Nephthea looking poorly... A whole messa reading   10/1/08 I have 2 rather large green Nephthea corals. <Can be "touchy"> Over the last 3 days one of them has not opened up and seems to be shrinking. There doesn't appear to be any dead tissue, but I am concerned. I performed water tests and determined my nitrates were reading 40ppm, <Yikes!> ammonia and nitrites were not detectable. I have lots of other corals (mushrooms, zoos, Euphylliids) and none of these species seem affected. <Uhh... but likely these are mal-influencing the Nephtheids> The other Nephthea is also appearing to be fine. Is this species more sensitive to the nitrates than the others? <Can be, yes> I have a prop tank I could move it to but I'm concerned that moving it might make it worse. From reading your articles, I will be dosing iodine tonight and yesterday I performed a 20% water change and I have another 20% water change ready and could be done tomorrow. I adjusted my skimmer to skim 'wet' to try and pull out as much organic matter as I can, and I have added carbon to the tank for a few days as well. <All good approaches to bandaiding... but what might you do to address causes?> Please recommend any additional actions I could take to help resolve this issue. Thanks for the help. <Mmm, a bunch of reading: http://wetwebmedia.com/cnidcompppt.htm and: http://wetwebmedia.com/nephtheids.htm and: http://wetwebmedia.com/nitratesmar.htm and the linked files above all. Bob Fenner>

Re: Nephthea looking poorly... BGA, more reading    10/4/08 Thank you very much for the quick reply. I read the supplied links as instructed. Regarding the nitrates, the water changes have brought them down to about 10ppm, and I'm still not reading any nitrites or ammonia. <Mmm... take a look at the pic you sent... see all the surrounding BGA? This is likely "taking up" a bunch of metabolite...> I recently moved and during this process 4 fish did not make it. They weren't very large, and under a large stack of rocks, so I left them for the cleanup crew. <Mmmm> I had hoped my refugium/plenum in addition to my serpent star would clean it up but apparently I was wrong. Regarding the allelopathy, outside of this one incident these coral have been getting along for about 15 months now, <Ah, good> however I am setting up a 135 gallon this weekend as an upgrade from the 75 gallon, which should further help reduce this potential problem. I will, however, be on the lookout for indications of reactions between inhabitants. Regarding the more immediate problem at hand, it has been about 6 days or so since the Nephthea has closed up. I moved it into a different system with no nitrates, and I also gave it a Lugol's dip. <Also good> On the tips there appear to be a fuzzy fungus-like growth. It is stuck on there pretty good but I can remove it using a turkey baster with a little work. I have included a picture so you can see what I'm talking about. What additional steps can I take to help this coral return to good health? <Improve the overall environment... "Whatever" is favoring the Cyanobacteria has got to be fixed... pronto> Should I perform more dips, if so how often? <Nope> Is it a good idea to physically remove the growth from the coral's tips? <Nyet> Would it be advantageous to simply 'prune' off the affected tips? <Nein> Should I frag off healthy areas in case the coral doesn't survive? <As a last resort... though/but if the env. isn't improved, it won't save this life> There still doesn't appear to be any dead/dying areas of the coral, so I am still hopeful. Thank you very much for all the help. <Do take a read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/bluegralgae.htm and the linked files above. Bob Fenner>

Kenya Tree... losing allelopathically, using WWM   2/14/08
Hello Crew
First time writer, but have enjoyed your site very much
Well here it goes
I have a 14 gal bio cube with a 3 inch live sand bed, and 14 LBS of LR (cured) The tank is about 2 months up now. Live stock is a Bi Colored Blenny ( he says hello) and 3 shrimp 1 cleaner and 2 peppermint. All are doing great, The Blenny is a blast. oh and Ya I have some Turbos and blue legs
Coral frags are green star polyp, 2 Zoa frags, purple sea fan, cabbage leather, blue anthelia, and a red mushroom These are all frags and very small.
<Thank goodness>
I also have 2 Kenya tree frags one was accidental when I cut the rubber band, a piece fell off and I just left it on the rock it landed on. They have been in my tank the longest. Both have flourished but will sometimes close up for 2 or 3 days I thought at first it was a water flow issue,
<And losing to "stronger" cnidarians here... eventually totally>
but since I moved one it has closed up again
Everyone else is doing fine, and when one Kenya tree closes up within 24 hours the second one will too. I am just wondering if the Kenya Tree is acting like the canary of the mines and warning me something is wrong.
<Mmm, yes>
Some people have told me not to worry it a phase but I would like to hear your advice.
When I say closed up I mean the get a 1/4 of there size and change color. I guess like they do when the lights are out I feed Kent Zoe, Coralife invert gourmet gumbo, and when I can get by the college I get some rotifers
I use Fiji Gold once a week
ops water
SG=1.025 (little high but bringing it down slowly)
Nitrates 0
Nitrites 0
Am= 0 pH = 8.2
Calcium is 420
As of last night
<Please read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/nephcompfaqs.htm
and here
http://wetwebmedia.com/cnidcompppt.htm
and the linked files above. Bob Fenner>

