Why is my brain dying? :(

Hassman · 05/30/2008, 08:38 PM

My brain coral looks like it is dying and I don't know why!

No nitrates / nitraites / nh4. pH is good. Fluxuates a bit, but is never too low.

I have him placed in a relatively low flow / light location (after him being in a low flow / high light place) and he's not lookin so good. Some of the flesh is almost totally all gone from the skeleton in one part. Basically one half looks very sad and the other half just looks unhappy. As i said, he used to be in a hight light area in hte middle of the tank, but he didn't look so happy there and I was afraid of shocking it, so I placed in a lower light area.

I have noticed that my pod population is very high and that they seem to like to crawl on it at night / a couple during the day... are the pods picking away at it?

Since getting it I've never seen it really puff up or expand, but I wrote it off as it just getting accustom to my tank, but now I'm officially worried.

Lets see...other tank stats. No fish yet. 94W x 4 PC lighting. 75 gal. got a bunch of snails, 3 emerald crabs (never go by it), bunch of hermits (again, never see em by it), 1 cleaner shrimp and maybe 2 pepermint shrimp (haven't seen them since adding...no molts, bodies or signs they were ever present...*shrug*)

I have some mushrooms that look great. A zoo and star polyp that also looks good.

I just dont' know.

Should I move it to a very very low flow / low light area? Put it in shade? Please help!

Aquarist007 · 05/30/2008, 08:44 PM

its the other way around--corals eat pods

A healthy brain coral doesn't need to be spot fed but you should try in this case
Get a 2 litre plastic pop bottle and cut the top off of it. Put some very small holes in it so it will sink. Put some frozen mysis shrimp in it and invert it quickly over the brain coral. Let it feed on them for 45 min.
Repeat 2 or three times a week

demonsp · 05/30/2008, 09:35 PM

Also it may only open for feeding at night. They also dont like low flow.This may help.

http://www.asira.org/caresheets

madreefer14 · 05/30/2008, 10:01 PM

have you checked your alk? What exactly is your pH

Aquarist007 · 05/30/2008, 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by demonsp
Also it may only open for feeding at night. They also dont like low flow.This may help.

http://www.asira.org/caresheets

good point Lance--I omitted to say in the last post that I feed just before the attinics go off which is an hour after the halides have finished for the day. Alot of corals prefer that time.

demonsp · 05/30/2008, 10:05 PM

He said PH is good but jumps a bit.
You need to test for PH in the morning around the same time for best reading as it will change from daily tank activitys.

Flipper62 · 05/30/2008, 10:09 PM

Do you have any before & after pictures.. This will help

Aquarist007 · 05/30/2008, 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Flipper62
Do you have any before & after pictures.. This will help

are you shadowing us tonight flipper

Flipper62 · 05/30/2008, 11:07 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by capn_hylinur
are you shadowing us tonight flipper

Capn... No not shadowing...But its wierd. I am posting a reply & it seams that it is comming up a few miniutis later... Its like I,m on a delay...???

Aquarist007 · 05/30/2008, 11:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Flipper62
Capn... No not shadowing...But its wierd. I am posting a reply & it seams that it is comming up a few miniutis later... Its like I,m on a delay...???

Its taking time to censor your posts

Flipper62 · 05/30/2008, 11:15 PM

What did I say ??? Why am I been censored ???

Davidd2324 · 05/31/2008, 05:50 PM

i love your signature flipper63 had me laughing for a few.

Hassman · 06/01/2008, 08:57 AM

Pictures coming today... as soon as my tank enter daylight mode.

I tried the direct feeding tonight. Moved the brain to a higher flow area (also higher light) and used a turkey baster to pretty much bath the coral with mysis shrimp. After about 90 min, I still didn't see any feeding tentacles emerge, so I left it alone all night. I think there were less shrimp in the morning, but I can't say for sure.

I'll try the direct feeding again tonight.

Hassman · 06/01/2008, 09:41 AM

Ok. Here are some pics. They are a bit large. Today's are a bit fuzzy, but you can see where the flesh has totally receded

Before.. pretty much when I first got it.
http://thehassman.com/pictures.aspx?....JPG&Width=800
http://thehassman.com/pictures.aspx?....JPG&Width=800

After... this morning. It looks worse today than it did when I first posted.
http://thehassman.com/pictures.aspx?...JPG&Width=1024
http://thehassman.com/pictures.aspx?....JPG&Width=800
http://thehassman.com/pictures.aspx?....JPG&Width=800

Lunabud74 · 06/01/2008, 10:25 AM

I have a suggestion that some one told me when I first bought my brain. He said to not put it on the sand. At first I ignored and the brain never puffed up and generally never looked healthy. After a few weeks, I moved it to a middle position in the tank on a rock ledge. The day after I moved it, it puffed up. I do spot feed it once a week, because I like watching it envelope it's food and suck it in

He had been with me for almost a year now and eats everything from flake to pellet to mysis to krill to anything I put on him.

