Elegance coral not doing good.

[Reef Devils]

I’ve had this elegance coral for about a month. When I got it, it looked amazing and opened up immediately. It looked great for about 2 1/2 weeks. this past week It has started to shrivel up and the tentacles do not extend as long. All my parameters look fine and all my other corals look happy. Are my nitrate too high? What do you think?
Should I dip the coral in lugol's iodine dip?

Parameters-

Nitrate 11.2
Phosphate 0.04
Calcium- 422
Mag 1350
Alk 8.6 ( usually 9)

First pic is how it looked for the first 2 weeks

Last 3 is how it looks now.

Thanks

 

[Reef Devils]

I’ve had this elegance coral for about a month. When I got it, it looked amazing and opened up immediately. It looked great for about 2 1/2 weeks. this past week It has started to shrivel up and the tentacles do not extend as long. All my parameters look fine and all my other corals look happy. Are my nitrate too high? What do you think?
Should I dip the coral in lugol's iodine dip?

Parameters-

Nitrate 11.2
Phosphate 0.04
Calcium- 422
Mag 1350
Alk 8.6 ( usually 9)

First pic is how it looked for the first 2 weeks

Last 3 is how it looks now.

Thanks

Bump

 

[Starbuxxx]

Mine opens up super big when the white lights are on. Have you monitored it under the white lights? I also keep my mag pretty high at 1600 and my alk is at 11.5

 

[Reef Devils]

Mine opens up super big when the white lights are on. Have you monitored it under the white lights? I also keep my mag pretty high at 1600 and my alk is at 11.5

I have never monitored it under white lights. It was doing great under the blue until recently. I am working on getting mag higher. I am trying to get it at 1450. That is a high alk. Idk if I want to raise it that high

 

[Agape1love4ever]

I have never monitored it under white lights. It was doing great under the blue until recently. I am working on getting mag higher. I am trying to get it at 1450. That is a high alk. Idk if I want to raise it that high

I have a 45 gallon mixed reef. I’ve had three elegance corals in them. The first two that I had did not make it, the third is still alive to this day for over a year and a half. I couldn’t tell you why. Possibly bad water parameters was my guess but then when I put the third elegance in, it thrived. It was a hit and miss for me. They’re my favorite coral and they are beautiful. I hope your elegance bounces back. It doesn’t look completely out of the game.

 

[Starbuxxx]

I have never monitored it under white lights. It was doing great under the blue until recently. I am working on getting mag higher. I am trying to get it at 1450. That is a high alk. Idk if I want to raise it that high

Yea, my elegance opens to about 70% with blues and 100% with blue + whites and moderate flow. I'll try to get photos later. I also spot feed it chunks of frozen 1-2 times a week

 

[Reef Devils]

I have a 45 gallon mixed reef. I’ve had three elegance corals in them. The first two that I had did not make it, the third is still alive to this day for over a year and a half. I couldn’t tell you why. Possibly bad water parameters was my guess but then when I put the third elegance in, it thrived. It was a hit and miss for me. They’re my favorite coral and they are beautiful. I hope your elegance bounces back. It doesn’t look completely out of the game.

I hope it bounces back. I am think a 10 gallon water change will help.

 

[Reef Devils]

Yea, my elegance opens to about 70% with blues and 100% with blue + whites and moderate flow. I'll try to get photos later. I also spot feed it chunks of frozen 1-2 times a week

Oh well I always have blue + whites running. I have white at 15%

 

[Reef Devils]

I have a 45 gallon mixed reef. I’ve had three elegance corals in them. The first two that I had did not make it, the third is still alive to this day for over a year and a half. I couldn’t tell you why. Possibly bad water parameters was my guess but then when I put the third elegance in, it thrived. It was a hit and miss for me. They’re my favorite coral and they are beautiful. I hope your elegance bounces back. It doesn’t look completely out of the game.

Do you think a nitrate of 11 is too high?

 

[Uncle99]

Elegance notorious for starting off stunning, then retracting overnight and not recovering.

Tried this coral several times. Same every time.

That being said, some claim they have long term success with those sourced from Australia.

Wish I had better news. Maybe just my system.

 

[Reef Devils]

Elegance notorious for starting off stunning, then retracting overnight and not recovering.

Tried this coral several times. Same every time.

That being said, some claim they have long term success with those sourced from Australia.

Wish I had better news. Maybe just my system.

Yeah, that’s unfortunate. Hopefully I’ll be able to bounce back. How exactly can I tell when it’s dead? I don’t want this thing to just rot in the tank and destroy other things.

Is 11 nitrate good? What would you recommend keeping it at?

 

[Gill the 3rd]

Elegance notorious for starting off stunning, then retracting overnight and not recovering.

Tried this coral several times. Same every time.

That being said, some claim they have long term success with those sourced from Australia.

Wish I had better news. Maybe just my system.

