of the FAQs. I have checked my water quality and have confirmed that all is within the range it should be (nitrate, nitrite, pH, hardness, alkalinity, salinity, ammonia, phosphate) and change my water weekly (15 gallons in a 46 gallon setup). <<Ah, but the problem here is not what you can measure, but what you can't...that nasty mix of noxious chemicals/toxins/poisons/stinging cells exuded and expelled by most all sessile organisms, and a few motile ones, in the ever present struggle for life and space to grow and reproduce on the reef>> I have not seen my clowns harassing it, but they are seeming to like nesting in my Cauliflower Colt Coral on the opposite end of the tank, down flow from the leather. <<'Down flow' or not means nothing really...'everything is affecting everything' in the tank, you can be certain of that>> The other corals in my tank are Fox Coral, Flowerpot, Pink Clove Polyps, 2 Bulb Anemones, <<These are real trouble in a small 'garden mix' system>> as well as a final soft coral I cannot remember the name of, but have included a picture. <> I have also included what the leather looked like before as well as how it looks now. <<Mmm...definitely on the decline>> I have a dual daylight/actinic setup (96 watts each) and have good water flow from a powerhead, which I made sure to position the leather near. <<Do make sure the powerhead is not blasting the leather coral directly>> This change happened all of a sudden and I am not quite sure what it could be. Please help me. <<I am fairly certain the Toadstool's demise is attributable to the largely incompatible mix of organisms in your tank. The 'garden variety' mix of reef organisms is a very popular 'style' of reef system in the hobby. But these systems have a fragile balance that is easily upset, and rarely maintained for the long-term>> Thank you so much! Scott Jones Riverside, CA <<A pleasure to assist. Eric Russell...Columbia, SC>>

Spaghetti leather coral, losing to more established, toxic, stinging Cnidarians... 5/16/07 It has been about a year since I put any new coral into my tank. I currently have a blue candy cane coral, an unidentified type of Favia, Galaxea, two Kenya tree corals, many mushrooms and Zoanthids, green star polyps, and a long tentacle anemone. <Trouble... a mix to keep watched...> All of which seem to be doing great and growing. I have a Coralife 150watt metal halide over my 36 gallon aquarium. I run a protein skimmer and have a couple power heads for water movement. My nitrates and nitrites usually run at 0. Specific gravity runs about 1.027. I recently purchased a spaghetti leather coral from a local fish store. It has been shriveled up since I placed it in the tank two days ago. <No doubt... is a "loser" amongst the other Cnidarian groups listed... Have you seen the word "allelopathy" in recent times?> This morning I woke up and checked on it, and to my surprise it looked like it was falling apart. It appeared as though the first layer of "skin" had peeled off and it revealed the brown insides of the coral. I immediately tested the water for nitrates and found that it was running a bit high for my tank which was about 20ppm. I am assuming that this spike has to do with the decaying coral. What went wrong with my spaghetti coral? <The other stinging-celled life present, and established likely> There are still a couple fingers left that have its normal white skin covering on them. Should I frag the remaining healthy looking fingers? Thanks for your response, you guys are a real asset to the aquarium trade! Michael Attewell <If fragged, it needs to be placed elsewhere... Read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/cnidcompfaqs.htm and the linked files above and over to Alcyoniid Compatibility... you have an unsustainable mix, a close-to disaster situation currently. Bob Fenner>
Re: Spaghetti leather coral, comp. -- 05/16/07 Wow! This is really eye opening. Just when I thought I was doing ok, something else comes along and totally changes the game. <Ahh... a good (periodic) lesson in/about life, eh?> I am setting my 75 gallon up to house what is left of the spaghetti coral. <Good> There is a bit of the stalk left and I am hoping it will regenerate. Thanks for all your expert advice! Michael Attewell <Very glad to share. Bob Fenner>

