Here We Go Again!

[cheeks69]

My guess would be Lobophyllia flabelliformis or robusta or even a Symphyllia as Heinz mentioned. My suggestion would be to place it on the SB and let it acclimate to your lighting. These corals can come from deeper water so it's always good to allow them to adjust to your system especially since there's some tissue recession. If you want to feed them cyclop-eeze would be good choice or target feed him some shrimp when the lights go out and the feeder tentacles are expanded.

[Melanie]

Cheeks, I do believe it is a lobophyllia sp. I might move him to the sand bed as a few people have suggested. What signs should I look for to see if he likes his position?

Right now, I feed my 3 small fish 1/4 cube mysis at 6:30 AM and 1/8 to 1/4 cube cyclops (like cyclopeeze but a different brand) at 6:00 PM. I put one drop of VitaChem on the food morning and night on weekdays.

I've been checking on the new brain at different hours with lights on and off and I haven't seen any feeder tentacles.

I haven't directly fed any of my corals yet. I've been hesitant because my water quality has been really good and the corals all seem to be thriving. I am seriously considering feeding this one because he has very prominent "mouths" and he does have some tissue recession. He might benefit from additional feedings. I have read that

For those of you that DO feed your corals at night, how can you tell if they are expanded and/or eating if it is dark?? Can you use a flashlight covered in red taillight tape?

[cheeks69]

For those of you that DO feed your corals at night, how can you tell if they are expanded and/or eating if it is dark?? Can you use a flashlight covered in red taillight tape?

Do you have moonlights ? If not just use a light from the room so you can see and it will be very obvious when they expand and extend their feeder tentacles !

[Melanie]

I have an LED moonlight, but it only shines in the center and that guy is out of range. I'll check again tonight. I've seen the feeder tentacles on two of my four brains so far. Do they all have them??

[cheeks69]

Originally Posted by Melanie

I've seen the feeder tentacles on two of my four brains so far. Do they all have them??

Yes they do !
What I would do is feed you tank some frozen cyclop-eeze and when he extends his feeder tentacles then target feed him small pieces of shrimp or squid even scallop etc.
If he's not extending yet he may still be acclimating to the tank so give him some time to recover/adjust.

[Craig Manoukian]

Love them nematocysts! Red light is good for viewing, yup!

[ScubaDrew]

Melanie, its a shame to hear your coral was neglected before you got it. I like to look at it as you're giving it a better home!

Drew

[Melanie]

Still no feeder tentacles.

Actually, I haven't seen them on my "Rare Alien Eye Brain" either. That one is about 1/4 dead...how it arrived when I ordered on-line. All three items I ordered were very bad when I got them. Empty bags that leaked everywhere. Terrible rotting smell. One blue xenia rock with not one blue xenia on it. I won't name names because I didn't try to resolve my issue with them so it's unfair. Live and learn I suppose. I'm sticking to LFS, drs foster and smith, and my RS friends from now on.

Whoops...off on a tangent there. I just checked my new lobia with a flashlight and it still has nothing coming out. When do you think I should try to feed him?

Does this sound like a good plan...use a 2 liter soda bottle cut off at the bottom and squirt 1/8 cube dissolved cyclops with a drop of Vitachem mixed in. What time of day should I do this since I can't see any expansion at any time I've checked? One of my brains is extended in the morning before lights on, and the other is extended at night (and sometimes a little in the day as well)

Should I cut out one of my fish feedings because there is sure to be some float off when I remove the 2 liter? Speaking of, how long should I leave the bottle there to allow it to feed?

I am so nervous! Jeez, you'd think I was performing surgery instead of feeding a coral.

[Craig Manoukian]

The bottle is a good idea as well as cutting normal feedings to account for the extra target feeding. As far as timing, pick one as your other corals are feeding. You could alternate the time and see if it makes any difference.

Take deep breath and step away from the tank slowly. Deep breaths until all the confusion subsides. Your just fine Mel!

[Melanie]

Ah HA! His tentacles were expanded right before lights on this morning! He didn't have the long sweeper nematocysts out, but he was definitely puffed up. Now I know when he wants to feed. I got some photos so I'll post them later (after work.) I am very concerned about the tissue recession and it appears larger today. More photos of that as well. Plus two or three little greenish/brownish spots that don't "feel" right to me. Hmmmmm..... I love this little guy and desperately want him to recover.

[Craig Manoukian]

Hang in ther Mel! Great job!

[Melanie]

Ok, here are the pics I promised of it's expansion this morning, the increased tissue recession, and green spots.

[Craig Manoukian]

Definitely looks stress related from the bad trip. I had a Euphyllia that suffered the same fate and did not recover. Hope your case is different!

[Melanie]

Good evening fellow reefers! I'm going to start by mentioning that I'm very frustrated by the Calcium snow storm in my tank. I had really hoped it would resolve itself by now, but it hasn't. It's ugly and I'm embarrassed. Tonight my husband said "What's all the white stuff?"

I did my weekly water change and tank cleaning. Today I also rinsed my carbon in my carbon reactor because it is about a month old.

Here are my test results today at 6:30 PM:

Temp 80 (water change water was a little warmer than the tank)
Sg 1.025
Mg 1300
Ph 8.4
Nitrate 0
Nitrite 0
Phos 0
dKH 9
Ammon 0
Ca 440

• I use Instant Ocean salt after changing over from Tropic Marin Pro Reef.
• I do a 5 - 10 gal. weekly water change and thorough tank and sump cleaning.
• I have a refugium with a DSB.
• My tank is 72 gal with about 80 gal total water volume.
• I do not supplement with anything.
• I use a carbon reactor, UV sterilizer, Octopus protein skimmer.
• I use a Hydor Korallia 3 power head and I have an overflow and sump.
• My reef is 2.5 months old.
• I have mushrooms, ricordias, torch coral, a couple of brains, two leathers, 2 montipora frags, two xenias, yellow colony polyps, and some zoanthids.
• I have a small CUC that includes a variety of snails, shrimp, and crabs.
• I run T5 lights with 54 wt. X 4 bulbs (1 actinic and 3 daylight) on a 12 hour on/off cycle.
• I also have a healthy, growing supply of coralline algae in a multitude of colors.
• I have 3 fish (a royal gramma, a clown, and a firefish)
• I have about 95 lbs. of LR and about 60 lbs. LS.

Can anyone help me???? I'm getting desperate and this is not a good state to be in with a reef.

[tbittner]

Consider getting some more CUC. And even *gasp* a couple more corals! They will use up the calcium.

Are you SURE it's a calcium snow storm? 440 just doesn't seem that high.