Why is this Coral regressing?

[Neaco]

One week ago I bought this coral and it was beautiful. Now it is regressing so much. My tank is otherwise thriving. First I put this in a Cove area with less flow and it started to regress and I moved it more outward and now I moved it to a higher spot and it continues to regress.  I added Kent marine Coral access and Kent marine Microvert but did not help. I feed frozen foods designed for fish including Marine Cuisine.  What can I do? 

[Neaco]

My 120g tank

[Neaco]

It was on the sand for many days and was not near any other corals. So not getting stung. 

[JJKK]

Gonis are tough.  I used to have issues keeping mine alive, but since getting tank raised ones, I have had pretty good success.  I would leave it in a low flow area with light.  I would feed Goniopower or Benepets a couple of times a week(when the polyps are out) to see if it recovers.  Good luck.

[DaJMasta]

Yeah, it seems like fine particulate foods are critical for gonis, and spot feeding them is not a bad idea.  I've read they can also be susceptible to low manganese levels.  It's a trace element so it's hard to gauge outside of ICP, but you could try a waterchange or a small dose of a maganese supplement (often part of iron supplements) and see if there's any change.

[Neaco]

Thanks for the comments.  I placed it in the back corner with less water movement.  Not really ideal for a display tank.  Anyway,  I ordered Goniopower and in the meantime started dosing Reef roids directly to this coral.    I was just adding it to my tank water and it didn’t really do much but then I saw where you just add a little bit of water and make a paste and use a syringe and feed it directly to the coral and it seems to be making a comeback. 

[JJKK]

Looking better.  Yes, spot feeding it reef roids or Goniopower is key.  Sometime I even use Red Sea AB+ with Goniopower mxed in it plus some tank water and I get some pretty good extension afterwards.

[Neaco]

Comeback city!  Just have been using reef roids and still expecting Goniopower soon in the mail.  I don’t feed it early because then it closes up with the food and I would rather have it open when the lights are on.  I feed it in the evening when the polyps are still open and don’t worry about it closing when the lights are soon to be going out.  Good idea?

[JJKK]

Wow yeah.  Great recovery.  I do feed about 1.5 hour before lights are out.  Do you spot feed with the majority of the flow off?  Mine usually open backs up within 15mins of feeding.

[Neaco]

Sorry for the late response.   Was out of town on vacation.  I spot feed goniopower with a turkey baster at around 6 pm, about 3 hours before lights out (9 pm).    Lights slowly dim from 7 to 9 pm.  I turn off all the pumps and powerheads.  It nearly completely closes after the feeding.  I turn lights back on after 20 min (as per goniopower instructions). It will usually be all opened up by then.   It’s doing great in the back corner. Hmm.  Maybe I’ll slowly (very slowly) move it out more to see it more easily.     

[Neaco]

So it’s doing great!  Now my nearby coral that I have had for about a year is regressing.  Have added Kent Marine Microvert for about a year and Kent Marine Coral Accelfor about 6 months (just added to tank, not spot feeding).  This started to regress about 1 month ago.  Tried spot feeding with Reef-roids with no improvement.  Now trying goniopower since that’s what I have.  No improvement.  It has always been in the bottom center front.  (120g, 2 Kessil 350s).  Moved it to near the back corner for less flow thinking that my Goniopora likes it there but still regressing.  Many other corals doing very well.  Suggestions?