Struggling Colt Coral, likely allelopathy 5/8/07 Hello everyone, hope you are all well. I guess its probably best to give you information about my set up first. I have a 110 gallon tank, flow is provided by 2 Aquaclear 150's, 2 powerheads (rated at 200 gph, unsure of the brand), 1 powerhead (rated at 500 gph, unsure of brand), and a SeaClone 150 protein skimmer (I know, not the greatest skimmer, I have a Aqua C EV 180, but don't have my sump up and running yet.). Lighting is done with 3 175W metal halides 6700 K, and 2 25W fluorescents, 1 is 10000 K, the other is blue actinic. Tank inhabitants are as follows: pair of False Perculas, 2 Yellow Tail Blue Damsels, Blue Hippo Tang, Diamond Goby, Red Velvet Wrasse, Foxface, Coral Beauty Angel, Scooter Blenny, Royal Gramma Basslet, Serpent Star, about 10 snails, and 5 crabs. Corals: Leather Toadstool, Torch Coral, Green Star Polyps, Stylophora, Mushrooms, Button Polyps, Colt Coral, Hammer Coral, Hydnophora. Water parameters are: SG 1.026, ammonia, nitrite, phosphate all 0, nitrate <10(hard to read color, but actually probably less than 5), calcium 380-400. I'm sorry for taking so much time, but I wanted to give you as much detail as possible because I'm having a little trouble figuring out what's going on with my Colt Coral. My best guess is that maybe one of its tank mates is the problem. <Very likely so... a few of the Classes of other Cnidarians listed are likely at play here> I have had the Colt for about 4 months now, and it's looked great until about week and a half ago. This was about 2 or 3 days after adding the Hydnophora and the Hammer, <Bingo> which both look fine now. The Colt is still opening everyday, but not nearly as full as it did before. Everything else in the tank looks fine. Do you think either the Hydnophora or the Hammer might be releasing something into the water that the Colt doesn't like? Thanks so much for your time. Ryan <Mmm, yes... Though other factors of water quality might be at play... you can/could try spiffing up your water quality (the new skimmer, sump especially), using chemical filtrants... changing a bunch of water... removing the Alcyoniid... Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/cnidcompfaqs.htm and the linked files above. Bob Fenner>
Re: Struggling Colt Coral 5/12/07 Hey crew! Thanks so much for your reply. Just thought I would let you know what happened with my Colt. I moved it to the other end of the tank, away from the Hammer and the Hydnophora, and it is looking much better after only 2 days. Looks almost as good as it did before. Thank you once again for all you do. Ryan <Ahh, congratulations. Thank you for this follow-up. Bob Fenner>

Colt coral with blisters question 3/4/07 WetWeb Crew, <Hello James, Brandon here.> I've recently purchased a Colt coral from Saltwaterfish.com, and it seems to be doing well in my tank, however, it has some blisters which appeared on the stalk. The blisters are on the of the stalk which gets the most light.<Could be allelopathy. See here, http://www.wetwebmedia.com/alcyoncompfaqs.htm. You did not mention the Klyxum's proximity to the Sarcophyton. I would think that chemical warfare could be at work. To combat this, use 2-3 ounces of granulated carbon changed weekly, poly filters, and good skimming.> The coral is about 12" below the surface, and placed in good light with strong flow. Are these blisters of concern? Picture attached (photo left shows blisters). Set-up: 70gal, 225W VHO (2x10k, 1x12k, 24"), 98W SunPaq quad, Turbomedic skimmer, sump w/d trickle w/ biomedia, 70 lbs LR, 2x Clarkii, 2x Ocellaris, Royal Gramma, 3x Green Chromis, Colt, umbrella coral, 2x green mushroom polyp, many hermits/snails, 3x emerald crabs, 1x Sally lightfoot crab, 1x coral banded shrimp. Water: sg 1.024, pH 8.3, Alk 4.5 meq/l, Nitrate/nitrite - not measurable, tot ammonia 40 ppb, free ammonia 20 ppb, <Your ammonia level is too high. Anything over zero is unacceptable.>calcium 460 mg/l, 5 - 8 gal change every other week, calcium, Kalk, iodine, strontium/mb dosing with evaporation replacement water, which is ~1gal / day. -James

