Elegance Coral shriveling

[calaxa]

Got this specimen a few weeks ago from Stan. Opened it up very nicely when placed into my system. Has taken meaty foods from me on several occasions. Two days ago, it started retracting and is now partially closed and refuses to extend. I keep it in moderate flow right on sand bed partially shaded. I know these are difficult to keep and am worried that the condition may worsen. Need suggestions from people with experience with this species.

Params:
temp 77-80
pH 8.3 - 8.5
dKH 8
no detectable ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, phosphate
CA 410 ppm
SG 1.026

Tank is fed twice a night with cyclopeeze. Current system houses LPS/SPS....one softie I forgot to remove from LR. Few non photosynthetics (sponge, gorgo). No one nearby that would irritate this coral.

 

[ReeferNets]

Alot of Nice Elegance have been coming in lately, as with most those they often dont make it.

It could just be a bad day on the reef? Sometimes some of my corals do that too.

 

[jonathan.]

Got this specimen a few weeks ago from Stan. Opened it up very nicely when placed into my system. Has taken meaty foods from me on several occasions. Two days ago, it started retracting and is now partially closed and refuses to extend. I keep it in moderate flow right on sand bed partially shaded. I know these are difficult to keep and am worried that the condition may worsen. Need suggestions from people with experience with this species.

Params:
temp 77-80
pH 8.3 - 8.5
dKH 8
no detectable ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, phosphate
CA 410 ppm
SG 1.026

Tank is fed twice a night with cyclopeeze. Current system houses LPS/SPS....one softie I forgot to remove from LR. Few non photosynthetics (sponge, gorgo). No one nearby that would irritate this coral.

This elegance might have been my elegance that I traded Stan (got it from Jazzsam a while back -- it's well over a few years old in captivity).

The elegance will close if you feed it too much. They really don't need to be fed much more than a light broadcast feeding. They extend themselves when they are hungry and to grab light. I wouldn't worry about it yet. If this is the same elegance that I owned (which I have to believe it is), than it would do this once in a while.

What is your lighting? I kept it about 24" below 150W HQIs -- not shaded at all -- and it really seemed to like it. They really don't like much flow at all. They like a LITTLE bit but are more on the lower end. Is it being whipped around at all that might agitate it? Is the coral's flesh in contact with any rockwork? That could do it as well.

But likely it's from a bit of overfeeding and is just a normal retraction.

 

[calaxa]

Well the flow is low to moderate as it is actually between rocks. It's under 2x150 14K MH, 3x39 T5 in a 18" deep tank. The flesh does not touch rockwork and it's not being whipped at all. It has not retracted completely but definitely not liking something though nothing has changed. I do notice a big featherduster growing out of it which I never saw before since it was expanded. I will just monitor for the time being I suppose.

 

[jonathan.]

Hah, definitely sounds like mine as mine had a FD growing out of it, also. Can you give a picture? I can tell you if it ever acted like that under my care before.

 

[calaxa]

I'll try to get a picture later when I'm home. It was all retracted over at Stan's so I bought it on faith but like I said, it opened up really big in my system. It's not looking so pretty at the moment. Green tissue with clear tentacles. Sounds right? I could always move it to other system but I think right now it's sorta upset.

 

[jtravapd]

my long tip elgance used to do the same thing after i fed it silversides...i gave it to my dad, and he doesn't feed it in his tank and its huge...its probably about a foot long..two clowns live in it, so maybe they are dropping food on him. Hopefully its just because you fed him, its what mine used to do all the time...good luck...

 

[calaxa]

Ok so here's a picture today when MH came on. He's back to ok condition, but about half the size of his fully extended self. I guess he was just retracting from eating so much. And yes, my yellow gorgo will extend polyps almost all day so guess there is quite a lot of food in the tank.

 

[jonathan.]

That does not look unhealthy at all. It actually looks like it's full like I was thinking it would be. I wouldn't worry yet. If you see actual tissue recession, than it's time to worry. Right now, this looks like an overly full elegance to me.

And that is definitely my old elegance.

 

[calaxa]

Yesterday he looked bad. Like my sebae does when he is without lights for a day. Puke green color...everything pulled inside.

He's actually been a lot more extended (about twice this). Guess he just over ate.

Why'd you get rid of this elegance? It's pretty nice though I wish it were a little more colorful.

 

[jonathan.]

Yesterday he looked bad. Like my sebae does when he is without lights for a day. Puke green color...everything pulled inside.

He's actually been a lot more extended (about twice this). Guess he just over ate.

Why'd you get rid of this elegance? It's pretty nice though I wish it were a little more colorful.

Was getting a bit big for my 39G. Felt the coral deserved a larger tank.

It's hardy as hell, though. Once they are in captivity for a while, they tend to last.

 

[JerseyWendy]

Sidenote: That is THE happiest Gorgonian I've ever seen.

Oh, and looking at that Elegance makes me go googly-eyed, but I WILL resist the urge.

 

[jonathan.]

They are great corals (hardy as hell) if you can find an initially healthy one. There are lots of good stories about the ones coming out of Austrailia lately.