Torch Coral issue

[mc524]

Everything was fine prior to a business trip that had me gone Mon. -Fri. When I came home, I wondered why the lights were not on. My wife said... "oh they hadn't come on all week". So I check the timer strip. Dang thing was set to off and not Auto. Everything else seems okay except for the Torch Coral. It is receding and hasn't inflated since I arrived home.
I dose Cal and Mag which I did before I left, and also again when I returned home. Just happen to check again tonight and Cal was 360. So I just dosed again. Usually it stays around 420.
Anyone think the no lights did this guy in? She thought I left them off for a reason... So she jut left the basement lights on. The Cal has been that low before, before I learned about Cal & Mag. The thing flourished prior to this, and was dangling away in the flow the night before I left. At first I thought it was excreeting but it has never been deflated this long. I can see some of the skeleton showing, but coloring is normal.
What gives? I am thinking lighting, but who knows lol Had this guy for almost a year.

 

[falos]

if lights were off for 5 days id say yea

 

[reefstinger]

Don't sound good!!

 

[mc524]

Havent given up on the 2 heads yet. There is still life in them. Color hasnt changed, one head still has inflated tentacles, they are just tiny. Looks like the rim on that head maybe starting to come back. The other head I am watching closer. I noticed to night that after lights out and finished the w/c, that it pulled in a bit tighter. So that means life is still there. So I am still hopefull that both heads will pull out.

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[schwaggs]

CA of 360 isn't the problem IMO. That is a fairly Normal level. Might be the light but even that doesn't seem that long for a typically hardy coral like torch.

 

[jennm]

Give it some time to bounce back.

Neither issue should kill a coral. 5 days with no light isn't idea, but it shouldn't be fatal.

Low calcium should never kill anything. Slow rate of growth, yes. Weaker skeleton if its low long term? Yes. Kill? NO.

Jenn

 

[mc524]

Hmmm, well then I am stumped. All parameters were fine, minus the cal, mag I dose also, which is normally in the 1150-1200 range. Little low going by labels. However, it has always stayed around those numbers.
Occassionally each of my 3 domino damsels would host in it for a few seconds then swim off.
I am just going to give it some time and see what happens. Everything else was fine, but obviously this guy was not happy, or it is old age lol
One thing I had wondered was, how do they bud new heads?

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[jennm]

Post a photo.

 

[mc524]

See if this loads. First time attaching a pic using tapatalk.

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[jennm]

Lights on now? If so, for how long?

This coral does better if it's a bit higher up in the tank. How much flow does it get? It should have moderate flow - enough to make the polyps move, but not so hard it stresses them.

What else is close to it? This is a fairly aggressive coral but if something else is stinging it at night, that could be a problem too.

Jenn

 

[mc524]

Lights now are back at usual interval. On at 2pm, off at 9pm. I have it set at those times, as I sometimes dont get home until 7 so this gives me enough time to do feedings, and to gaze.
I did a couple of days of a few hours. This is the way they looked prior to turning lights back on.
To left of the Torch is just a Colt Coral. Nothing behind, or to the right that is close enough for it to sting, or something to bother it. No mushrooms have de-capped so nothing landed on it. It has neen in this location for at least a year, if not...a little longer.
I have LED's, normally about 8-10" off the water as I have them on a pulley system so I can adjust if I need to. Makes easy for cleaning the tank.
Normally these guys are as big as a baseball each.
As for flow, my main Power Head is at the other end of the tank, with two small ones on the back. So no blasting of any corals...just moderate.

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[mc524]

JennM;793635 wrote: Post a photo.

Did that picture work?

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[jennm]

Yes the photo worked. If the lights aren't on, can't tell much.

Keep an eye on it, see if it opens in the next day or two, OR if tissue begins sloughing off. The latter is not a good sign.

Jenn

 

[mc524]

Well, went up to Nashville Saturday, came home last night. Course, first thing I do is...check the tank. All was well, but sadly the Torch (both heads) were pretty much all but gone. Not much flesh left. Strange too, because the 1 head at least had flesh around the outer ring still, and the tips were still little bulbs sticking up.
So not sure if I had something in the tank that was feasting on this guy at night or what. I noticed that the two clumps of Xenia that I had, were being ate here and there. They would be fine for a while, then couple of polyps here and there would be down to a stalk. Not that this is a bad thing as some would say. I kinda liked it, though it was far from taking over my tank.
I think I'm going to remove the crabs from the tank for a while. Back when I bought them, I asked for Blue Legs only. I had already owned a Red Scarlet Crab. However, there was another crab that made it into the bag. His legs were more a maroon color. I've seen him chase the Blue Legs and dig at them, and I believe he ate my Red Scarlet. I've had 2 Cleaner Wrasse disappear (they use to find cracks or small holes at night, and 1 Green Manderine. I've yet to find any remains of either of those 3 fish. So, I don't know if a Bristle Worm (had a few big ones, that I have since removed), or they swam too close to my Nem, or if this particular crab gets a hold of them in a sneak attack.