Yellow Leather, Do I Look Happy? 2/3/07 Hello to the wonderful crew at Wet Web Media, <Hello Brandon! Mich with you today!> First I would like to say thank you for the wonderful and exert <Hmm, I think you mean expert?> advice that you provide. I think that it is a great thing that you guys do, especially since it is volunteer work. (At least to the best of my knowledge.) <Yes, is volunteer.> I have come a very long way in my skill and knowledge of the husbandry of saltwater, and more difficult fresh water species in no small part thanks to you fine people. <This is wonderful, fulfilling, rewarding to hear/read.> Today however, I find myself with a quandary. I have purchased a piece of yellow leather coral, what I believe to be Sarcophyton Elegans. <Yes appears to be.> I think that it is doing well, but I am not really sure. I have attached the clearest picture that I have been able to collect on it. <Yes, I see. Polyps are starting to extend. Is getting happy, not quite there yet.> I know that this is somewhat of a touchy subject with Bob at least, I saw all of the spelling corrections, and general irritation in his replies. <It is because he cares so deeply, that at times he becomes frustrated when others don't. As of late, he has also been bearing a brunt of the work.> I will assure you all that I did research it, and I did use spell check. (He He He.) <Thank you for your effort. It is appreciated. Though the spell checker is not smart enough yet to know when we use incorrect words. Hehe!> What I cannot figure out is whether or not it is doing well. I have found information that indicated that it does not do too well. <Mmm, my experience has been that it is quite hardy, other may feel differently.> I was hoping that one of you might have a glimmer (from the picture) as to it's well being. I know that I need to wait at least a week for it to fully open, and I know that it gets quite big. I am not too sure that it is doing well though. I figured that it might open sooner, perhaps I am being too impatient. <Give it time. Is on its' way.> Tank Stats: Tank Size: 75 Gallons Occupants: Four Clownfish (Premnas biaculeatus) I know but I had no choice, a tank had to be crashed because of jellyfish brought in on live rock, Two Pacific Sailfin Tangs (Zebrasoma veliferum), <Your tank is way too small to happily house one of these beautiful fish, let alone two! (a minimum tank size of 135 for one, significantly bigger is needed for two!) Owhh and with another tang... Owhh not good my friend, not good.> One Yellow Tang (Zebrasoma flavescens), One Green Chromis Damsel (Chromis viridis) (There were four, filters and power heads :( ), One Large Blue Damsel (Chrysiptera cyanea), One Coral Beauty (Centropyge bispinosus), One Rusty Angel (Centropyge ferrugata ), Two Brittle Stars (Ophiuroidea) ( (Who knows where they are), One Sand Sifting Star (Astropecten polycanthus), 10 - 18 Hermits (Mixed Varieties), 7 - 10 Turbo Snails, One Sebae Anemone (Heteractis crispa), One 2"x3" Bubble Coral (Plerogyra sinuosa), One 4"x4" Green Star Polyp (Clavularia viridis), Two 1"x3" Clove Polyps (Clavularia sp.), One 6"x6" Brain Coral (Favites sp.), One 3"x2" Open Brain Coral (Favia sp.), One 3"x2" Finger Leather (Sinularia sp.), and the 2"x1" Yellow Leather (Sarcophyton elegans). <Oooh! Lots of allelopathy!> Lighting: 2 150 watt Metal Halide and 2 96 watt Blue Actinic 03 Power Compact for a total of 492 watts (6.56 per gallon) Ammonia: 0 Nitrite: 0 Nitrate: 0 (Not 10ppm Actual 0) Calcium: 400 mg/L I have the yellow leather about 8 inches from the top of the water. I was thinking that it might benefit from the increased light. Perhaps this is too close? <Usually likes slightly deeper water, but I think would leave it be for now, just give it some time. If the polyps don't fully expand after a week or so, consider moving it.> I would like to thank whomever I am lucky enough to get in advance for their reply. You guys are really wonderful. <Thank you for your kind words!> On a side note, I have managed to get my Discus to breed thanks to you guys and a lot of hard work. I am sending a success picture for you guys to check out. <Cool photo! Thank you for sharing. Is always good to hear success stories!> <<Thanks for sending this along Brandon. Will place with credit to you. BobF>> Thank you so much for your help. <You're welcome my friend! -Mich>
Brandon R. Foster.