One time I accidentally knocked a rock over on top of it (4 months ago). I thought it was a goner because the skin was torn in about 4 places and guts were spewing out. I placed it back on it's ledge and left it alone for several weeks until I started to see it puffing up again. Since then, I think it has actually gotten bigger, is always hungry and a big show off.

Um, I don't know about you all, but I have never witnessed the small tentacles on my brain really 'emerge' over 1/4". I touched them once and could feel them stick to my finger. From what I have seen, mine uses the small tentacles to drag things to one of it's 4 mouths.

What kind of light are you using? If it's a PC, you might want to move it closer to the light and off the sand. I'd suggest getting him off the sand immediately though.

Hassman · 06/01/2008, 11:51 AM

Interesting. I've always read that they love the sand bed. I do have a couple ledges that I could use to see if that makes s difference. I seem to be moving it every few days or so, and just did again yesterday...I'm sure that isn't helping matters.

I'll move it tomorrow after another session of direct feeding tonight.

I hear they are very resilient and can come back from the brink of death...I hope I can save the little guy.

Fuzzfish · 06/01/2008, 12:05 PM

Many LFS sell the camelback shrimp under the name peppermint shrimp by error. To this point, camelback shrimp will eat at brain corals, that's what happened to mine until I caught the little bugger and returned him to the store. Just a thought, but double check to make sure you have the REAL peppermint shrimp.

Hassman · 06/01/2008, 12:40 PM

I would have to find my peppermint shrimp (if they are still alive) first.

It basically went like this. I added them, they immediately took cover. Saw them that night when the lights went out in the back of the tank. After that, nothing. I was concerned for a while, but nothing else has disappeared so I figured they either are VERY shy or gone to the big reef in the sky.

Aquarist007 · 06/01/2008, 03:07 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Hassman
I would have to find my peppermint shrimp (if they are still alive) first.

It basically went like this. I added them, they immediately took cover. Saw them that night when the lights went out in the back of the tank. After that, nothing. I was concerned for a while, but nothing else has disappeared so I figured they either are VERY shy or gone to the big reef in the sky.

I would believe they are still there--check with a flash light at night and see if you can catch them nibbling at the brain coral

Hassman · 06/02/2008, 08:13 PM

Well things continue to go from bad to worse.

The flesh is more recessed today and now its mouths are gaping. I've tried the direct feeing for the past couple of nights and it seems not to be helping. I've covered it at night to ensure no other creatures are harassing it, yet it continues to decline.

Algae is now growing on the exposed skeletons... I fear the worst.

Any last ditch suggestions? Or should I start writing the eulogy?

Aquarist007 · 06/02/2008, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Hassman
Well things continue to go from bad to worse.

The flesh is more recessed today and now its mouths are gaping. I've tried the direct feeing for the past couple of nights and it seems not to be helping. I've covered it at night to ensure no other creatures are harassing it, yet it continues to decline.

Algae is now growing on the exposed skeletons... I fear the worst.

Any last ditch suggestions? Or should I start writing the eulogy?

I would not cover it more than 45 min while it feeds

Did you ever fresh water dip this coral when you purchased it?

demonsp · 06/02/2008, 08:20 PM

They have a mouth and need dirrect feeding like an anemone.With meaty pieces large enough to fit in his mouth. Then you might need to cover it to prevent other fish from stealing there food.

You need to place the food in there mouths. Then your SB doesnt look to clean. It could be from poor water quality.

http://www.asira.org/trachyphylliidae

RedDmon · 06/02/2008, 08:30 PM

I had a camel shrimp, until I caught him eating my Brain Coral, also got rid of a male Emerald Crab for eating the Brain. It's been a few weeks, and the healthy parts are fighting back.
Check your tank after dark with a RED lens flashlight, you might be amazed what you see after dark.

Hassman · 06/02/2008, 08:33 PM

I've done the feeding, and it seemed to take the food.

