I came in today to find my bubble coral about 85% retracted. All the other corals are fine.
So it was like that all day. bubbled out just a little bit.
So, my 10000K's went out at 6:00pm, leaving just the actinics. The bubble retracted all the way. Like it usually does when the lights go out.
The it seemed to start to come out again, then got REAL WEIRD.
It looked like it was going to split in two. It came out without puffing out (if that makes sense). Almost like it was melting. Stayed that way for about 5 minutes. I really thought the bottom half was just going to split away and fall off.
Now it completely retracted again.
Was this in the evening. Mine will retract about an hour before the lights go out like they sense nite is coming. You might want to take your water to the LFS to double check your parameters.
It's still all retracted this morning. I saw a few sweeper tentacles swing out here and there.
The rest of the tanks is fine..all corals seem to look good (That is, they look like they usually do).
I'm going to just keep an eye on it.
What is the main sign that I need to remove it. I dont want it fowling the tank.
BTW..My firefish goby is missing...I have not seen him in two days, and he didnt appear during feeding today. I tested the ammonia again with a different test kit and it was 0 ppm. So the cleanup crew must have "Cleaned" him up.
When your bubble coral dies on you, you'll know it. Mine disintegrated within a day. Even then, it didn't really foul the tank - just made a mess.
Although I'm having trouble mentally picturing what you described, it might just be having a couple "off" days. Seems like LPS corals go through periods of not fully expanding, and it's totally normal. My trachyphyllia (open brain) just got done not expanding for several days. It's now out bigger and better than before. When I had the bubble (a crab or snail "bumped" into it and started it down the slow road to death) it occasionally did the same thing. It could be conserving energy while it digests a big meal, or some other thing no one fully understands.
I'd just keep an eye on it and I bet in a couple days it'll be happy again.
Also... don't forget that your water parameters ARE changing. I read in that other post that you're dosing iodine/iodide. While I'm still new to this, I'm still in the camp that says PWCs will resupply most, if not all, of your trace elements. I know you said your iodine was "low", but it seems like there's a lot of people out there that have great coral tanks that only dose for Ca and Alk, and nothing else. Just make sure that if you're going to add supplemental elements, do it slowly. Especially with iodine, as I believe overdosing can be a really bad thing.
Well I think I have a good idea what happened to my Bubble Coral AND my Open Brain.
The Bubble is not gone yet. It looks like it MIGHT recover. I still see it puffing out just a little bit, and it's been 5 days. I figure if it was gonna die, it would be gone by now.
My open brain looks gone. It still has color, but the mouth is opened wide and it hasnt expanded for 4 days now.
I think it was the iodine dosing. NEVER AGAIN!!! I will test, but no more dosing.
Could Iodine have killed my Firefish Goby? I have not seen him in 4-5 days either.
The trumpet coral may have been affected too. But, Everyone else looks OK. Shrooms, Polyps, Clove, Zoos, Green Star Polyps, Frogspawn, Porites, Moonstone...all look normal.
Inverts all look good. Clowns are well. Seem to be getting along better.
And, I think the anemone is a ROSE BTA. It looks like it's finally getting a pinkish hue to it.
Overdosing iodine will do it. PWC`s will give you all you need aas far as iodine unless you have a heavy population of inverts. I dont dose iodine except with frequent PWC`s.
The Bubble has recovered!!! Thank Goodness!! This morning it was only about 10-15% retracted..I'm sure it will be out fully within a day or two.
Open Brain still looks pretty bad. Does it still retain it's color if it's dead?
The mouth is WIDE open...and of coarse it is completely deflated...but the skin seems to be intact. Is it possible it could survive?
I'd NEVER recommend iodine dosing. PWCs will give you all you need IMO.
Got anything to put in a eyedropper to feed the bubble? Once in a while, I'll squirt some oyster eggs or something into it. Loves it. Swells up, closes and looks great when it re-opens. Almost like I can hear it burp.
Well..I just did another PWC (4th in 5 days). Lets all say a little prayer for the open brain.
Second is the Open Brain...Is this coral dead, or does it look like it has a chance?