Re: Yellow Leather, Do I Look Happy? Follow Up... and Allelopathy 2/5/07 To the crew at Wet Web (possibly Mich? You have replied the last two times, hehe.), <And a third!> Thank you for taking a look at the Sarcophyton elegans. It has been a week now, and he has still not opened all of the way. I am going to move him down in the tank after dark tonight. <OK> There are some stats that I forgot to add about the tank. Thank you for pointing out that the tangs have not got a large enough house. <Yes, sorry.> I bought the tank from someone with them in it, and I did not have the heart to discard them. <Oh! Never!> They are some of my favorite fish. <Mine as well. They are beauties!> At the moment they are but juveniles, and I am looking for someone that can take care of them properly. <Could be you with a much larger system.> I have set up another tank that should house them appropriately in the mean time. <OK> About the allelopathy. With the SPS, LPS, Favia, and Favites. I have located them all well away from each other and well out of reach of any sweepers. <Very good.> I was lead to believe that the toxic compounds that soft corals release become less of a concern when they are placed away from other species. <Helps.> I was also led to believe that with adequate water flow and aggressive skimming they became even less of a concern. <Also helps.> Perhaps this information will help, Two 125 gallon per hour powerheads. One on the left side of the tank, one on the right. One 200 gallon per hour powerhead. This one is seated on the back wall of the tank facing the front at a 30 degree angle. A 800 gallon per hour CPR overflow, with a 950 gallon per hour return pump, which is facing the front wall of the tank at a 30 degree opposite of the 200 gph powerhead. <Umm, OK, head height obviously not calculated out or your tank and overflow would be, well, overflowing.> A 20 gallon sump with an Urchin Pro protein skimmer with a Mag 5 500 gallon per hour pump. And two H.O.T filters to house carbon. One is rated for a 100 gallon tank, and the other is rated for a 50 gallon tank. The current appears to be random what with the Anemone blowing left and right. <OK> My conclusion from my research was that if the corals were kept far enough away from each other, with this much flow, and skimming in a 75g, I would be *mostly* free of problems. Was I correct, or am I just dreaming and in desperate need of relocation of some specimens? <You are correct, mostly being the key word here. I mentioned more for your awareness than for action at this point. You may need to take action at some point in the future.> I believe that I might have lost a frogspawn due to some chemical warfare, and perhaps I am going to have to make a species tank or two. I rather like mandarins and pajama cardinals, so perhaps a couple of calm tanks are in order. <Once you have one tank, more usually follow, hopefully at least a QT set up. Thank you all so much for the help that I have received. <Welcome! Hope it helps. -Mich> Brandon Foster. P.S. Tell Bob that I love the fact that he cares so much, and that I feel for him on the workload, but we all love him for it. Helping all those "Darlas" (Insert bad Finding Nemo joke here.) out there is a tough job, and thankfully you guys are there to catch us when we fall. <We try.> <<Oh yes. RMF>>

Yellow finger leather 1/17/07 I think I know the answer but I just have to ask the question. <Well...ok.> My yellow finger leather I purchased 1.5 years ago does not polyp out anymore. <When was the last time you saw it out?> The body shows no signs of deterioration or bleaching. <That's a good sign.> Is it time to say goodbye ? <Naw, I wouldn't be worried, unless it's been a few weeks or even a month since you *saw* it. Sometimes, the polyps extend at night.> Water parameters are within range, <Which range?> 2- 110 w actinic white & 2-110w super actinic blue in a tank that is 24" deep. <So, lemme get this straight. Two 50/50 PCs and two full-on actinic PCs? *Should* be just enough, but if you're concerned about light levels, you could drop an actinic for another "whiter" bulb.> Thanks for all the help in the past & future. Tom <Welcome, tom. -Graham T.>
Re: Yellow finger leather follow-up 1/17/07 Hi Graham T, I failed to give you the water parameters- CA-400, dKh-9.0--Alk-3.20, PH-8.3. The lights are 2-110w VHO actinic white & 2-110W super actinic VHO. Its been over a month since I've seen the polyps out. Thanks Again, The whole crew has been outstanding. <Thanks for the feedback, Tom. ...And sorry for not capitalizing your name in the last correspondence we had, I'm a doofus. Anyway, I was reading your previous post and my answer, and I realized I didn't really answer your question. So, here goes: Leather corals in the family Alcyoniidae periodically display less-than favorable physical appearance when they are about to shed. I would, however, classify this case as "extended" and likely is a response to some recent change in maintenance, or other factor. More than one year in it's current location would lead me to believe that the response is not related to light intensity, or location in the tank... unless your lights are due for a refresh? You didn't mention any other tank-mates, or recent additions to the system, but usually leathers rate pretty poorly on the "able to cope with chemical warfare" scale. If you have a LPS capable of toxic warfare, consider it has decided to go ballistic. Check here anyway, and you may be enlightened. http://www.wetwebmedia.com/alcyonbehfaqs.htm ...I usually am. ;) -Graham T.> Tom P.