So when I say bad to worce, I mean it. What looked bad yesterday is truly terrible today. I'd say the flesh is gone from 20% (fat fingered 40% initially) of the brain. I think it is a lost cause.

It is sad. It never puffed like it did in the LFS, but it never looked bad until about a week ago. Still scratching my head. Looking on other forums I've found a couple others in the same boat as me. Green brain dies for no reason. Water quality is good, other corals doing well... *sigh* my first real casualty.

Hassman · 06/02/2008, 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by RedDmon
I had a camel shrimp, until I caught him eating my Brain Coral, also got rid of a male Emerald Crab for eating the Brain. It's been a few weeks, and the healthy parts are fighting back.
Check your tank after dark with a RED lens flashlight, you might be amazed what you see after dark.

I have. The most I see are pods running around on it...most likely picking off the dying flesh. I've never caught anything picking at it. Emeralds leave it alone, hermits never go by it...don't see anything at night. As I said i covered it last night in cse something is picking at it...and it was much worse today...maybe the covering drastically hurt it. I'm out of ideas here.

I dose with trace minerals once a weeks. use bionic every other day or so. nitrate, nitrite and ammonia are undetectable. calcium around 380 - 400, alk in range, ph typically between 8.2 - 8.45 (night-day)... no crazy algae growth...just the normal n the glass that needs to be cleaned off every few days. Other inhbitants are great. Shrooms look good. polyps look great. zoos look happy being zoos... I got nothin'

05/30/2008, 08:38 PM	#1
Hassman Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Chicago Posts: 55	Why is my brain dying? :( My brain coral looks like it is dying and I don't know why! No nitrates / nitraites / nh4. pH is good. Fluxuates a bit, but is never too low. I have him placed in a relatively low flow / light location (after him being in a low flow / high light place) and he's not lookin so good. Some of the flesh is almost totally all gone from the skeleton in one part. Basically one half looks very sad and the other half just looks unhappy. As i said, he used to be in a hight light area in hte middle of the tank, but he didn't look so happy there and I was afraid of shocking it, so I placed in a lower light area. I have noticed that my pod population is very high and that they seem to like to crawl on it at night / a couple during the day... are the pods picking away at it? Since getting it I've never seen it really puff up or expand, but I wrote it off as it just getting accustom to my tank, but now I'm officially worried. Lets see...other tank stats. No fish yet. 94W x 4 PC lighting. 75 gal. got a bunch of snails, 3 emerald crabs (never go by it), bunch of hermits (again, never see em by it), 1 cleaner shrimp and maybe 2 pepermint shrimp (haven't seen them since adding...no molts, bodies or signs they were ever present...shrug) I have some mushrooms that look great. A zoo and star polyp that also looks good. I just dont' know. Should I move it to a very very low flow / low light area? Put it in shade? Please help! __________________ Mark Current Tank Info: 75g - 96w x 4 PC (2x actinic, 2x 10k), 130lbs live rock. Cleaner shrimp, yellow tang, blue tang, goby, 2x clown fish (they like to lay eggs), green stripped shrooms, green star polyps, toadstools, hammer and torch corals, and zoas oh my!

05/30/2008, 08:44 PM	#2
Aquarist007 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Hamilton, Canada Posts: 28,240 Blog Entries: 1	its the other way around--corals eat pods A healthy brain coral doesn't need to be spot fed but you should try in this case Get a 2 litre plastic pop bottle and cut the top off of it. Put some very small holes in it so it will sink. Put some frozen mysis shrimp in it and invert it quickly over the brain coral. Let it feed on them for 45 min. Repeat 2 or three times a week __________________ I prefer my substrates stirred but not shaken Current Tank Info: 150gal long mixed reef, 90gal sump, 60 gal refugium with 200 lbs live rock

05/30/2008, 10:01 PM	#4
madreefer14 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Iowa Posts: 345	have you checked your alk? What exactly is your pH __________________ And the corals sang praises unto me Shouting "You are my sunshine, my only sun shine."- me Current Tank Info: 55 gal reef tank filled 11/05/07 t5 lights w/2 actinic+, 1 10000k and 1 super actinic on 660 IC, 40 gal home made sump, 4000HH return pump and via aqua 388 skimmer w/ 1200gph CPR overflow, Koralia #4 PH. Tank to be mainly sps