Re: Red Chili Coral Behavior Question, and hlth.  – 10/04/07
Hello again,
Thought I would write back with some feedback to you regarding a Chili Coral specimen.
<Okay>
Good news all around. The specimen is doing awesome and back to its normal daily routine and behavior. It appears to even be growing a small bit. Through some replacement and addition of higher and random flow along with reduction in the amount of skimming things seem to be back on track. It was not until mid September (almost 2 full months of "dormancy" did the coral come back out in all its splendor. I seem to be lucky in that my LFS got a new employee in who provided me with some possible tactics. I dramatically reduced my skimmer operation time from essentially 23hrs per day gradually down to about 12 hours a day. The skimmer is off during night time feeding period for this coral which I increased in frequency based on your recommendations. I now feed every day except for Sunday with phyto and zoo plankton. My water parameters have remained all normal. The only side effect is now a bit more hair algae growth. Thought you would like some feedback that is good news and if anyone else has similar problems this might be of use.
Thanks again and I continue to have a pleasant time with my tank and its prospering inhabitants
Sincerely,
Craig Martell
<Thank you for sharing. Bob Fenner>

Lemnalia Story - Hope it Helps Someone... env. effect on beh./hlth.    7/25/07
Good evening Crew.
<Greetings, Mich here.>
Not a question, just an experience that I hope may save someone else some frustration.
<Always appreciated.>
I have a soft tree coral, Lemnalia sp., which was doing well until yesterday when I noticed that the polyps on the main stems were tightly contracted and a free-standing stem had gone limp and was slumped over. I started researching on WWM in a panic and thought it must be my mushrooms (I have a total of about 13 shrooms in 110g display).
<Not a lot for such a large display.>
So, I moved my shrooms to the other side of the tank last night. While at work today, I had time to go back to WWM and read carefully everything I could find on Lemnalia and luckily I found a response from Anthony Calfo warning a Lemnalia owner that a rapid introduction of fresh water for top off could stress the coral.
<Can.>
Well, I got home and started thinking about that advice. I have a Tunze auto-top off system that dumps water into my sump above where my return pump sits. It just so happens that I recently installed a vertical ported return pipe that extends all the way to the bottom of my tank, and the Lemnalia was sitting right in front of this return pipe. So I put two and two together and realized that when my Tunze dumps a gallon of top-off water into my sump, that water, albeit somewhat mixed with existing salt water, was flowing right into my Lemnalia via my return pipe. I quickly moved the Lemnalia to the other side of the tank and a little higher up so that it can get some more light, and within 1 hour the coral was fully extended and the limp stem was starting to reach skyward again.
<Great deductive reasoning. Thanks for sharing! Mich>

