Jump to content

Any suggestions for stopping STN of a big coral?


lanman

Recommended Posts

My largest coral - Leishman's red tabling acropora started to STN from a point near the bottom a couple of days ago. It is advancing steadily across the base. Any suggestions on stopping it? I can't take the coral out and dip it. Much further, and I will have to frag off the tables and start over.

STN.jpg

 

Thanks,

bob

Link to comment
Share on other sites

there's usually nothing you can do imo...dipping and messing with it will stress it out even more...if it continues then i'd frag it but fwiw i've had it stop and reencrust before..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

there's usually nothing you can do imo...dipping and messing with it will stress it out even more...if it continues then i'd frag it but fwiw i've had it stop and reencrust before..

Agreed

 

You might try redirecting some water flow so it hits the affected area better, or add a small powerhead to point at it. Does the dead spot get any light? Maybe if you cut away some of the table to allow more light to hit the base that might help.

 

I'm curious to see what happens with this because my colony is nearing this size and I'm wondering if the base will start receding soon. It's very light colored already.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What those guys said.

 

If you don't already have a large frag as insurance, I would consider breaking a piece off the back where it's not so visible.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I already have a 6" x 10" 'frag' encrusted to a rock as backup.

 

The base doesn't get a LOT of light - but a fair amount filters down and reflects to it. I'll try adding a powerhead to move more water past it.

 

Thanks for suggestions!!

 

bob

Link to comment
Share on other sites

(edited)

Bob,

Ditto. Aim several powerheads (like Tunzes) so that they are blowing the from live coral to dead. After a while, the STN may stop. However, if STNing keeps proceeding, frag the coral so that you save it, else you will slowly watch the whole coral die.

N

Edited by www.fishnreef.com
Link to comment
Share on other sites

PM jan, she had a post a while ago about some ways to stop it. One of which was covering the live coral NEAR the STN with super glue so that it dies before the STN gets to it and it will stop there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

PM jan, she had a post a while ago about some ways to stop it. One of which was covering the live coral NEAR the STN with super glue so that it dies before the STN gets to it and it will stop there.

 

Like a fire break, eh? Might be hard to do underwater, though...

 

bob

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Another idea that may be worth considering: I've recently become very interested in the "probiotic" theory of reefkeeping with the biopellets and all. The changes I've seen on my system since starting the biopellets and MB7 are pretty dramatic. The chunky cyano that I've been battling the last few months is all but vanished in the last few weeks. The bacteria and ozone combination have made my water sparking clear, and I suspect extremely nutrient-poor. I wonder if you tried adding one of the "probiotics" out there (prodibio, microbacter 7, etc) if it might help outcompete whatever bacteria is harming your coral. It certainly outcompeted the cyano that was in full control just a month ago in my tank.

 

Of course this is all pure speculation based on anecdotes, but a) I doubt it will hurt anything to try, and b) shouldn't cost very much.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Assuming RTN or STN is caused by bacteria (a serious possibility) you may wish to consider lowering temp. There are some bacteria (known to harm corals) that will bloom at precise temperatures --like 82F. Also, assume a 50% water change will lower bacteria by 50%.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Update: Since I put the powerhead on it last night, it has slowed down. Maybe advanced 1/8" in 24 hours. Still watching closely. Will try to remember to stop at MS and see if they have any of the probiotics.

 

bob

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have been successful at stopping RTN on small colonies by smothering the dead areas with superglue. Unfortunately I just lost a large colony, approximately 8x8, of bushy deep water acropora to RTN. This is not an easy acro to keep, but I had to have it. I couldn't smopther all the dead areas. The RTN started from the base center and worked it's way out. I placed the coral under high flow and all the tissue peeled away in less than 24 hours. It's dead! Has anyone ever seen a coral peel away and that fast? Why would this happen? I was able to save a frag and it's doing great. None of my other corals have RTN.

 

Update: Since I put the powerhead on it last night, it has slowed down. Maybe advanced 1/8" in 24 hours. Still watching closely. Will try to remember to stop at MS and see if they have any of the probiotics.

 

bob

Link to comment
Share on other sites

(edited)

You could also try "digging" into the healthy tissue with your coral cutters - whatever those may be - as if you were going to frag out the colony. Cut an inch (or more) into the healthy tissue around the dying area that has encrusted the base rock, essentially severing the infected tissue from the healthy, but leave the entire colony in tact. Dig deep - really to the base rock, to ensure you have severed the connection of the coenosarcs. Brush/blow/powerhead away the cut area, and then smother the entire area (healthy, cut and dead/dying areas) with epoxy. As with fragging out any RTN/STN colony, make sure you get deep enough into healthy tissue, away from the dying part.

 

It's also a good idea to remove as much of the dying tissue as possible.

 

This has worked for me whenever I have large colonies that are not possible to take out. If you ever have a colony that you can take out, I typically use a dremmel with diamond bit to do this. It's much easier than coral cutters. What I need is a submersible dremmel...

 

Good luck.

 

Cheers

Mike

Edited by OUsnakebyte
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have been successful at stopping RTN on small colonies by smothering the dead areas with superglue. Unfortunately I just lost a large colony, approximately 8x8, of bushy deep water acropora to RTN. This is not an easy acro to keep, but I had to have it. I couldn't smopther all the dead areas. The RTN started from the base center and worked it's way out. I placed the coral under high flow and all the tissue peeled away in less than 24 hours. It's dead! Has anyone ever seen a coral peel away and that fast? Why would this happen? I was able to save a frag and it's doing great. None of my other corals have RTN.

 

Nobody seems to know what causes RTN. I lost a colony (pocillopora) to RTN in the last month. Must have started about the time I went to bed; by the next afternoon, it was gone. Nothing but gooey, slimy stuff all over it. I cut some frags from the last part to be involved, but I'm not sure it will survive - they don't look so good. This is the third RTN I've seen in three years. The first was a monti-cap about 4" in diameter. I saved a small frag. The second was a HUGE frag (8"x8") of blue-tipped staghorn acro. I saved several large frags of it.

 

bob

 

bob

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...