Colt Coral health 1/14/07 Hi, I have had colt coral for about three or four years now. I started off with one piece and it took over the tank. I recently donated all but one small piece to Saint Jude for the reef tank they are setting up. The small piece has been doing fine till yesterday I noticed he has shrunk up and has some kind of a transparent whitish film over his entire body. <Mmm... Alcyoniids do produce and shed a waxy "cuticle" at times> I did recently up grade my lighting in the tank to a Current dual satellite with 2 96 watt dual bulbs. Before I had a Corallife compact with 1 96 watt dual bulb. I also added iodine, calcium and strontium & molybdenum on yesterday. <Either of these might trigger the behavior you report> I have never seen it do this before and everything else in my tank (bubble tip anemone, star polyps, mushroom, cabbage coral, inverts and fish) seem to be fine. Do you have any suggestions? <The first two might be "winning" allelopathically here> I also have a question on the cabbage coral I never bought cabbage coral it just showed up on a rock and took off. I noticed that it has a bubble at one of its tips that is actually releasing bubbles is this normal? <Perhaps... might be some associated photosynthetic organism (an algae likely) producing an excess of gas... Could be a burst of growth of the coral... or a "bailing" mechanism reproductively... I'd move the Sarcophyton if you had another setting. Bob Fenner> Thanks, Tiaa
Re: Colt Coral and new question re bubbles 1/17/06 Thank you for your prompt response to my question. <Prev. corr.?> My colt coral opened back up today and seems to be okay (he is not back to normal size yet). I also moved the cabbage to give him a little more current. <Good> When I woke up this morning he had a clear slime releasing from his middle but as the day went on he opened up and seemed okay. I am now having another problem and after researching most of the day on the Internet I have not made a conclusion. I am having a problem with tiny bubbles in my tank. I have a 30 gallon tank with what was about 3 inches of live sand all the way around. Now I have hardly any sand under my live rock and mounds in the front thanks to my 2 engineer gobies. I have noticed some bubbles covering the corners of my tank and some of the rock. I thought it was my protein skimmer at first because I can not seem to get it tweaked. However, I turned the skimmer off yesterday and the bubbles are still appearing even after I fan the water to release them. I added 5 Nassarius and 3 Cerith snails about a week ago could they be causing a release? <Mmm... might re related... but not for sure> I have had this tank set up for about five or six years now and did move it to my new home over a year ago with no problems. I read some articles today on old tank syndrome what are your thought on that? <Does occur> I also did a water change a week and a half ago and again today about 25%. Also the new light with the two 96 watts dual bulbs was added a week ago. Thank you for your help ahead of time. Tiaa <More likely an effect of the new lighting... boosted photosynthesis in these areas... gas accumulation... I would re-direct your circulation toward the corners and not worry at this point. Bob Fenner>

Yellow Leather turning green color... Cnidarian allelopathy, classic 2/22/06 Help!!! By the way, hello all! My yellow leather has a large green patch and looks deflated. Can this be due to the recent upgrade to halides. <... yes... if done/switched on too much, too soon...> This is a 50g tank, 18" tall, and the new halide bulbs (two at 150w each, 14,000K) sit about 7" from the tank. Halides are an upgrade from power compacts, 260w. I acclimated by placing the bulbs about 12" from the surface of the water and later brought it closer and placed a screen (the same screen from a screen door) over the bulb. <Good techniques> This was there for about a week and the screen was removed. The first day was fine, but the second and third, the yellow leather began to deflate and change colors. I have since put back the screen. Water parameters are as follows: Ammonia - 0 Nitrite - 0 Nitrate - 10 to 20 (been decreasing since I removed the Bio Wheel from the Tidepool sump) Phosphate - .5 (I know, should be zero) Calcium - 350 (a little low?) <Yes, but acceptable> Alkalinity - about 13 pH - 8.2 Salinity - 1.025 to 1.026 Any ideas? Other tank inhabitants include Pipe Organ (not opening much), Crocea clam (doing great and growing), various mushrooms, Pineapple Coral, Pulsing Xenia and Bubble Coral. <... likely a mal-reaction from these other cnidarians... too much chemical competition in too small a volume... You might try using activated carbon in your filter flow path> Inverts - Cleaner shrimp, Peppermint Shrimp, Emerald crab, Brittle Star, Anemone (green neon-tipped, unsure of species), <... This is the likely source...> various snails and Feather Duster. Many inverts have died recently including a Blood shrimp, Peppermint Shrimp, Emerald Crab, Pistol Shrimp which I have attributed to the sudden spike in Nitrate, all of a sudden from 0 to 10 to 20 to 40. Thanks for all your help! <Read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/cnidcompfaqs.htm and the linked files above. Bob Fenner>
Re: Yellow Leather turning green color 2/23/06 Thanks! That may make sense, the anemone just went in two days ago, the same day I removed the carbon fearing I would remove too much trace elements. So you believe allelopathy is the issue here? If the carbon doesn't work, any additional advice? <... A bigger tank, adding a refugium, DSB... Please see the referred, linked files... Bob Fenner>