05/30/2008, 10:09 PM	#7
Flipper62 Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Naperville, Il. Business Owner, President & CEO Posts: 3,045	Do you have any before & after pictures.. This will help __________________ If todays automobile had followed the same development as the computer, A Rolls Royce would cost $100.00. It would get a million miles per gallon, but it would explode once a year killing everyone inside." Current Tanks... 90 gal Reef... My awesome Office BioCube....( 180 was on hold ..no time ) ... The 180 gal has been sold...Yay..yay..yay. Hobby Experience: 19 years Reef...22 years FW

05/30/2008, 11:15 PM	#11
Flipper62 Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Naperville, Il. Business Owner, President & CEO Posts: 3,045	What did I say ??? Why am I been censored ??? __________________ If todays automobile had followed the same development as the computer, A Rolls Royce would cost $100.00. It would get a million miles per gallon, but it would explode once a year killing everyone inside." Current Tanks... 90 gal Reef... My awesome Office BioCube....( 180 was on hold ..no time ) ... The 180 gal has been sold...Yay..yay..yay. Hobby Experience: 19 years Reef...22 years FW

05/30/2008, 09:35 PM	#3
demonsp Moved On Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: el paso tx Posts: 7,634	Also it may only open for feeding at night. They also dont like low flow.This may help. http://www.asira.org/caresheets

05/30/2008, 10:05 PM	#6
demonsp Moved On Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: el paso tx Posts: 7,634	He said PH is good but jumps a bit. You need to test for PH in the morning around the same time for best reading as it will change from daily tank activitys.

05/31/2008, 05:50 PM	#12
Davidd2324 Moved On Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 373	i love your signature flipper63 had me laughing for a few.

06/01/2008, 08:57 AM	#13
Hassman Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Chicago Posts: 55	Pictures coming today... as soon as my tank enter daylight mode. I tried the direct feeding tonight. Moved the brain to a higher flow area (also higher light) and used a turkey baster to pretty much bath the coral with mysis shrimp. After about 90 min, I still didn't see any feeding tentacles emerge, so I left it alone all night. I think there were less shrimp in the morning, but I can't say for sure. I'll try the direct feeding again tonight. __________________ Mark Current Tank Info: 75g - 96w x 4 PC (2x actinic, 2x 10k), 130lbs live rock. Cleaner shrimp, yellow tang, blue tang, goby, 2x clown fish (they like to lay eggs), green stripped shrooms, green star polyps, toadstools, hammer and torch corals, and zoas oh my!

06/01/2008, 09:41 AM	#14
Hassman Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Chicago Posts: 55	Ok. Here are some pics. They are a bit large. Today's are a bit fuzzy, but you can see where the flesh has totally receded Before.. pretty much when I first got it. http://thehassman.com/pictures.aspx?....JPG&Width=800 http://thehassman.com/pictures.aspx?....JPG&Width=800 After... this morning. It looks worse today than it did when I first posted. http://thehassman.com/pictures.aspx?...JPG&Width=1024 http://thehassman.com/pictures.aspx?....JPG&Width=800 http://thehassman.com/pictures.aspx?....JPG&Width=800 __________________ Mark Current Tank Info: 75g - 96w x 4 PC (2x actinic, 2x 10k), 130lbs live rock. Cleaner shrimp, yellow tang, blue tang, goby, 2x clown fish (they like to lay eggs), green stripped shrooms, green star polyps, toadstools, hammer and torch corals, and zoas oh my!

06/01/2008, 10:25 AM	#15
Lunabud74 Premium Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Kentucky Posts: 180	I have a suggestion that some one told me when I first bought my brain. He said to not put it on the sand. At first I ignored and the brain never puffed up and generally never looked healthy. After a few weeks, I moved it to a middle position in the tank on a rock ledge. The day after I moved it, it puffed up. I do spot feed it once a week, because I like watching it envelope it's food and suck it in He had been with me for almost a year now and eats everything from flake to pellet to mysis to krill to anything I put on him. One time I accidentally knocked a rock over on top of it (4 months ago). I thought it was a goner because the skin was torn in about 4 places and guts were spewing out. I placed it back on it's ledge and left it alone for several weeks until I started to see it puffing up again. Since then, I think it has actually gotten bigger, is always hungry and a big show off. Um, I don't know about you all, but I have never witnessed the small tentacles on my brain really 'emerge' over 1/4". I touched them once and could feel them stick to my finger. From what I have seen, mine uses the small tentacles to drag things to one of it's 4 mouths. What kind of light are you using? If it's a PC, you might want to move it closer to the light and off the sand. I'd suggest getting him off the sand immediately though. __________________ past tanks 75 & 29 gallon reefs. Current Tank Info: 12 gallon nano