Tree Coral Health; Nephtheid "juiced" along with Glass Anemones   7/31/07
Dear Crew,
<Andy>
I have a question about my small tree coral. It was sold to me as a "tree coral", so I'm not exactly sure what it is--I have searched for images of similar corals, and I'm pretty sure that it of the genus Capnella. "It" is actually two corals--two individual 3" trunks attached to one piece of base rock--and have a pink fleshy look, with darker pink polyps.
<This genus does occur in a wide range of light colors/hues>
I have had them in my tank for over a month and they have been doing very well. Fully extended during daylight, shrunk up a bit at night. Last week, I killed off small four Aiptasia that were within about 10" of the coral with Joes Juice. Although I was very careful with my targeted injection, a small amount of Joes Juice did become free-floating due to the pressure of submersion. Ever since that date, my tree coal has been completely retracted---I can send a picture if you need one, but basically they are just two tightly-packed "lumps".
<No pix needed>
They have been in this state for about 5 days now. They are producing no mucous, and they are not changing color or otherwise showing signs of disintegration. At the time of application of Joes Juice, they were perched on a ledge of rock--maybe slightly shaded, but not much--at about the 1/2 way point of my tank. About 3 days ago, while they were still totally retracted, I decided to move them up about 5" so that they could get more flow (thinking that if they are reacting to the Joes Juice, the flow might help "clear the air")--the consequences of this movement are that they are a little higher up and in full lighting.
Other than the application of Joes Juice, I have done nothing new to the tank (other than normal maintenance)--no new livestock, rock, or any other addition.
Now about my tank/lighting. Tank/lighting: 110g display (48" long x 30" high x 18" deep) with 30g refugium; 6 x 54W T5 HO (4 10,000K and 2 460nm actinics); wet-dry filter; Coral Life 125g Super Skimmer; 2 MaxiJet 1200 power heads; and return flow from Little Giant 1245 gph pump. Display livestock: 70lbs live rock, 1 Sailfin Tang, 1 Gold Stripe Maroon, 1 Atrosalarias fuscus, and 1 Royal Gramma, 5 green hairy mushrooms, 5 red mushrooms, 1 BTA,
<This animal is stationary, open, has room about it?>
the 2 tree corals noted above, 12 snails, 24 hermits, 2 cleaner shrimp; 2 Sally Lightfoot Crabs; and 1 small decorator crab that came in with my live rock. Refugium has 4-6" DSB, 3.5lbs of live rock, and a large piece of Chaeto, with lighting on a reverse daylight cycle. My parameters: Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate all 0; alk is 3.5 meq/L; calcium ranges from 350-400; phosphate is 0; temperature 78*-80*. Daily top-off and 10% weekly water changes, both using buffered RO/DI water. The only supplements I add are Kent Marine Tech CB Parts A/B daily/as needed and Kent Marine iodine (6 drops daily).
<... Do you test for this last? I would not apply it daily... perhaps weekly w/ water changes>
The tree corals are on the far left side of my tank; the BTA is in the middle at the bottom, and the two colonies of shrooms are on the right side of my tank. Because everyone has gotten along for over 1 month, I am pretty sure that there is sufficient space between all corals such that there is no significant chemical warfare going on. I do run activated carbon in my sump, which I change every 3-4 weeks.
<Okay>
I am worried that the small amount of Joes Juice that may have made contact with the tree coral has really irked them, but I would have thought that it would have gotten over this by now?
<Mmm, apparently not>
Two other thoughts. First, I'm thinking that my decorator crab has attacked them. The other day I noticed that, in addition to the pieces of orange sponge that he walks around with, it appears that he has decided to add some polyps to his portfolio. These polyps look like they "might" have come from my tree coral (as I don't have any other similar coral in the tank, that's the only thing I can think of).
<It's mainly the "juice">
Second, I do not target feed any of my corals. I realize that the mushrooms rely primarily on zooxanthellae. I guess I was thinking that my fuge coupled with daily feeding of Mysid to my fish would supply food to the tree corals, but maybe I am wrong. Am I starving my tree coral (and, if so, any suggestions on a good food product)?
<See WWM, the Net... should be fed every other day... HUFA's...>
Wouldn't a starving coral degenerate slowly and, in fact, remain extended looking for food?
<Mmm, generally so, yes>
If this is the case, how can I get this coral to re-extend so I can feed it?
Any thoughts you have are appreciated.
Andy
<Give up the juice. Bob Fenner>

Re: Tree Coral Health  7/31/07
Thanks for the response, Bob. Tree corals have since recovered.
<Ah, good. RMF>

New Kenya Addition. Acclimating a new Kenya tree to a nano setup – 07/20/07
Hello to everyone, and thank you for your recent help.
<Hi. I’m glad we were helpful.>
I was given a 3-4" purple Kenya tree yesterday and she (we'll go with she, its just easier and nicer than "it") is concerning me a bit. I know that softies can take a while to properly acclimate to their new surroundings so I am remaining patient and hands off. <good> But its slumped over, to the point where its polyps are on the sand bed, about 1/2 way up the base "stalk." I have about 60w of PC light in a 10 gallon tank that houses the Kenya, with a ocellaris <see http://www.wetwebmedia.com/nemoproart.htm>, three hermits and a couple Ceriths. I thought the Kenya would make a nice addition, especially at the great price of zero dollars. I have kept close tabs on my params, s.g. 1.024, ph 8.2, nitrates 5.5-5.7, don't recall my alk readings (I didn't write them down for some reason) but I know its the high 6 to low 7 range. <Those parameters sound adequate for this coral.>
I felt uneasy about taking the Kenya, because I hadn't done enough research on it, but when it's free its hard to say no.
<Imagine what tremendous discipline living by the sea would need. This time you are lucky. The Kenya tree can be kept in your system and will probably thrive.>
Especially to such a beautiful specimen, very vibrant purple, nice thick stalk. I could go on and on...and begin to creep myself out (hahaha). Please help with anything you think I could do. I am furiously searching the web for as much info as I can on care guides and the like. You guys are always helpful.
<Be patient and keep your hands out. Kenya trees and their close relatives are among the most easy corals. Keep up the water quality and it will likely be upright again in one to two weeks. In the meantime fix your lack of research. Be prepared that this species is capable of taking over your tank and that there are not many other species of corals that be kept as tank mates in this small system.
Take care. Marco.>

