My Caulastrea Demise....help!

[Modo]

I recently (about a week ago) recieved a 5 polyped frag of Caulastrea. After I acclimated it a few polyps "swelled" nicely but others stayed shrunken. Then after a few days it looked very healthy with great polyp extension. Some of the polyps had produced sweepers or feeding tentacles. Then slowly after a few days one polyp after another began to shrink and not expand fully if at all. I beleived this was do possibly to the overly shaded location I put it in so I moved the frag to a brighter location, but not direct light. The next day the polyps were full again. Now about 3 days later I have lost one polyp and the others do not look so hot either. One is actually holding in there and inflates nicely and produces the "sweepers". I am confused as to why all the polyps are going downhill but one. The current is moderate around the frags in both locations.

Does anyone know what could possibly be going on? Do you think the fragging and immediate shipping is the culprit?

I have other SPS and Softies doing great. I can't figure why I can't get these guys to grow.

Here is my specs....
29g
250w Iwasaki/60w actinics
Temp: 80
SG: 1.0255
pH: 8.0-8.2
Alk: 3.4 meg/L
Calc: 440 ppm
Nitrate: 10ppm

[ October 03, 2001: Message edited by: Modo ]

[ October 03, 2001: Message edited by: Modo ]

 

[Modo]

^^

 

[Carpentersreef]

Any chance you've got another coral that is sending out sweepers at night and attacking? I had a hammer knock the crap out of my Caulastrea colony before I knew it. The two were a good 6 inches away from each other. I've moved the Caulastrea and it has since come back fully. All the polyps had turned white there for a while.

Mitch

 

[JennM]

Ditto what Carpentersreef said. I had the same thing happen. My 16-polyp Caulastrea ended up losing 2 polyps because of it, and I thought there was NO WAY that the hammer could reach it. Physically it couldn't reach it but was waging "chemical warfare" anyway.

Never underestimate the power of a good nematocyst!

Jenn