Yea same thing happened with me. I bought an Australian one thinking that was part of the problem. It looked great for a month, then started receding. It is not in good shape at the moment. I tried a freshwater dip and that didn't help. I've tried them in high nutrient tanks and low nutrient tanks and I keep having the same experience so I don't think nutrients are the cause. Maybe its a bacterial thing that some tanks have and some don't. All my other corals (LPS, softies, SPS including acros) are all doing really well.

 

[Uncle99]

Yeah, that’s unfortunate. Hopefully I’ll be able to bounce back. How exactly can I tell when it’s dead? I don’t want this thing to just rot in the tank and destroy other things.

Is 11 nitrate good? What would you recommend keeping it at?

Bout a week, if still retracted without reopening once, it’s done. I doubt your doing anything wrong.

11 nitrate is fine, I’ve been 11 for 5 years now.
0.04ppm phosphate is good, but, I always have concern if my test is off just a bit, then it could be zero, which, is a real bad number cause everyone starved.
I run .1-.15ppm that ensures it’s always available.

All else good.

Most LFS know the life span of certain corals, one of the reason they go “on sale” is to move them before demise.
Mine turns 200 corals every month so they don’t stay in the trays for long, and of course, always look great.

My LFS sells such corals on the pretense that “other” customers say they thrive in their tanks.

Scollies and Plates same.

I’d like to see pics of any of these beyond 2 years.

But here’s a picture of hammers and frogs 5 years.

 

[duckman]

I had similar issue with a gold elegance (even though the green elegance next to it was just fine). I did a cipro bath and in tank treatment (also had BJD which i had to deal with for the torches) and also did a fresh water dip (10 min). It seems to be bouncing back. Again, your mileage may vary and these treatments are not without its risks. Mine just look like it was going to die anyways so it didn't hurt for me to do everything possible

 

[dyno]

Elegance corals need a lot of flow, I mean a lot!

 

[Reef Devils]

Bout a week, if still retracted without reopening once, it’s done. I doubt your doing anything wrong.

11 nitrate is fine, I’ve been 11 for 5 years now.
0.04ppm phosphate is good, but, I always have concern if my test is off just a bit, then it could be zero, which, is a real bad number cause everyone starved.
I run .1-.15ppm that ensures it’s always available.

All else good.

Most LFS know the life span of certain corals, one of the reason they go “on sale” is to move them before demise.
Mine turns 200 corals every month so they don’t stay in the trays for long, and of course, always look great.

My LFS sells such corals on the pretense that “other” customers say they thrive in their tanks.

Scollies and Plates same.

I’d like to see pics of any of these beyond 2 years.

But here’s a picture of hammers and frogs 5 years.

Thanks for all the help. Do you think a ten min iodine dip is a good idea before I give up on this coral? Maybe if the iodine dip doesn’t help I might take it back to the local fish store and see if they can hold it for me for a little while I’m going out of town in a few days and I don’t want this coral sitting in my tank if it’s dying.

Those are some beautiful hammers. Here was one of my hammers that has been looking amazing for the past few months.

 

[Uncle99]

You can try but my thought is it’s already stressed.
Sorry, wish I could help more. Never been successful with this coral once it retracts.

Beautiful coral (and the Duncan) these corals always do real well for me, now, I just stick the the stuff that lasts.

Duncan’s seem bullet proof to me.

 

[Reef Devils]

You can try but my thought is it’s already stressed.
Sorry, wish I could help more. Never been successful with this coral once it retracts.

Beautiful coral (and the Duncan) these corals always do real well for me, now, I just stick the the stuff that lasts.

Duncan’s seem bullet proof to me.

Don’t be sorry you help me out a lot. Yeah the Duncan has been doing great and I actually see a few new heads growing.

I know this isn’t related to this thread but if you don’t mind me asking, what type of coral is this? I know it is a type of acropora. This is my first piece of Acropora and I have had it for 5 days. How does it look so far. I’m guessing the most important thing is keeping alkalinity stable around 9?

Thanks

 

[ReefHunter006]

I have an elegance that is slowly retracting and dying for the last 14 months.

I have no idea how to stop it’s decline. I hope you find a solution and it might save mine.

 

[Uncle99]

I have no idea. I just call them sticks.

I find all 7 parameters important. I keep all in the traditional levels, but as you correctly point out, put a HUGE emphasis on stability. The less they vary the better.

So, pick your Alk 8-12dkh, maybe mimic your salt mix, and work towards keeping this parameter, absolutely pinned regardless of measurement time. I find Alk, like salinity, very influential on overall chemistry.

You’ll also need to make sure everyone can “feed” from the water column so make sure nitrate available and stable 5-15ppm and phosphate stable at 0.1ppm, these way all micro stuff feeds, and this feeds our corals.

Also flow, sticks love flows.

Good luck