i have some corals that has been in my tank for about a month. the tanks been up about 2.5 months. its a 120gallon with a 40 gallon refugium. i checked the water parameters and it seems fine, except my calcium is a little high. a week ago i had a coral beauty that i bought but couldn't get it to feed. it ended up getting ick. i couldnt remove it from the tank cause it kept hiding in the tank so i tried an ick medication called Kordon ick attack. really thick dark medication. after it was put in it got stuck on my sponge and that died. it turned brown a fuzzy. the other corals stop opening. it said it was reef safe. could it be because of the medication, the calcium? i did 3 water changes to within the last 2 weeks to clear up the water but nothing. im using tap water with some prime, or should i try water for the lfs? should i do some more water changes? oh i found out today my hammer coral fell apart as i shooked it. sorry for so many questions. still new, and need help. thanks
dying coral
- Thread starter frostt3ch
- Start date
1. List your parameters
2. Tank sounds pretty full for only being setup for 2.5months, maybe you over did it, start slow and have patience
3. Dont buy fish without seein them eat at the LFS, QT new fish and treat fish in the QT tank.
4. Do a search for research on certain medication, im not sure of Kordon, i had ich and tried garlic enriched veggies and a cleaner shrimp.
5. If you sponge turned brown and fuzzy, you should of removed it
6. RO water is most desired for reef tanks
Hope that helps
Jiddy
2. Tank sounds pretty full for only being setup for 2.5months, maybe you over did it, start slow and have patience
3. Dont buy fish without seein them eat at the LFS, QT new fish and treat fish in the QT tank.
4. Do a search for research on certain medication, im not sure of Kordon, i had ich and tried garlic enriched veggies and a cleaner shrimp.
5. If you sponge turned brown and fuzzy, you should of removed it
6. RO water is most desired for reef tanks
Hope that helps
Jiddy
lcstorc
Well-Known Member
I am so sorry to hear of your losses.
I have found Coral Beauties to be very difficulkt to keep alive. I have been told that most of the ones found at the lfs were captured with cyanide which frequently kills them shortly after we bring them home.
Look at the bottle of ich medicine. Does it use copper? If so I will leave it to the experts to explain, but I know copper is the main reason we are told not to use ich treatments in our reef but to treat in a at instead. If it is not made with copper hopfully we can help.
First what kind of corals and/or fish do you have left? How long have they been not opening?
Regardless of any of the answers I would absolutely do more and bigger water changes using ro/di water. Also check any of the remaining corals to see if they are jelly like and if they are remove them immediately or at least cut away the diseased flesh and get it out of your reef.
I would probably do 25% water changes daily in an attempt to get the medicine and the rotting coral/sponge debris out as quickly as possible. Depending on the paramaters of the tank I might go even higher. There is a lot to be said for a 50% water change in certain circumstances. The worst thing likely from a big change like that is a cycle which I believe you are going to get anyway. Keep a close eye on your parameters and have lots of water available for changes. IMO that is the best thing you can do at this point.
Sorry for your losses. Hope things improve soon.
I have found Coral Beauties to be very difficulkt to keep alive. I have been told that most of the ones found at the lfs were captured with cyanide which frequently kills them shortly after we bring them home.
Look at the bottle of ich medicine. Does it use copper? If so I will leave it to the experts to explain, but I know copper is the main reason we are told not to use ich treatments in our reef but to treat in a at instead. If it is not made with copper hopfully we can help.
First what kind of corals and/or fish do you have left? How long have they been not opening?
Regardless of any of the answers I would absolutely do more and bigger water changes using ro/di water. Also check any of the remaining corals to see if they are jelly like and if they are remove them immediately or at least cut away the diseased flesh and get it out of your reef.
I would probably do 25% water changes daily in an attempt to get the medicine and the rotting coral/sponge debris out as quickly as possible. Depending on the paramaters of the tank I might go even higher. There is a lot to be said for a 50% water change in certain circumstances. The worst thing likely from a big change like that is a cycle which I believe you are going to get anyway. Keep a close eye on your parameters and have lots of water available for changes. IMO that is the best thing you can do at this point.
