Please help to explain what happened

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Hi everyone,

Hope someone can help. Yesterday, most of my corals seemed to be sulking, all of a sudden. Zoas are swollen and closed, some expelling brown stuff, candy cane crimpled and green policopora (spelling) not extending, mushrooms seriously shriveled and retracted. Some fat zoas look like someone's tied a string around the base with swollen heads.

Two things that are different than normal in my tank:

1) harlequin shrimp finally got hold of the starfish and ate one leg off. Two legs still stuck on the glass, so I am not sure that it is dead yet. He's been chowing for 5 days on the one leg;

2) I have a blue led strip light (approx 12w) as a moonlight in my tank in the front (on 1 hour before and after main lights are on). When it is on, it gives a nice blue effect in the tank. I thought it would be nice to add a second one in the middle of the tank that is on with the main 4 T5 lights. So, I bought another one and had it running with main lights the day before.

Now, can it be that I have a nitrate spike due to the possible dead starfish or are the corals stressed due to this new blue led light?

I have removed the led yesterday, and added some SeaGel today. The zoas that are expelling, only started doing it now.

Ps- this evening the corals are overall looking better, but still far from where they were.

Appeciate any help. Will post pics seperately.
 
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I wonder if the remaining 2 legs will regenerate?
I don't think the starfish is your problem though , one died in my tank a few months back
And I had no ill effect in my tank. Did you notice any unusual skimming ?
Normaly if something is going off in a tank you can get an early warning by noticing a difference in how
Wet the skimmer is skimming
 
Doubt if the blue led strip light would effect the corals either. Its only 12 W. Unless its UV instead of normal blue.

If skimmer is behaving like normal, its not the starfish either.

Check tomorrow what the corals do.
 
I didn't notice any disfference in skimming. Will have to see if the starfish survives, but think Halrey is going all out!

Also didn't think a weak led should cause this. I will check tomorrow and post an update.

Thank you.
 
Hi everyone,

Hope someone can help. Yesterday, most of my corals seemed to be sulking, all of a sudden. Zoas are swollen and closed, some expelling brown stuff, candy cane crimpled and green policopora (spelling) not extending, mushrooms seriously shriveled and retracted. Some fat zoas look like someone's tied a string around the base with swollen heads.

Two things that are different than normal in my tank:

1) harlequin shrimp finally got hold of the starfish and ate one leg off. Two legs still stuck on the glass, so I am not sure that it is dead yet. He's been chowing for 5 days on the one leg;

2) I have a blue led strip light (approx 12w) as a moonlight in my tank in the front (on 1 hour before and after main lights are on). When it is on, it gives a nice blue effect in the tank. I thought it would be nice to add a second one in the middle of the tank that is on with the main 4 T5 lights. So, I bought another one and had it running with main lights the day before.

Now, can it be that I have a nitrate spike due to the possible dead starfish or are the corals stressed due to this new blue led light?

I have removed the led yesterday, and added some SeaGel today. The zoas that are expelling, only started doing it now.

Ps- this evening the corals are overall looking better, but still far from where they were.

Appeciate any help. Will post pics seperately.

I cannot believe that you expect assistance in this without at least providing water parameters.

What were they?:m106:
 
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I cannot believe that you expect assistance in this without at least providing water parameters.

What were they?:m106:
I have to agree that this is needed. Also agree with Riaan that the led strip wouldnt bother the corals. If the star is still stuck to the glass i doubt its dead. The salinity could be a problem along with maybe 15 other possibilities. Parameters are needed to help solve this
 
Thank you for the feedback so far.

The reason for my questions, without posting the parameters, was that I am pretty sure my tank has been running stable for the last 13 months - one can immediately tell if the corals/fish are being stressed. I could only think of two changes that I've made with the immediate differences noticed in the corals, hence asking in general about the possible effects of those two additions/changes.

Salinity 1.027 (little high, I've noticed - I have started lowering this yesterday)
Alk 8.4
Mag 1250
Cal 400
Nitrate tests are finished recently, so will have that tested.

I didn't expect everyone to be able to contribute with the information at hand, but thanks any way.

Thanks for the great info so far!
 
did the corals open up this morning? Or did you leave for work before the corals woke up?
 
Hi Riaan, I am leaving quite early and my lights only go on at 1pm, so I cannot tell you right now.
I will check tonight and update. Thanks for the follow up.
 
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