My Branching Octo Coral is 2/3 dead

[GottaBNutz]

Help,

I picked up a beautiful metallic green branching Octo Coral from HOF (Jim), for the last month or so everything seemed fine. I target fed on Monday evening like I have been doing since I picked up the specimen. Tuesday morning 2 of the 3 branches were withdrawn into the coral much more than usual. Wednesday morning the same two branches seemed to be melting? when I got home Wednesday after work the two branches were completeley gone. The remaining head is fine no signs of any problems, fully extended.

My water parametes test fine NH3 0, NO2 0, NO3 <5, not sure on PO4 but run carbon and phosban reactors. My SG is ~1.0255, temp is 79, ph is 8.21 - 8.28, Ca is ~475, my dKH is ~8, Mg is ~1350 (ELOS and Hach)

Please help me save the last head

Mitch

 

[nanoreefer22]

Sorry to hear about the bubble.

It's hard to say exactly what caused it since the other head is doing perfectly fine.

Was there anything near the two heads that could have affected it? What corals are nearby?

 

[KathyC]

Can you possibly post a pic of the coral? There are quite a few in the octocoral family. A pic with the surrounding corals would be helpful as well.

 

[jrobbins]

how much flow was the octo getting? were the two heads that died directly in teh path of a powerhead or something?

also, do you have any fish or inverts that would pick on it (dwarf angels, etc). just my two cents, but my guess is that something mechanical or biological is causing it(ie, fish or flow or lighting or another coral), rather than soemthign chemical (ie. water parameters) as the other head seems to still be ok...

 

[GottaBNutz]

how much flow was the octo getting? were the two heads that died directly in teh path of a powerhead or something?

also, do you have any fish or inverts that would pick on it (dwarf angels, etc). just my two cents, but my guess is that something mechanical or biological is causing it(ie, fish or flow or lighting or another coral), rather than soemthign chemical (ie. water parameters) as the other head seems to still be ok...

The 2 heads that died were in more vigorous flow than the remaining, which should also be ever so slightly less lighting.

What should the lighting and flow requirements be for octo frogspawn/

Mitch

 

[jrobbins]

the lighting requirements can vary a bit, but the high flow is really not good for most lps...

The 2 heads that died were in more vigorous flow than the remaining, which should also be ever so slightly less lighting.

What should the lighting and flow requirements be for octo frogspawn/

Mitch