Sorry for your losses. Hope things improve soon.
blue_eyes53813
Well-Known Member
I am so sorry you are having so much trouble.. Did the tank cycle properly? Meaning did your ammonia, nitrites and nitrate levels rise and fall to 0? Well I thin we have a combination of things.. If the tank didnt cycle properly, and you started adding livestock to quick, the cycle started with the addition of livestock , which can be very stressfull to corals and any fish.. The fish got ick because of the water not being ready. you added medicine that the corals didnt like.. it can be a very vicious cycle...
What you need to do. never add any meds to a reef tank... you need a quaratine tank for that..
1. Do alot of small water changes if you still have livestock in the tank over the next few weeks
2.Get some bottled bacteria from your lfs.. It is a good bacteria that will replenish the tank and help the cycles along. which you may have to recycle the tank because you are doing so many water changes and having some die off in the tank from corals and the fish
3. dont add anymore livestock until all water perimeters are back to normal
4. remember to go slow..
Hope it all turns around for you soon.. Good luck
What you need to do. never add any meds to a reef tank... you need a quaratine tank for that..
1. Do alot of small water changes if you still have livestock in the tank over the next few weeks
2.Get some bottled bacteria from your lfs.. It is a good bacteria that will replenish the tank and help the cycles along. which you may have to recycle the tank because you are doing so many water changes and having some die off in the tank from corals and the fish
3. dont add anymore livestock until all water perimeters are back to normal
4. remember to go slow..
Hope it all turns around for you soon.. Good luck
ammonia is 0
nitrate is 5
nitrite 0
phosphate 0
calcuim high
alk high
the medication didnt contain copper in the ingredient. it also said it was reef safe. i bought a used metal halide system 400w hamliton. should i change the bulbs on those?
oh yah, i have 5 chromis 1 yellow tang and 1 sailfin tang. they are all doing fine.
nitrate is 5
nitrite 0
phosphate 0
calcuim high
alk high
the medication didnt contain copper in the ingredient. it also said it was reef safe. i bought a used metal halide system 400w hamliton. should i change the bulbs on those?
oh yah, i have 5 chromis 1 yellow tang and 1 sailfin tang. they are all doing fine.
Last edited:
lcstorc
Well-Known Member
Did you just get the light? How old are the bulbs? What spectrum and how many? What lights did you have beore and how did you acclimate. Geez I am full of questions. Sorry.
The lights may have contributed to the stress on the fish and any lighting change can/will effect our coral, but I still think where is something else going on here.
I am pretty new myself but I read a lot and I can see no harm from trying the carbon. It may help or may not but it would certainly be worth a shot. Other things I would do would be soak all food in garlic or garlic extreme and probably add selcon vitamins as well. Use a UV sterilizer. Finally the frequenty mentioned agressive water changes.
I hope the rest of your inhabitants continue to do well and I am glad the medication does not say copper. I know copper is a huge problem in a reef. There also seems to be much debate as to if reef safe ich medication is truly reef safe. I have heard various arguments but one that made a lot of sense to me is what defines a reef I have several Acros for example. Something that does not kill or injure live rock may well kill my acros. Anyway sorry to go on and on but many people gave me great info on chevron sailfin tang thread when the chevron came down with ich.
Best of luck. Hope things start heading in the right direction for you.
The lights may have contributed to the stress on the fish and any lighting change can/will effect our coral, but I still think where is something else going on here.
I am pretty new myself but I read a lot and I can see no harm from trying the carbon. It may help or may not but it would certainly be worth a shot. Other things I would do would be soak all food in garlic or garlic extreme and probably add selcon vitamins as well. Use a UV sterilizer. Finally the frequenty mentioned agressive water changes.
I hope the rest of your inhabitants continue to do well and I am glad the medication does not say copper. I know copper is a huge problem in a reef. There also seems to be much debate as to if reef safe ich medication is truly reef safe. I have heard various arguments but one that made a lot of sense to me is what defines a reef I have several Acros for example. Something that does not kill or injure live rock may well kill my acros. Anyway sorry to go on and on but many people gave me great info on chevron sailfin tang thread when the chevron came down with ich.
Best of luck. Hope things start heading in the right direction for you.
