Is this cauliflower colt gone?

[pacificdiver]

Hello,

I'm totally new to reefs, but have been keeping FOWLR systems for about 15 years. I purchased a cauliflower colt and a candy cane last week. Neither one has looked good since purchase, and the cauliflower is definitely showing some necrosis in one spot, although it doesn't smell bad at all (yet).

My question is, is the cauliflower colt totally gone, or could it still come back with proper conditions? I'm very unfamiliar with what "normal" is with corals, but the leather definitely looks unhappy.

System:
15G QT w/ HOB filter, internal powerhead (240gph), 5lb live rock from mature system,50W heater, and a high flow air stone

Lighting: (turned off in the photos): ABI 12W PAR38 LED coral spectrum bulb @ 4 inches above water. I did a 5 min dip in Bayer at 10ml/4oz acclimated tank water. I went lights off for 24 hours after unpacking.

Water parameters:
NH4, NO2,NO3, PO4, Si, =>0
Temp: 75
Salinity: 1.025
Ca: 450
Mag:1300
Alk: 9
pH: 8.3

Any input on what could be done at this point, whether it be removal or waiting it out, would be greatly appreciated. I'd hate to leave it in too long, and harm the candy cane. Thanks in advance.

 

[Shaddow_wolf169]

Pick it up and smell it u will know.

 

[pacificdiver]

No smell yet, so I'm assuming it can "come back from the dead" with proper conditions? I've checked everything I know to look for, as far as parameters, and everything seems fine.

Should I leave lights on at this point? They came from a MH setup, and I'm using a low PAR led, which I was told would be adequate for a 2-4 wk stay in quarantine, for these types of corals. I have a spare Kessil 360WE that could be placed over the tank, but I was actually concerned about burning them when they're stressed.

 

[Shaddow_wolf169]

I don't think they require a high output light. It does look torn at the bottom do you have it under strong flow?

 

[pacificdiver]

I don't think they require a high output light. It does look torn at the bottom do you have it under strong flow?

It's under low-moderate flow, from my estimation, but I'm new to the definition of flow for reef tanks. I have a 240GPH powerhead that blows indirect flow around it, bounced off of the wall near it. It has very slight movement from flow, not pronounced at all. I've noticed that the foot attachment has weakened somewhat since arrival. When it arrived, it was about 50% broken at the junction, and has now almost complete broken the peripheral seal where it attached to the rock. Did I possibly not acclimate slowly enough? I dripped for 30 min, then did the 5 min Bayer dip in 10ml/4oz water, then into quarantine. Should I have dripped longer?

 

[Shaddow_wolf169]

I never acclimate corals I would super glue it back to the base.

 

[Rick cowen]

I have too much experience with this problem, if it's turning black at the base and it looks like it's disintegrating, IT IS. This the only way I've saved mine before, cut off the black part, must be a clean cut, no jagged ends, then attach the leather to a small rock with a rubber band, watch it closely, it should heal nicely, if you don't do this, you may lose the entire coral due to black rot, it's not pretty, I assure you. Keep me updated

 

[pacificdiver]

I just want to make sure, before I go slicing into anyone, that my photo is not deceiving. The area circled in red is actually the plug that came with the coral, but I realized it might look like necrotic tissue. The blue line is where the soft tissue actually meets the supplied rock "plug." I superglued the small circled red area to a piece of my rock. Should I still cut it off above the blue line area? Can't thank you guys enough for the input. I'm flying blind here.

 

[Rick cowen]

It's a little hard to tell from the pic, but, only cut if you have black disintegrating tissue

 

[pacificdiver]

It's a little hard to tell from the pic, but, only cut if you have black disintegrating tissue

Ok thanks, I'm going to hold off for now. The only thing I've seen at the base, is it seems to be breaking the seal at the attachment point. The plug itself is what is looking like necrotic tissue in the photo.

Is it ok to take it out and give it the smell test once per day? This poor thing is looking pretty stressed, so I'd hate to push it over the edge by bothering it every day.

 

[Rick cowen]

I would give it it the visual test, no touch for a couple of days. Let it relax

 

[pacificdiver]

I would give it it the visual test, no touch for a couple of days. Let it relax

Ok, sounds good - thanks again for the help.

 

[pacificdiver]

I spoke with the folks I purchased the corals from (online vendor, reputable) and they suggested taking one of the Kessil A360WE's I have over my main DT, and using it over the coral QT, and adding Reef Snow. They also suggested hitting the cauliflower with max light output. Does this sound right? I was under the impression that hitting a stressed coral with too much light could be harmful.

 

[Shaddow_wolf169]

I spoke with the folks I purchased the corals from (online vendor, reputable) and they suggested taking one of the Kessil A360WE's I have over my main DT, and using it over the coral QT, and adding Reef Snow. They also suggested hitting the cauliflower with max light output. Does this sound right? I was under the impression that hitting a stressed coral with too much light could be harmful.

It is that's dumb