Colt coral melting...

[Alfredo De La Fe]

About a week ago I noticed my nephthea coral closing up and some tips turning black, they blew off with a squirt from a turkey baster, I moved the coral to a high current part of the tank for about 6 hours followed by moving it to a moderate current spot and it is recovering nicely.

Just now (PERFECT timing!) I noticed that my colt coral is melting! I am not in the position to be able to fuss with the tank much (I'm on pain meds and I am pretty much worthless for a while) but I did blow off as much dead/dying tissue as possible with the turkey baster. It is already in a moderate flow area.

I dosed with a little lugols, but the only thing I can think of is that it is either a bacterial infection or some kind of delayed reaction to the much stronger lighting. Any ideas? I wish I could pull it out and frag it, but I cant think straight, even less mess with sharp objects...

-Alfred

 

[Frank]

Hi,
I've had this happen after trimming. The only thing that ever worked was lugols. If you can take the coral out and dip it in a mild solution it works better.
Frank

 

[Alfredo De La Fe]

I put about 10 drops of lugols in my tank. Probably way too little for a 180, but I dont want to risk it. The pain meds (percacet) are starting to kick in and I dont trust myself standing up in front of the tank messing around. Hopefully it will make it...

-Alfred

 

[DEEPWATER]

I put about 10 drops of lugols in my tank. Probably way too little for a 180, but I dont want to risk it. The pain meds (percacet) are starting to kick in and I dont trust myself standing up in front of the tank messing around. Hopefully it will make it...

-Alfred

Al
I think its 1 drop per 25 gal on the kent Lugols ,so 10 drop would be for a 250 gal tank http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem.asp?idproduct=KM3611
Are you check your tank for Iodine? you may have too much JMO

 

[Alfredo De La Fe]

I dont have an iodine test kit. But my lugols was made up by Craig Bingman before he left NY. (2.5%) In either case, I was told by him that for antiseptic/bacterial use it should be closer to one drop per every 5 gallons.

I plan on placing fresh carbon in my system tomorrow morning to remove any excess inorganic iodine.

Thanks,

Alfred

 

[House of Laughter]

fredo, it's definately the iodine - while colts and many other softies like it, it probably got in direct contact with too high a concentration of it. Same thing happened to mine when I was dosing heavy iodine to stop rtn.

House

 

[Alfredo De La Fe]

I added the iodine after I noticed that it had "melted".

-Alfred