Corals... or what have you... Alcyoniid allelopathy...   8/20/07
I have a 55 gallon reef tank with a 22 gallon fuge, Remora Protein skimmer, 2 power heads hooked to a wavemaker, 100Ibs of live rock.
Tank has 4 fish-crabs, snails, 1 coral banded shrimp, and a cucumber. Corals include 1 open brain coral, 12 candy cane coral, 1 zoo, 2 colonies of mushrooms, and 1 leather coral.
<How long has all this been mixed together? In what order was it introduced? You have read on WWM re te Compatibility, Systems for all these?>
Lights are 260 watt power compacts which run 10 hours on daylight and 12 hours on actinic. I test for Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate-all read Oppm. PH, Calcium, ALK, Gravity, all within parameters. I dose 1 gallon of Lime water daily for evaporation. The tank has been up for 3 years. I do 5 gallon water changes weekly, using ro purified water. All fish and inverts are thriving. Coralline algae spreading like crazy. The problem is the last 4 months there has been a slow decline in coral health.
<Not atypical>
My brain which I fed every other day will no longer open up or feed.
<Losing to the more dominant non-Scleractinian species>
1 colony of mushrooms are shriveled up. The zoos look dull and not fully expanded also. My candy cane coral-leather and other mushroom colony look healthy but have only been in my tank for around 4 months.
<Bingo...>
I do not add trace elements or any other additive other then the lime water and weekly water changes, using instant ocean salt.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
<Mmm, well... likely the Sarcophyton is the big winner here... You can/could remove it... or speed up the amount, frequency of water changes, add chemical filtrants, improve skimming, add/change-out some substrate (LR and LS...)... I'd be reading re Alcyoniid allelopathy... maybe starting here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/alcyoncompfaqs.htm
and the linked files above. Bob Fenner>

Please help! Cnidarian sel... w/o system info.    8/19/07
Hello, i backtracked again and bought myself a small Coral Beauty fish! The fish was in such good condition i had to buy it.
<Mmmm>
The tank is running well, and all the fish seem happy and are eating great! I would like to add some Invertebrates to my system. So i wondered which hardy species you would suggest. Such as hard and soft corals. I would just like a few to make an interesting aquascape.
could you suggest some for me please?
Clint Hamilton
<Please peruse here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/index.htm
The various group's Systems, Compatibility, Selection... FAQs files. Bob Fenner>

Death of LTA Causing Pollution – 3/29/07
Hi crew,
<Hello, Brenda here>
I haven’t written in a while, but have a somewhat urgent question that I can’t find the answer to.  I had a purple long tentacle anemone that mysteriously decided to leave his spot in a rock and apparently somehow tore his foot in the process.  He actually looked as if I had forcibly moved it.  I never touched it by the way.  
<Did it come in contact with a power head?>
Anyway it was injured and then began to go downhill and within a couple of days totally disintegrated, died and had to be removed.  In the process of removing it, it pretty much came apart and many parts of it (very small parts) went everywhere throughout the tank.  
<Yikes!>
The tank is 150 gallon with a large ASM skimmer so I wasn’t too concerned and figured that the skimmer would take care of getting the stuff out of the water, along with the crabs.
<Not necessarily fast enough.  I suggest a large water change also.  I also don’t recommend crabs with anemones.   Crabs have been known to pester and attack these creatures.>
I have no idea what happened to make him move or why he died, but my question really is this:  I have a tube anemone that I have had about two weeks.
<Your tube anemone is likely the reason your LTA decided to move.  You should not house two anemones in one system.>
He has been very active and healthy, stays totally open all the time and looks gorgeous; he has never closed since I have had it.  This morning I get up and the tube anemone is TOTALLY closed.  
<Check your water parameters.>
I have not seen this at all since I got it.  Last night he was wonderful and seemed normal.  Could he be suffering some sort of reaction to the death of the purple anemone?
<Yes, from the pollution.>
I have heard something about toxins getting in the tank when anemones die. Would this have happened and caused the other to have problems?
<Yes, ammonia is extremely toxic.>  
My water parameters were tested the day before the purple anemone died and they were all perfect.  No ammonia, no nitrates, nitrites, phosphates, SG1.024,
<Salinity at 1.026 is best for anemones.>
Temp is always 78-81 night to day and I have lots of light MH and actinic, lots.  The calcium is steady at 440 to 460 and the ph 8.4.  These tests were the day before the purple anemone death; I have not tested this morning. Any help or insight into this would be most helpful.  I don’t want to lose this other anemone too.
<You definitely need to monitor your water parameters closely after something dies.  Have saltwater ready at all times in case of an emergency.>
Thanks,  Debi
<You’re welcome!  Brenda>

