Whats happening to my Lobo

[pgordemer]

I won this Red Lobo at the last meeting. When I first put it in the tank, it was solid red, now over the last week, it has been turning green around the edges. I thought maybe it wasn't getting enough light on the bottom so I moved it up, but that doesn't seem to be making a difference. All the other corals, Torch, frog spawn, etc are doing great.

Water Params:
CA: 420
ALK: 10.5
Nitrate: 0
Mag: 1395
PH 8.25
Temp 80.5

 

[Carlo]

Your Lobophyllia isn't looking to good Phil.

It's possible nothing is wrong and you just got a poor specimen which happens. It could be that no matter what it won't make it in the long term. With that said:

Lobos are usually pretty easy to keep. You just need to watch nearby corals so they don't get stung. Lobos generally requires moderate to strong lighting with moderate water movement.

They are zooxanthellae based which provides the majority of it's nutritional requirements but it will benefit from additional food like plankton & brine shrimp.

I'd try direct feeding it some brine shrimp in the evening when its tentacles are visible. If you have any DT's you could add some to the tank also.

Lobophyllia tend to have problems when strontium and other trace elements get low. I'd get a strontium test kit or just dose some (normally ok to do) for a couple of weeks and find a test kit locally or order one online for long term dosing.

Some people will tell you they don't do tests anymore because they can tell when things are off by looking at different types of corals. I do this myself but still checkup with a test kits for good measure. Lobos are "my" visual clue for low strontium.

Carlo

BTW, your values look good. For what it's worth I used to keep my alkalinity high (10-11 dKH) but have shifted to a lower 8-9 dHK range and my tank looks better. 8 dKH is still way above natural sea levels. I really don't know why "experts" recommend 11dHK as the high end of the target range.

 

[JohnS_323]

Our lobo's do like a moderate flow, however they are fairly intolerant of a direct flow. They'll do well just about anywhere in the tank except in the direct line of a power head. I'm not sure where yours is located but it's something to keep in mind. Good luck with it.

As an aside, I agree with Carlo, your parameters look really good. I wish I could get my Mag, Ca and pH up that high.

 

[blange3]

When they are stressed like that I find lower flow, lower light and more frequent feeding helps. I prefer mysis and bits of krill soaked in selcon.

Pick a spot and try not to move it too much. Watch out for the stinging like Carlo said. Especially the torch.

Wander over to RC and find Merv's thread on 'the little brain that could' if you need some inspiration to trust it can be turned around.

 

[concept3]

I heard my name


phil-
click on the little round earth thing under my avatar that the cursor mysteriously says WWW on.... no need to search elsewhere!



Hi Bill!

 

[Hawkeye]

ya know...I appreciate the lack of brevity on that "little brain" note. I'm amazed...whatever happened to that brain?

 

[Phyl]

It was raffled off and took up residence with Steve68.

Phil,

When they get too much light they tend to bleach and when too much flow is a problem they tend to look all sucked in (but still covering the skeletin).

I find that when they start losing ground on their skeletin like that it is hard ground to recover, but as has been suggested some feeding will help. If you put some powdered food into the system they'll typically throw out their feeders. When they do you can start the feeding. Hopefully it will come back around for you.

It might not like the zero nitrate water, lol.

 

[pgordemer]

I don't think it is too much light issue, its PC light 4 x 96 (384 Watts). I moved him out to calmer side of the tank, but my damn sand sifting goby keeps covering him with sand. (If I can ever catch him, he is so out of the tank, but he is too smart for the net, and I have a ton of rock work with holes for him to sneak into).

I think its a lost cause, but I will keep trying.

Eveyone else in the tank is great. That FrogSpawn frag that was part of the frag demo last meetiing that was mounted on the rock is now HUGE and the 2nd branch is already growing back. It is very happy in the flow of the Hydor 3.

 

[blange3]

Phil,

I've brought back cyanaria's that looked like that. If you want, I can take him until he's better. No sandsifters in my LPS tank.

 

[Carlo]

Phil try moving the Lobo up in the rockwork about halfway to 2/3 the way up from the sandbed if you have a flat rock section. Since you're only running PCs that will probably be about the right amount of light for it anyway.

It doesn't need to be on or near the sandbed. You just want to make sure it doesn't injure itself on any sharp rocks.

Ideally, you want the water flow to be moderate. Not getting blasted and not in "calm" waters but in a place with "current".

Carlo

 

[blange3]

Phil, how is the lobo doing??

 

[pgordemer]

Well I think I am making progress, the green is not getting worse and I am seeing a bit of pink on the inside where it was white before. I moved him all the way to the top and in a area of moderate flow.

So if this works, then I have a new expense to move to T5 lighting. (anyone want a 4 x 96 PC Nova Extreme cheap)

Now if I can just get the damn goby out of the tank - any volunteers, its work drinks and dinner!!

 

[jazzsam]

Well I think I am making progress, the green is not getting worse and I am seeing a bit of pink on the inside where it was white before. I moved him all the way to the top and in a area of moderate flow.

So if this works, then I have a new expense to move to T5 lighting. (anyone want a 4 x 96 PC Nova Extreme cheap)

Now if I can just get the damn goby out of the tank - any volunteers, its work drinks and dinner!!

I would be glad to give it a shot in removing the goby but I can't promise anything!

 

[pgordemer]

Well if you want to drive down and take a shot at it, I have a well stocked bar. (Volunteers??)


I have removed as much as I can from the tank (and only have 5 or 6 corals in it as it was a conversion from FOWLR), but I want to try at all costs to not have to move rock out to get him )other than a few tops pieces.

I haven't tried the trick of a clear container in a corner, but as soon as he sees a hand or a net in the water he already disappears.

 

[jazzsam]

Well if you want to drive down and take a shot at it, I have a well stocked bar. (Volunteers??)


I have removed as much as I can from the tank (and only have 5 or 6 corals in it as it was a conversion from FOWLR), but I want to try at all costs to not have to move rock out to get him )other than a few tops pieces.

I haven't tried the trick of a clear container in a corner, but as soon as he sees a hand or a net in the water he already disappears.

For a couple good drinks I will give it my best shot. This week/weekend is crazy but after that should be good. Just let me know!

 

[pgordemer]

I will see you up at the meeting on Sunday, maybe by then I will have gotten him (thought I doubt it)