Losing Torch corals

[Jaybeastin]

I’m losing torch corals and I’m at loss to find the answer.

I messed with the flow , having high to low flow and it still didn’t solve the problem.

Messed with the light went from 55% intensity to all the way up to 75%

My mushroom tends to bleach and hide underneath at 75%

I have 3 XR15 G5 on a 4 ft tank.


Parameters are stabled
Alk 8.5
Cal 430
Mag 1400
Pho.10
Nitrate 5 ppm

 

[KrisReef]

I don't see brown jelly, so that is a good thing not to have.

My LPS and anemones do best catching lots of drift food from feeding fishes at least 2 times each day. Your nutrients are not bottomed out, so other than food and light they also benefit from good water motion.

"Good" means not a direct blast from a pump or return but random flow that moves the extended tentacles about but more importantly brings fish food to the coral, a little at a time.

Do you have any fishes that might be nipping at the LPS? I didn't see any obvious pests in the video, and I'm hoping you find a solution for keeping these growing and happy long term.

 

[Lavey29]

XR15 lights are weak par lights. I run mine at 100% intensity on AB plus setting. All my torches sit in 250 par under low moderate flow. You can see them right below the powerheads.

Looking at your numbers your nitrates are low for LPS. I also believe your par is low based on your light settings.

 

[JonoH]

I recently lost all my hammers and torch corals - still have no idea why!
No brown jelly, and all my levels were stable and fine.
Sounds like your having a similar issue. I figured maybe it was something bacterial?

 

[Jaybeastin]

XR15 lights are weak par lights. I run mine at 100% intensity on AB plus setting. All my torches sit in 250 par under low moderate flow. You can see them right below the powerheads.

Looking at your numbers your nitrates are low for LPS. I also believe your par is low based on your light settings.

What size tank is yours? I might try 100% now

 

[Jaybeastin]

I recently lost all my hammers and torch corals - still have no idea why!
No brown jelly, and all my levels were stable and fine.
Sounds like your having a similar issue. I figured maybe it was something bacterial?

I did a kfc dip on my LPS

 

[Jaybeastin]

I don't see brown jelly, so that is a good thing not to have.

My LPS and anemones do best catching lots of drift food from feeding fishes at least 2 times each day. Your nutrients are not bottomed out, so other than food and light they also benefit from good water motion.

"Good" means not a direct blast from a pump or return but random flow that moves the extended tentacles about but more importantly brings fish food to the coral, a little at a time.

Do you have any fishes that might be nipping at the LPS? I didn't see any obvious pests in the video, and I'm hoping you find a solution for keeping these growing and happy long term.

No fish nipping it and thank you! Hopefully I can fix this

 

[JonoH]

I did a kfc dip on my LPS

I did try dipping but with Red Sea Coral DipX - didnt seem to do much, i probably should have pulled the first ones that started dying as it did seem to spread from one to the other.

My Joker torch is the only one that survived so far, but it did lose 2 heads.

 

[VintageReefer]

I don’t think it’s the water or the light. Everyone’s tank is different. What works for some works doesn’t work for others. But just throwing out my experience for what it’s worth

These are all in 125-150 par

 

[VintageReefer]

I’ve had fish nipping at night - cardinal fish and filefish both caught doing it

Pithos crabs and emerald crabs also. Both caught red handed. Sexy shrimp also

I would setup a camera. Fish won’t do it if they see you

 

[Jaybeastin]

I’ve had fish nipping at night - cardinal fish and filefish both caught doing it

Pithos crabs and emerald crabs also. Both caught red handed. Sexy shrimp also

I would setup a camera. Fish won’t do it if they see you

Beautiful tank! I doubt it’s the fish. I had trouble with torch corals for 3 years and I finally got back into them. Same problem I’m going to try to raise my intensity to near max. That’s my last option

 

[VintageReefer]

Beautiful tank! I doubt it’s the fish. I had trouble with torch corals for 3 years and I finally got back into them. Same problem I’m going to try to raise my intensity to near max. That’s my last option

Thank you!

Do you have any idea if any trace elements are out of whack? Do you ever use aminos?

What are your channel settings on the radions?

Final questions I can come up with…where do you get the torches from? Are you buying locally or having them shipped? How long do you have them before they die?

 

[Jaybeastin]

Thank you!

Do you have any idea if any trace elements are out of whack? Do you ever use aminos?

What are your channel settings on the radions?

Final questions I can come up with…where do you get the torches from? Are you buying locally or having them shipped? How long do you have them before they die?

I was doing the Redsea trace elements and Redsea energy everyday for the past month ish. Zero progression

I run the Ab+ for 8 hours

I’m getting them locally from trusted hobbyists. Usually they’ll live for 3 months but the one on the photo , I had for 6 months. None of my torches have flesh bands.

 

[VintageReefer]

Odd because the heads that are open look healthy

Do you feed your torches?

 

[VintageReefer]

Try getting them to ingest some aminos

I have a method.

There is an amino product called Restor. It’s for helping lps recover from bleaching, fragging, but also stress. It’s an amino and vitamin supplement.

Now. To get them to ingest it we need to soak food in it. But most food like frozen is already filled with moisture. Going to have to use something dry, to absorb a liquid

Use pellet or flake food. Pour some Restor in a cup. Don’t add any water because it just dilutes it. Then add some flake or pellet food and let soak for 10 min. Turn off flow in the tank and with a baster suck up some of the super saturated food and gently squeeze some flake or pellet into each torch. It should grab it and pull it in. Give every head a few pieces of flake or pellet. Give them 20 min to eat the food then turn the pumps back on.

Whatever restor is leftover just dump in the tank.

Do this 2-3x a week and watch and see if you have any progress after 2 weeks

 

[Jaybeastin]

Odd because the heads that are open look healthy

Do you feed your torches?

Yes so odd! They’re ALL open but slowly just dying so I’m guessing it has to be lighting.

I’m doing a KFC dip as we speak with restore.

I’m also going to try your method with restore plus increase lighting

 

[VintageReefer]

What size tank is this?
Do you have access to a par meter?

 

[Jaybeastin]

What size tank is this?
Do you have access to a par meter?

Redsea 350 . No I don’t have access to one

 

[VintageReefer]

Redsea 350 . No I don’t have access to one

BRS has a program where you can buy one and return it. For a fee of course. But not as much as buying one and being stuck with it

 

[Jaybeastin]

BRS has a program where you can buy one and return it. For a fee of course. But not as much as buying one and being stuck with it

Yeah I think I’m going that route