Leather Corals comp., health, sys. 2/17/06 Hi there... Thank you for the wonderful insight into marine aquariums. I had a question about Leather Corals. I have a 55G tank set up primarily all for Sarcophytons, 12 total. My Ph is 8.0, ammonia .25, <Should be zip> Nitrate and Nitrite both 0 on an Aquarium Pharmaceuticals test kit. The tank has been set up for a year with a chiller keeping it at 78. My question is for the past two weeks All of the leather corals have closed up. <See the ammonia?> No new corals or fish have been introduced and my green star polyps, woods hole polyps, and anthelia have been fine. <They're winning...> I did a 10 Gallon water change, with R/O water. Specific Gravity is 1.023. After the water change two of the smaller leathers opened up. Should I be concerned of a toxin in the water or is this natural for leathers to all close at the same time. -Thank you for your response.

Sarcophyton becoming covered with algae - 02/16/2006 To the WWM Crew <Flavio> The Sarcophyton is in my 500 litres tank about 2 months ago. In this period of adapting time it expands his head and only 1 or 2 mm of his polyps maybe every two or three days. All these times it produces the peculiar protective thin film. <Yes, good> Since about one week, it his always closed and the film is becoming yellow with diatoms and on some areas I could see thin filamentous algae. <Not good> Near the Sarcophyton (10 cm) I have a Hydnophora that is ok. <Too close... I'd keep this and all other stony corals at least 15 cm. away...> The lights are 6 NO fluorescent and 1 actinic. Do you think that it is better to remove the coral to another position, far way from the Hydnophora ? <Yes, ciertamente> Too much light for the soft coral? <No> The NOs are 30 cm above it. Do you think it will help to gently remove the algae after the change of place if it were the case? Thank you very much for your site and your precious help. Flavio <Welcome. Bob Fenner>

Devil's hand turning white 09/13/2005 In our tank we have had a Devil's hand leather for a couple of years. It is about 5 inches, pink colored, 10+ "finger", and many polyps. It had been doing very well until a few weeks ago when a large anemone placed itself right next to it. We have moved the anemone (after a few days) but now 1/3 of the leather is turning white and the polyps are not out. The other side looks as healthy as before. Is there anything we can do to save the Devil's Hand? Also one "finger" was detached a couple of months ago and is a healthy looking stub with polyps. It is loose on the bottom of the tank. Anything we should do to aid its growth? Thanks for you help! <You could glue it where you want it with underwater epoxy. As for the mother, if the bleached side looks bad, cut it off with sharp scissors and new polyps will emerge in time. James (Salty Dog)> Carrie R. Frost

Sarco's acting funny... Hi I have a toadstool leather coral that I bought about 4 days ago. Since I placed it, it has been retracting and coming back every few hours. <First off, never expect a coral (especially a Sarco.) to behave normally in the first week or so as it acclimates to the lighting and the new environment.> Now it is out, but the edge has started to turn white. it's where it looks like it has been cut. <That rock flower anemone looks mighty close to it, could it be getting stung by it?> The store told me to put it in indirect lighting, and low in the tank. Does it need to be moved, or just get used to the lighting? <I'd move it away from the rock flower. You'll need to give it time to acclimate to the lighting again.> Right above it is a green mushroom coral and on the left a rock anemone. could it be that it is to close? I am sending a picture to show where is , Any advice would be a big help. <Good luck with it! -Kevin> Thanks Corey