06/01/2008, 11:51 AM	#16
Hassman Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Chicago Posts: 55	Interesting. I've always read that they love the sand bed. I do have a couple ledges that I could use to see if that makes s difference. I seem to be moving it every few days or so, and just did again yesterday...I'm sure that isn't helping matters. I'll move it tomorrow after another session of direct feeding tonight. I hear they are very resilient and can come back from the brink of death...I hope I can save the little guy. __________________ Mark Current Tank Info: 75g - 96w x 4 PC (2x actinic, 2x 10k), 130lbs live rock. Cleaner shrimp, yellow tang, blue tang, goby, 2x clown fish (they like to lay eggs), green stripped shrooms, green star polyps, toadstools, hammer and torch corals, and zoas oh my!

06/01/2008, 12:05 PM	#17
Fuzzfish Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 76	Many LFS sell the camelback shrimp under the name peppermint shrimp by error. To this point, camelback shrimp will eat at brain corals, that's what happened to mine until I caught the little bugger and returned him to the store. Just a thought, but double check to make sure you have the REAL peppermint shrimp.

06/01/2008, 12:40 PM	#18
Hassman Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Chicago Posts: 55	I would have to find my peppermint shrimp (if they are still alive) first. It basically went like this. I added them, they immediately took cover. Saw them that night when the lights went out in the back of the tank. After that, nothing. I was concerned for a while, but nothing else has disappeared so I figured they either are VERY shy or gone to the big reef in the sky. __________________ Mark Current Tank Info: 75g - 96w x 4 PC (2x actinic, 2x 10k), 130lbs live rock. Cleaner shrimp, yellow tang, blue tang, goby, 2x clown fish (they like to lay eggs), green stripped shrooms, green star polyps, toadstools, hammer and torch corals, and zoas oh my!

06/02/2008, 08:13 PM	#20
Hassman Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Chicago Posts: 55	Well things continue to go from bad to worse. The flesh is more recessed today and now its mouths are gaping. I've tried the direct feeing for the past couple of nights and it seems not to be helping. I've covered it at night to ensure no other creatures are harassing it, yet it continues to decline. Algae is now growing on the exposed skeletons... I fear the worst. Any last ditch suggestions? Or should I start writing the eulogy? __________________ Mark Current Tank Info: 75g - 96w x 4 PC (2x actinic, 2x 10k), 130lbs live rock. Cleaner shrimp, yellow tang, blue tang, goby, 2x clown fish (they like to lay eggs), green stripped shrooms, green star polyps, toadstools, hammer and torch corals, and zoas oh my!

06/02/2008, 08:20 PM	#22
demonsp Moved On Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: el paso tx Posts: 7,634	They have a mouth and need dirrect feeding like an anemone.With meaty pieces large enough to fit in his mouth. Then you might need to cover it to prevent other fish from stealing there food. You need to place the food in there mouths. Then your SB doesnt look to clean. It could be from poor water quality. http://www.asira.org/trachyphylliidae

06/02/2008, 08:30 PM	#23
RedDmon Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL Posts: 385	I had a camel shrimp, until I caught him eating my Brain Coral, also got rid of a male Emerald Crab for eating the Brain. It's been a few weeks, and the healthy parts are fighting back. Check your tank after dark with a RED lens flashlight, you might be amazed what you see after dark. __________________ Gun Control Means Never Having To Say I Missed You. Current Tank Info: 75 gallon mixed reef; Ricordea; Red Open Brain; Star Polyps, 'smrooms, Finger Leather, Zoanthids

06/02/2008, 08:33 PM	#24
Hassman Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Chicago Posts: 55	I've done the feeding, and it seemed to take the food. So when I say bad to worce, I mean it. What looked bad yesterday is truly terrible today. I'd say the flesh is gone from 20% (fat fingered 40% initially) of the brain. I think it is a lost cause. It is sad. It never puffed like it did in the LFS, but it never looked bad until about a week ago. Still scratching my head. Looking on other forums I've found a couple others in the same boat as me. Green brain dies for no reason. Water quality is good, other corals doing well... sigh my first real casualty. __________________ Mark Current Tank Info: 75g - 96w x 4 PC (2x actinic, 2x 10k), 130lbs live rock. Cleaner shrimp, yellow tang, blue tang, goby, 2x clown fish (they like to lay eggs), green stripped shrooms, green star polyps, toadstools, hammer and torch corals, and zoas oh my! Last edited by Hassman; 06/02/2008 at 08:55 PM.