Re: New Kenya Addition. Successful Kenya tree research – 07/23/07
Marco,
<Phil>
Thank you for your help regarding my new Kenya.
<You are most welcome.>
I spent much of the weekend reading up on this coral and am very pleased to announce that she was upright and "lively" by time I had gotten home.
<Very good.>
I did notice one of its "branches" was damaged during transport to my house, there was some discoloration in the area, but that too has started to mend and regain its color. I have read where this coral, along with xenia and other species of this type will take over a tank. Because of this I am currently in the process of finding someone to trade or take it off my hands. Because of its size when fully extended, its already 4" tall, I don't feel it has adequate space in my current setup.
<Okay. To remove it permanently, it would be best to take out the entire rock it is fixed to, if possible. If you just pull the animal off, it may re-grow from tiny pieces of tissue. While this capability can be used to propagate them, it may remind those of garden weeds, who want to get rid of it.>
Thankfully this was a great inexpensive lesson to learn about tank compatibility and proper education. I have also been lucky enough to be apart of a group of local aquarists (well they are aquarists, I am more of a newbie still) that are very dedicated to aquacultured corals. I know that so far everything I have in my tank, rock and sand excluded, was tank "born and raised." Thank you again for your help.
<Thank you for sharing. That’s great. It should be a goal of all (at least most) aquarists to propagate their stock and help the community to become as independent from wild animals as possible. Carry on. Good luck with your wet career. Marco.>

Kenya tree tip necrosis...  - 05/26/07
Hey crew I need some help!
I got a purple Kenya tree about 3 weeks ago... My LFS had just gotten it in and it hadn't even opened yet but since I knew a purplish Capnella was hard to come by, I got it... For the past three weeks it has not opened at all... for a little while, its stalk was seeming to inflate a little but I have yet to see any polyp extension... I had it in medium flow and didn't move it so as not to stress it but I have since tried it in high flow and another medium flow area... Two days ago our A/C went out and the tanks temp went up to 86-87... I have since made some changes and brought the temp down and while that won't happen again, it seemed to be the last straw for the poor tree... it developed black spots on the very tips of each of the branches and I've done hours and hours of research on this... It seems that this is rare and happens either with a combination of high stress and high temps or..... in another case, due to possible starvation... (its under 108W PC so no light starvation)
I'm pretty sure the tip necrosis is due to the coral's high stress and possibly even starvation since it hasn't had any polyp extension in at least 3 weeks... What do I do? Right now all my params are fine,
<... my friend... "medium flow", "fine" are not useful bits of data... Need real numbers>
I just can't get it to open at all. Should I cut off all of the black tips (which is a lot of tips to cut)? Should I completely frag it to pieces since the rock that it came on was/is cracked in half so the base isn't stable and maybe stressing it that way? I've also heard something about suspending chili coral and other similar things upside down but that seems only for Dendronephtheids, not regular Nephtheids... I'm just out of ideas on how to get this thing to open...
-Nathaniel
PS... all I have that could really be causing allelopathy is a small frag of frogspawn but its far away from that...
<We need to step back... and quickly... and start with the set-up, your maintenance, water quality test data... Likely faster for you to read re Alcyonacean health, systems... Here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/index.htm
Scroll down to the Soft Coral Tray. Bob Fenner>

Re: Kenya tree tip necrosis...   5/27/07
Thanks crew, unfortunately I've read all of those things... I'm still at a loss.  I brushed off all of the necrotic tissue last night and now its coming back...  It's also clearly decomposing... my parameters that I just tested today are showing I'm dangerously close to a mini cycle... Here's everything that I just tested:  Ammonia: .2, nitrite: .1, nitrate: 10, pH: 8.1, alk:2.6, and calc: 400...  My tank is a 24g Nanocube and I have a Hydor l35 for flow...  3 gallon water changes every week, activated carbon etc...  I'm thinking aggressive fragging is the only option now...
<No. Won't work here>
any other ideas? I've attached a picture so you can see what the tips look like...
-Nathaniel
<Moving this organism is the only viable means of saving it... This system is too small, the other Cnidarians too well-established... What was that word? Allel...lo-something. RMF>

Re: Kenya tree tip necrosis...   5/27/07
It makes no sense that it would be allelopathy (chemical warfare)...  I've read everything on your site about it and given that 1. Capnella is a completely nontoxic leather.
<Isn't this...>
2. I don't have any other organisms in the system that would be in competition (I have clove polyps, a small frogspawn, zoos, less than half an inch of xenia, and a small Ricordea ie. nothing that causes enough of an allelopathic reaction)...
<Incorrect...>
3. I don't have another system
to put it in and I've read numerous accounts of Capnella in this size of system all of which say that this stuff is indestructible...
<Believe what you will till experience changes your mind... It won't be long now>
  My system has been up for about 8 or 9 months now... So there's nothing wrong with the system, its something wrong with the coral. So is there actually a viable option here because I'm not giving up on this stuff yet...
-Nathaniel
<... If you don't want the tide to come in... will it not just the same? Bob Fenner>