Forest fire digi polyp extension

[machmachmach]

Hi,

I introduced a forest fire digitata into my system (Red Sea Reefer S1000) last weekend and it has gone noticeably downhill in the last week. I setup the system in February and have started to have good coraline growth. A green acro frag I added last week is showing no signs of similar stress. I did not dip the frag, which was sourced from a LFS with a relatively large selection of healthy frags. Two images (one from day 1, one from today) are at this link:
Parameters:
Temperature: 78F
Salinity: 35ppt
Alkalinity: 9.4, stable due to low consumption (Hanna)
Calcium: 450
Magnesium: 1400
Phosphate: .1 (dose trisodium phosphate due to dry rock absorbtion)
Nitrate: 5 (dose ammonium to maintain stable positive level)

Thanks in advance!

 

[Doctorgori]

I dunno, I’ve never exactly “worshiped” polyp extension as the end all to be all sign of coral health…
..although admittedly it’s definitely one the the main signs…

…just one opinion but I wouldn’t panic, I don’t see stn/rtn or whatever… maybe get more cheap frags and see what shakes…you mentioned another frag, how are the rest doing?
Edited: February? might be a lil early in the game… Here is a plug for WWC and their “budget frags” …could be time to broadcast a few cheap frags across that tank, like I just did

 

[C. Eymann]

First off it should be noted both forest fire and bubblegum "digitata" are much more challenging than the notoriously easy / starter SPS red, green, purple REAL M. digitata.
This is a case where mass misidentification can lead to frustrations to a newer SPS keeper as forest fire/ bubble gum are actually Montipora samarensis/ altasepta - species that actually tend to be on the more finicky side when it comes to Montipora species, most European vendors don't sell them as digitata anymore.
These two species also have immersed corallites with fused raised coenstrum ridges which when compared to real M. digitata - it appears their polyps are more drawn in/ lacking good polyp extension

Can you explain your NH4 dosing? Times? Amount? Type of ammonium ? Chloride? Bicarbonate?

 

[machmachmach]

Can you explain your NH4 dosing? Times? Amount? Type of ammonium ? Chloride? Bicarbonate?

I dose 8mL of a stock solution of ammonium bicarbonate mixed 10g/100mL spread into 4 doses throughout the day. This corresponds to .4ppm of ammonia which translates to ~1.4ppm of nitrate. As a note, I expect to stop this dosing as my fish load increases (had an ich outbreak several months ago).

 

[machmachmach]

I dunno, I’ve never exactly “worshiped” polyp extension as the end all to be all sign of coral health…
..although admittedly it’s definitely one the the main signs…

…just one opinion but I wouldn’t panic, I don’t see stn/rtn or whatever… maybe get more cheap frags and see what shakes…you mentioned another frag, how are the rest doing?
Edited: February? might be a lil early in the game… Here is a plug for WWC and their “budget frags” …could be time to broadcast a few cheap frags across that tank, like I just did

The other SPS frag I got last week seems to be doing well so far. I also have a Duncan frag which has been doing well for a couple months.

 

[Doctorgori]

also have a Duncan frag which has been doing well for a couple months.

Duncan’s? Gotta be on the list of 5 hardiest corals… throw that sample out…LOL

The other SPS frag I got last week seems to be doing well so far.

…yes, a more “apple to apple” comparison … FWIW I have the green, peach and forest fire; all newer frags, …just my sample but the forest fire seems to be the most finicky but that’s totally ancedotal and perhaps meaningless

 

[machmachmach]

Duncan’s? Gotta be on the list of 5 hardiest corals… throw that sample out…LOL

…yes, a more “apple to apple” comparison … FWIW I have the green, peach and forest fire; all newer frags, …just my sample but the forest fire seems to be the most finicky but that’s totally ancedotal and perhaps meaningless

Ha, I'm not suggesting there's any relationship between a soft coral and SPS.

Is it possible that there's a pest or something related? The water chemistry generally seems supportive of growing SPS and I am getting plenty of coraline growth all over my pumps and glass (and a bit on the rocks now).

Edit: also worth noting that I'm not completely inexperienced at growing SPS. I've had several large-ish colonies in my previous system (green millepora, monti cap)

 

[Doctorgori]

Might be ICP time even if the other SPS are doing OK…
The growth tips on that digi look a lil suspect… whereas mine are colored all the way up with only the edges being white-ish …
of course also all mine are fuzzier with a lot of PE…
looks as if there is enough here to break off a piece and plant elsewhere….insurance if nothing else

 

[BriDroid]

Duncan’s? Gotta be on the list of 5 hardiest corals… throw that sample out…LOL

…yes, a more “apple to apple” comparison … FWIW I have the green, peach and forest fire; all newer frags, …just my sample but the forest fire seems to be the most finicky but that’s totally ancedotal and perhaps meaningless

I agree, I have two forest fire frags, and they are the most temperamental corals in my tank. One day they are happy and the next day something makes one of them mad. Overall, they are happy 99% of the time, but if anyone is mad, for any reason, it's one of the forest fires

 

[ClownSchool]

If you have solid parameters, the only two things that would cause that kind of change is light or flow.
The flow should be medium to high pulse and the light should be no less than 250 par at the height you placed it.
Even then, it could be going through a shock versus what it experienced in the store.

 

[machmachmach]

Thanks. Hoping it’s just shock from the store. I did lower my lighting but I think it’s more likely that that was a mistake given the high lighting requirements. It doesn’t seem to be experiencing any loss of flesh, so hopefully it’ll recover.

 

[cilyjr]

My Montipora samarensis have never had great polyp extension. They have grown quite large. Is the coral actually declining or just not extending to your liking?

 

[machmachmach]

Hopefully it’s just some acclimation stress. I’ll monitor it for now and try to get some more flow to it