iodine dip overdose: plate coral, duncan

[astroboy]

Greetings coral comrades!

 

Ten days ago I bought a long tentacle plate coral and a small duncan from one of the more reputable LFS. Did the usual 2-3 hour acclimation, at the end I did a 15 minute dip in Lugols solution, probably twice the 40 drops/gallon that the bottle recommends (accidentally). Since all my other corals are fine I presume that it was the dip that is the problem. I'll mention that I've done Lugol's dips in the past with mostly no ill effects. I think now that 40 drops per gallon is too much, I think I've lost a few LPS over the years because of that. 15-20 is probably best.

 

The duncan seems to be coming back, the tissue that survived is expanding a bit in the last 24 hours.

 

My question is about the plate. About 25% of the skeleton disk is naked now, with the surviving tentacles about 50% somewhat expanded, the rest only minimally expanded. Doesn't seem to eating at all, shrimp, mysis, or ORA pellets.

 

Does anyone have experience with plates coming back from the semi-dead? Any advice on how to help it along? Or should I just chuck it before it becomes an elevated nitrate reading?

 

Thanks!

 

Mark

[Grav]

I always give coral every chance to come back from the dead, unless they have some contagious condition that could hit others.

 

I have seen plates come back from injury... which could be the cause too... rough bounce from LFS to home could do it.

[jason the filter freak]

I don't have a solution for you .... but would like to inquire about your 2-3 hour acclimation? what makes you do that did you see some study and or literature that supports that length of time, or just come up with it on your own? It's interesting, also how do you keep the water warm on that long of an acclimation?

[gastone]

IMO once heliofungia starts to go downhill, better to chuck it. Many other fungia sp. are quite hardy, but the helio ain't.

 

If you could isolate it, that might be okay, but I'd worry about bacterial infection (brown jelly and the like) with my other LPS if it did go.

 

Garrett.

[astroboy]

I don't have a solution for you .... but would like to inquire about your 2-3 hour acclimation? what makes you do that did you see some study and or literature that supports that length of time, or just come up with it on your own? It's interesting, also how do you keep the water warm on that long of an acclimation?

I float the coral in tupperware in the tank and over a 2-3 hour period swap the old water for the tank water. From just general reading I have the impression that a 1-2 hour time is generally sufficient to acclimate corals, e.g., the acclimation instructions on Dr. Mac's website. I used to do a slow drip but of course the water the coral was in would cool to room temperature. Floating the coral and changing out about 10% of the water every 15 minutes seems to do fine.

[astroboy]

I don't have a solution for you .... but would like to inquire about your 2-3 hour acclimation? what makes you do that did you see some study and or literature that supports that length of time, or just come up with it on your own? It's interesting, also how do you keep the water warm on that long of an acclimation?

I float the coral in tupperware in the tank and over a 2-3 hour period swap the old water for the tank water. From just general reading I have the impression that a 1-2 hour time is generally sufficient to acclimate corals, e.g., the acclimation instructions on Dr. Mac's website. I used to do a slow drip but of course the water the coral was in would cool to room temperature. Floating the coral and changing out about 10% of the water every 15 minutes seems to do fine.

[lanman]

Anthony Calfo says in his book that fungia's can come back from 'completely dead'... he suggests leaving them in the tank for a year or so. But I do kind of remember him putting the heliofungia in a different class from the rest. And I don't feel like looking it up tonight.

 

bob