What’s up with my monti digitata?

[Reefer911]

My digitata has looked like this for a few days and I’m not sure what’s going on. I’ve had it maybe 6 weeks and most parameters have been stable.
Ca: 445
pH: 8.3
PO4: 0.03
NO3: 6.7
Salinity: 33.5 ppt
Temp 76° however I had lowered the temp from 79° or so. I’m shooting for roughly 78°

I have a second digitata frag that I had accidentally broken. It’s sitting in a frag rack on the back wall and it looks fine. The only differences would be lighting and flow. I have a PAR meter but haven’t checked that. I’m running two Kessil A360x lights at 55% intensity in a Red Sea Reefer 250. Other than checking PAR, any other ideas?

 

[vetteguy53081]

My digitata has looked like this for a few days and I’m not sure what’s going on. I’ve had it maybe 6 weeks and most parameters have been stable.
Ca: 445
pH: 8.3
PO4: 0.03
NO3: 6.7
Salinity: 33.5 ppt
Temp 76° however I had lowered the temp from 79° or so. I’m shooting for roughly 78°

I have a second digitata frag that I had accidentally broken. It’s sitting in a frag rack on the back wall and it looks fine. The only differences would be lighting and flow. I have a PAR meter but haven’t checked that. I’m running two Kessil A360x lights at 55% intensity in a Red Sea Reefer 250. Other than checking PAR, any other ideas?

View attachment 2848021

Check the following:
Inadequate white light intensity
elevated alk
Low calcium
high salinity
Too much water flow
Pests such as white or gray bugs

What is your alk-CA-Mag-salinity-ph readings and what test kit are you using ?

 

[Graffiti Spot]

Looks like you grabbed the frag at the center to mount it on the rock and it’s just taking it’s time to recover maybe? Unless it gets worse I wouldn’t do anything but wait for it to start new growth and hopefully improve pe. 6 weeks isn’t much time and it looks to have encrusted slightly where you mounted it, sometimes digi can be finicky until they settle in to a mini colony size then they are generally fast growing. I would never change a parameter because of one fragment, given they are all in line.

 

[Reefer911]

Check the following:
Inadequate white light intensity
elevated alk
Low calcium
high salinity
Too much water flow
Pests such as white or gray bugs

What is your alk-CA-Mag-salinity-ph readings and what test kit are you using ?

I forgot to add that my ALK is 7.7 and Mg is around 1350

I use Hannah for PO4 and NO3 and salifert for the others

 

[vetteguy53081]

I forgot to add that my ALK is 7.7 and Mg is around 1350

I use Hannah for PO4 and NO3 and salifert for the others

Alk on low range but not unsafe. Ca level ?
Great on test kits used

 

[Reefer911]

Calcium is 445.

Regarding the Alk, I just started dosing that a little more than a week ago and I’d like to get it closer to 9 so I’m slowly working my way up

 

[Reefer911]

So I decided to move the monti down to less light along with some new acros while they acclimate to my lighting. Then I see this spot that I hadn’t seen before, although I do remember a few weeks ago seeing what I thought was brown algae waving in the current, in this exact spot. Any ideas?

 

[Alexopora]

So I decided to move the monti down to less light along with some new acros while they acclimate to my lighting. Then I see this spot that I hadn’t seen before, although I do remember a few weeks ago seeing what I thought was brown algae waving in the current, in this exact spot. Any ideas?

Im gonna say its prob a dead spot where the tissue receding. Hows your flow like? Personally I have seen some of my montis shrivel up like this when the flow is laminar (single direction). If the flow is strong but chaptic and hitting them from all side, the polyps come out more.

 

[Reefer911]

I have 2-MP40s in a Reefer 250...almost too much IMO. I don't think the flow is laminar. I have good flow throughout the tank and hitting from both sides.

 

[Alexopora]

Perhaps try checking under the frag plug and at the base of the monti for bite marks? Just trying to rule out Monti Eating Nudis

 

[Reefer911]

Ok thanks I’ll check for those.

I just looked at the spot with my phone light and the area looks necrotic actually. Looks like an ulceration

 

[Reefer911]

That’s the best I can get without the flash

 

[Bucs20fan]

That’s the best I can get without the flash

I dont see any nudis, but it isnt very zoomed in, but the very clear tissue lines are a characteristic of nudis when they eat montis. Not saying that its for sure, bleaching usually starts on the tips and you can see a pattern, versus in the largest part, towards the bottom of the frag, which is why I was also thinking nudis.

 

[Reefer911]

Yeah I took another pic that was zoomed in more but it was blurry.
Is it possible that there were nudis prior to dipping the coral? I dipped it in Red Sea Dip X but honestly I don’t remember closely inspecting it prior. Lesson learned.

 

[Bucs20fan]

Yeah I took another pic that was zoomed in more but it was blurry.
Is it possible that there were nudis prior to dipping the coral? I dipped it in Red Sea Dip X but honestly I don’t remember closely inspecting it prior. Lesson learned.

Im not saying it for sure is nudis, but the dips may kill the adults but wont kill the eggs. So it is a possibility.

 

[Reefer911]

Yikes…ok thanks.