Frogspawn not opening (1 Viewer)

[Shanereef]

I have watched both my frogspawn slowly stop opening / puffing up. I can not seem to figure out what is causing it. When j first started the tank they looked great but over the past two months things have gotten worse. I was doing ten gallons a week in water changes. The system is a 29 bio cube. I thought maybe not enough filtration and I was getting hair algae growing, I have added a sump with a skimmer and chateo. Skimmer has not really produced any skimmate and has been running for 3 weeks. Evo-90 skimmer. Water has been tested by myself, fjw and aquarium world. Zero ammonia, zero nitrates, cal 375, alk was low at 7.3 now at 8.7, mag at 1500. I just can't seem to find what I am missing. I have acans , zoas, gsp, open brain that all seem to be doing ok.

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[johntdaballa]

I had the same problem, I moved mine and now it's alot better. Previous unhappy spot was a high flow,now I placed the frogspawn a little lower with moderate flow.

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[Clownfish Chris]

I completely agree. Move it and it will probably do much better. Good job keeping track of your water parameters! If there is one coral not doing well and the rest are, that is a sign that the coral itself is unhappy not that your water is off.

 

[webster1234]

If you aren't getting any junk out of your skimmer, you may have high PO4 and NO3 levels. Have you checked those?

*edit- I see you said zero nitrates. I'd check PO4. It is possible your nutrients are too low also if you aren't getting any skimmate. Are you feeding corals? You might try feeding fish more or adding oyster feast or something comparable 3x/week to feed the corals. I feed my fish A LOT and also dump a lot of coral food in the tank 3x/week. PS. it can be easy to over feed a 29g so when I say "dump", for a tank that size would probably be 2cc 3x/week.

 

[Shanereef]

I feed reef phyto plankton twice a week, 5ml is what is recommended, plus fuel twice w week. I feed fish once a day and it is all eaten before it hits the sand bed. Clownfish female eats like a pig.


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[Shanereef]

I know they are API test but as you can see they are low in NO3 and PO4

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[sneezebeetle]

Spawns tend to like low to moderate flow. If you havent already moved it, you may try that. Also, you may want to also check for critters/pests and make sure that nothing has moved in and is now calling your spawn home and dinner. That would be enough to make anything unhappy!

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[Shanereef]

I don't think the flow is the issue because it has been over a few months that they have been not opening and getting worse everyday.


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[webster1234]

How does the tissue that wraps around the skeleton look? Could it be the start of brown jelly? How long have you had the corals?
Could the clowns be trying to host in it? Do they have their own nem?

 

[Shanereef]

They have their own nems to play in. I have had the corals for a while but in a larger tank. The purple tip spawn I have had over a year.


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[webster1234]

I'm stumped then. The only other thing I can think of is lights. Your are probably going to tell me bulbs are new. Maybe order a Triton test just to double check your parameters.

I have had a couple corals that suddenly quit doing well in my DT. I moved them to my QT and they perked up. No idea why but I have that going on with an open brain right now. Hated my DT but is nice and plump in my QT. And it was right next to another open brain that was doing great.

 

[webster1234]

One other thing I might point out is your alk/cal ratio seems a bit off. If you lower your alk to 8.2, calcium may climb a bit on its own but calcium should be about 420 when alk is in the 8.2 range imo. Also 1500 mag seems a bit high. I run 1380-1400. Not saying that is your problem, it just seems like everything else is good. I have a few euphyllias that are the size of soccer balls though with those parameters so I know my corals like that range. I tried running the alk up to 12 and the cal up to 480 at the suggestion of Red Sea but my corals didn't like it so I brought it back down. They are happy now.

 

[CBBSteve]

Hi, Shanereef
In my experience, euphyllias are very sensitive to high nitrates and phosphates. They are like the canaries in the coal mine. Plus you mentioned a little hair algae showing up. Even though your testing doesn't support it, I'd still be suspecting nitrates / phosphates

Good luck
Steve

 

[bwp]

You didn't mention what type of livestock you have in the tank. It could be that you have something that is nipping at it when you aren't looking. I had a similar issue and even had chunked my frogspawn to the back of the tank as I thought it was a goner, but I later found out that I had a fish that was nibbling. The frogspawn survived in the back of my tank and is now looking good again.

 

[Shanereef]

Things are getting worse. Seems I was thinking maybe I wasn't feeding the corals. I added a little oyster feast. Well I came into work this morning and everything looks even worse. No it looks like nems are starting to not open fully, zoas look irritated not opening fully, gsp not opened


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[Shanereef]

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[Fish Keeper82]

I'd run some Activated Carbon and a bit of GFO.
GFO just in case p04 is just not registering on tests and Activated Carbon to absorb any contaminants that may be in the water.
Best of luck

 

[webster1234]

I would order a triton test. At least you'll have a better idea. In the mean time (after your test sample), start some big water changes. If the tank is 29g, a couple 50% water changes could be in order. Can't hurt. If the nems aren't happy, something is out of whack.

Have you blasted your rocks with a turkey baster and vacuumed your gravel lately? Is that a brown film on your frogspawn base? Looks like cyano or diatoms maybe?

 

[Shanereef]

No have never cleaned rock and vacc sand bed.No brown film on them just looking arrested.


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[CBBSteve]

Hi, Shanereef.
I know you're getting lots of advice, but I still hold with the high nitrates / phosphates. Massive water changes may be your quickest and best solution.

Good luck,
Steve