Colt Sickness Dear Mr. Fenner: I was hoping you could shed some light on a problem I have regarding my colt coral. My 125 gallon aquarium has been set up for at least a year now and was doing wonderful! I have a colt coral that has grown beautifully, but around 2 months ago I did a water change of about 25-30% and it has not expanded as much as it used to. <Best to use pre-made, stored replacement water...> Then on top of it not expanding nearly as much, it is now getting white on several branches, not exactly pasty though. Recently I bought a Sarcophyton elegans and it was placed near the colt coral, say 6 inches or so apart at least. <This could be a/the problem...> In your Questions and Answers page they mentioned something like my situation and said it could be chemical warfare between the two. <Yes> Obviously my colt is losing the battle badly now! I know lighting isn't an issue because it expanded beautifully before. Any thoughts on what my next steps are for my colt coral? <At least physically space them more... and add activated carbon to your filter flow path> My nitrates and ammonia are zero, PH is 8.3, and my Salinity is 1.024. Should I sever the white branches and hope for the best in another area? <Not just yet... do you have another tank to move the Sarcophyton to?> I will appreciate any advice you can give me and I thank you in advance! If I left any information additional information out that you would need, I would have no problem providing it. Thank you very much, James <Do at least move the two apart, use a chemical filtrant for organics. Bob Fenner>

Sarcophyton woes Hi Bob! <Anthony Calfo in your service> I have had a toadstool leather (appears to be Sarcophyton trocheliophorum) in my 55 gallon tank for about 2 months. It has been happy and healthy as far as I can tell, in fact it is looking better than it did at the fish store! I recently noticed white spots on the trunk. Some are smaller than a dime and others are larger and more oval. I have used a turkey baster to blow off some loose skin in the area, but these spots appear to be spreading. This morning I blew off some algae that was growing at the base and underneath it the trunk was completely white. I took it out of the water and gave it a smell test and everything smells fine, no rotten egg smell. <and the tissue isn't necrotic/eroding?> I also noticed that the white spots appear to turn light brown, and I can blow this off to reveal the white spot underneath. There aren't any of these spots on the top of the coral and the polyps are opening fine. I have read all my books and searched the internet, but I can't find anything that really describes this. <could be the equivalent of a mucosal tunic (shedding/sloughing waste compounds through growth)> It does not appear to be moving across like a front, nor it is it moving rapidly. I noticed the first spots probably about 2-3 weeks ago. Each spot appears to be an isolated spot. Nothing else in the system is affected. Here's the lo-down on the tank: 55 gallon with wet/dry filter, replaced bioballs with live rock. 4 55 watt PC's 2 actinic 2 daylight Ph 8.2 NH3 0 NO2 0 NO3 <5ppm KH 7-8 Ca 400 <do get your Alkalinity up higher...your at the bottom for reef invertebrates...aim for 11-12 dKH> Livestock: 2 cleaner shrimp 3 peppermint shrimp 1 yellow tang 10 blue leg and scarlet crabs 10 Astrea snails 1 serpent star pulsing xenia Sarcophyton elegans Trachyphyllia geoffroyi 2 hairy mushrooms 5 red mushrooms 2 unidentified encrusting corals The open brain sits directly under the leather in question, probably about 5 vertical inches between them. Could there be any chemical warfare going on? <Wow! An important factoid...yes, in fact beyond allelopathy (chemical warfare) you brain can easily reach your leather in the dark of night. You may simply be looking at the mucosal symptoms of burns from the brains night tentacles> The 2 cleaner shrimp have also taken to hanging out on the underside of the leather, could they be picking at it while I am not looking? If I move this coral into my quarantine tank, the lighting in that tank is way low. I think 15 watts regular florescent on a 10 gallon tank. Will this be a problem? Will the shock of moving this coral do more harm than good?? <yes... please move the brain or leather laterally instead (not higher unless gradually. Your brain is stuck in the sand bottom isn't it? Otherwise, there is a very good chance it will die within the year on rock placement> Help Bob, what do I do??? Thanks Leslie <an easy solution. Happy reefing. Anthony>

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