Ich on corals? Cnid. allelopathy, esp. dangerous in smaller vol.s  3/28/07
Hi guys!  I'm hoping you can help me out of what I'm afraid might be my 1st experience with Ich (or marine velvet). I have a 24g Nano with MH lights, temp=80, spg 1.025, ph=8.3-8.4 (depending on am or pm measure), calcium=450, nitrites, nitrates and am=0.  I do 3g H2O changes weekly.  We have 2 true percs, a royal Gramma, 2 peppermint shrimp, assorted snails and hermit crabs.  Corals include Blasto, assorted mushrooms, zoas, sun coral (my favorite), toadstool and Palys.
<Yikes... trouble with all these disparate Cnidarians down the road... with growth... do settle on not adding any more species... and DO be diligent re maintenance>
I noticed white spots on our palys 4 days ago, and they have gotten worse.  I removed and gave to a friend to put in his hospital tank (I am getting one tomorrow!).
<Good moves!>
  Now I noticed that the Gramma is looking beat up. and scratching itself on the live rock. He's not breathing heavy, though. I think I see 2 pinhead white spots on the fin of 1 of the percs. I plan to take all 3 fish and put in hospital tank as soon as I have it set up, but I'm wondering if the corals are at risk of this parasite, since it seemed to start on the palys.
<Mmm, not likely a parasite... of any of them... But very likely a matter of the fishes being exposed to types of chemical warfare twixt the stinging-celled life... "Caught in the cross-fire" so to speak">
I have had them for 1 mo already.  I just don't want to treat the fish, and wind up with all the corals getting this white stuff too!  Please advise!  Thank you!!  
-Debbie
<Please read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/cnidcompfaqs.htm
And the linked files above... Perhaps my write-up on Tom Walsh's small systems from years back... The "Garden Mix" of Zoanthids, Scleractinians et al. you list is possible, though not really practical in small volumes... these sessile animals species have varying, but highly effective strategies for "saving space", hogging light, gathering food exclusively to themselves... These potent stinging, poisoning, over-growing mechanisms easily play havoc in small captive systems... As you are experiencing. There are a few strategies for limiting the morbidity and mortality here... Read on. Bob Fenner>

Re: Ich on corals? Bambi vs. Godzilla short parody/explanation   3/29/07
As always, thank you for the prompt reply!  You guys are wonderful!! Just so I understand correctly what "next steps" to take, if the likely culprit is chemical warfare rather than a parasite, would the best course of action be to relocate some of the corals into a separate tank, rather than placing the 3 fish in a hospital tank and treating with copper, etc.?
<... please read where you were referred to>
I do think the hospital tank approach may be premature,
<Agreed>
as none of the fish appear to have breathing difficulty or white spots -- only the Gramma is scratching on the rocks very frequently, and seems unhappy.  If a larger and separate tank is what you suggest for separating the corals, which of the following corals would get along best together? (red & green mushrooms, green and blue hairy mushrooms, button polyp frag, zoas, xenia, toadstool leather, sun coral). Please note that I have looked for a Compatability chart for specific corals,
<Good point... As far as I'm aware there is none that is comprehensive... too much of "this goes with that, but not with this other" factual matter to graphically present>
and I just seem to get general information about keeping 6-10" spacing, etc.
<Is a good idea... as is starting with small specimens, colonies, the less noxious/stinging first... Additionally, frequent, partial water changes, use of chemical filtrants... diligence in cleaning/operation of your skimmer...>
The reason I am so confused is that many reef tanks I've seen appear to have many different corals living together in close proximity.
<All a matter of balance, time going by, and all potential trouble/time bombs... as in the wild, what appears to many folks, or as so pastorally "painted" as calm, serene cohabitation is in actuality an extremely aggressive world of chemical and physical warfare, kept in check (but not static by any measure) by dilution of water currents, predation, meteorological events...>
I love the look of a reef "garden" with lots of colors, but I'm not sure how to avoid the chemical warfare issue. :-(  I greatly appreciate any advise you may have!  
Thanks,
Debbie
<Much, MUCH that should be written on this overall topic... Perhaps a good deal by you... And much to tie-in with promoting biotopic presentations, careful organism selection, placement.... Bob Fenner>

Lysmata wurdemanni vs. Coral   3/21/07
Hi Everyone,
<Hello Bill.>
Thanks for all your help over the past few years.  
<I’m glad it has been useful.>
Your expertise has been amazing.  
<Thank you.>
My question basically applies to Peppermint Shrimp and corals.
<Okay.>
  I have a 75 gallon tank.  I had a lot of Aiptasia in my tank during the first year, and added 3 peppermint shrimp.  I know they can be evil critters, but I think they hilarious to watch, and they killed my Aiptasia in less than a week.
<They are rather comical and hardy compared to many of their cousins. And not to get off the subject but I surmise you figured out the source problem of the Aiptasia?>
One of my favorite fish has been flame hawkfish.  I added him, without consulting your site first, and he killed 2 of my shrimp.  
<Yes, expected behavior.>
  (Actually saw him dart across the tank and knock the snot out one peppermint that came out for some food).  I liked the shrimp more than the hawkfish, and trapped the
hawkfish and donated him back to my local fish store.  I added one more peppermint so that I now have two.  
<Lesson learned.>
Fish in my tank are: 1 clownfish, 1 black cap Basslet, 3 firefish goby and 1 bicolor blenny.  
<A good mix in this size tank.>
I have recently been adding corals to the tank.  I have: Candy Cane, Frogspawn, Toadstool Mushroom, Colony Polyps and Brain Coral (Wellsophyllia).
The Brain and Frogspawn were added two days ago.
<And you are concerned about  the shrimp…>
My lighting in this tank is an Orbit Lighting Fixture: 48" w/4-65W (SunPaq Dual Daylight (6700°K/10000°K) and Dual Actinic (420 nm and 460 nm) bulbs).
<Fine for what you are keeping, just replace the bulbs every 6-9 months, a year at the VERY latest as PC’s depreciate in lumens rather quickly.>
I work from home and came down this morning to work, and saw one peppermint on the frogspawn munching away, and the other peppermint on the brain coral munching away.
<Uh-oh.>
I was assuming this wasn’t good and just moved these two corals to my nanocube in my bedroom.  After reading your site again today, I see that some folks have problems with these peppermint critters and their corals.
<Correct.>
So my question to you is: Are there any types of corals that are “Peppermint Safe”?  
<I have found that they are less prone to picking at larger noxious colonies of soft corals, such as octocorals and Sinularia.  Keepers of hermatypic corals like Acroporidae seem to have “luck” with them as well (but you don’t have the lighting for those)…what’s important to keep in mind is that there are no guarantees and there is always a risk.>
I like my shrimp, and would like to keep them.  Mine are out and about all the time.  They are friendly and I can hand feed them.  But I also have a reef tank, and would like to add some more coral life to it as well.  I have not seen them pick on the other corals, but who knows what happens at night?
<Another thing to keep in mind is that when animals do become predatory, they will pick on the easiest, least resistant targets.  Just because the shrimp may be ignoring one colony as of present does not mean they will continue to do so once the others are removed.>
Best regards,
<To you as well.>
Bill
<Adam J.>

Coral questions   3/20/07 Hi Crew, I have a 10 gallon almost 4 years old, penguin mini filter,  less than an inch fine sand., 10 pounds live rock, and a 50/50 65w PC. Corals are mushrooms(15), one zoanthid colony(25 polyps), 2 candy canes (4 polyps each), a star polyp colony and one Blastosoma merleti. Fishes-clown goby (3 years), spotted cardinal(3 years), Royal Gramma (2 years), pair of neon gobies (6 months). Success due to WWM help even though I am not following advice regarding stocking density (we all have our weaknesses). And yes I have an algae problem but I consider it manageable. 1. A  polyp of one candy cane   just  came off when I was cleaning it of algae, just like when you pick off a rotten fruit from a tree. Anyway, this was 3 months ago. I put it in the sand and it seems to be doing well. It was nice and plump, about the size of a nickle. Then one night a roving mushroom leaned against it and one side it is just about gone. <I see this> In just a few hours it looks like it burned away all the flesh on that side. Any hope? <Mmm, some... though not much in this setting> 2.  I got a Blastomussa a few weeks ago during freezing weather. It was sent express but ended up being en route for 2 days. It looked like a plain skeleton when I got it. <Does retract its flesh...> In a couple days I could see nice green centers and now there is some 'meat around it. But the color is very light. The picture by the seller showed a raspberry red head with green centers. <Might have lost color in transit... but could have gotten mixed up...> It is possible it was not the actual picture of this item but I am wondering if  lighting is the issue. <Mmm, much more likely the former... the color shouldn't change this quickly due to lighting...> 3. I have a star polyp covering a 4 inch shell and attached to the underside there is a strange thing growing. I was not able to get a picture. It looks like a flower. There is an outer petal of white and red and in the middle it looks like a bunch of white stamens. This shell came from a Brooklyn beach and was all dried out before I used it. <Could be a bunch of things... Algal, cnidarian... W/o a pic... Bob Fenner>