Dying LPS corals

[aquarius2]

Now, I'm hoping someone can help us--and soon!
Our LPS corals are suddenly displaying...die off....an area dies off leaving only the bare white skeleton.

It started with the torch coral. Just one of the "torches" had...fallen off, leaving only the white skeleton beneath. It was part of a colony of about 8 or so torches. So my husband cut off the white diseased part--and we hoped for the best.

Next was the elegence coral which had a greyish patch which disentigrated when it was touched...it has been shrinking ever since. Now the fox coral is starting to ...shrivel....on the bottom side.

The Gonipora, which I understand is particularly sensitive to stress seems okay at this point.

Just before all this started happening we bought...what we expected was a kenya tree coral....but at this point were not sure if it is that or some sort of leather---devils hand perhaps. Sorry---no pics.

I discovered that some leathers give off a poison which helps them establish their territory and create some space to grow. And we noticed that the rock immediately surrounding the kenya tree/devils hand...whatever-it-is has gone white where it HAD previously been covered in coralline algae.

So now the...whatever-it-is kenya tree/devils hand is in a seperate bucket with air and light in the "live culture room" just in case that MIGHT be what is affecting our LPS...es.

Still I am wondering if anyone else has had a similar problem...and solution. This has all happened in the space of less than 2 weeks. We have a large amount of other species; sps corals, soft corals, hermits, tube anenome, shrimp, clams, fish etc which we have been adding fairly frequently to the tank...could it be some sort of conflict with another life form in the tank?

Calcium is a LITTLE low; about....380. Strontium is good, iodine is good. We do regular water changes, feed live phyto and rotifers, baby brine shrimp, frozen foods, zoe, trace elements....

I dont know if there is any other information that is important here. Just wondering if anyone has any advice....

...thanks...sharon :what:

[Michael_Lambert]

How long as your Calcuium Levels been soo low.. I have seen many LPS corals receed from low Calcuim levels like this..

Does it look like a die off.. ore look more like your corals are Receeding?

[neemo]

There may be several factors involved.
First, how big is the tank, and how many/what are the inhibitants ?
Is there enough space between the corals/and is there enough current around the colonies?

[aquarius2]

Thanks for quick response:-)
Now to answer questions;
Calcium levels have been low for about 2 weeks.
The torch and hammer coral look like die off while the elegence and fox coral seem to be merely receeding.
We have taken pains to allow the corals sufficient room, current and lighting.

Every...one has been doing fine until recently....less than 2 weeks.
The only other problem is that we have ....lost 2 anemones...one died.....we got another....it died...now the third, a rose anemone has been having good days and bad days. But this has been going on for several months.

Tank size is 100 gallon.
Inhabitants....hmmmm.

1 green hammer (sick now)
1 elegence
1 torch coral
1 fox coral (
1 rose anenome iffy

Everyone else seems to be doing great.
3 star polyps
1 frogspawn
1 colt coral
5 to 7 assorted sps es, some of which are only 2 inch frags
1 red fan
1 red finger gorgonian
1 corky finger
3 clams
pumping xenia
2 peppermint shrimp
2 cleaner shrimp
3 blood shrimp
2 fighting conch
20(more or less) blue leg and red leg hermits
40(more or less) astra and turbo snails
2 emerald crabs
2 feather dusters
2 cinnamon clowns
2 yellow tangs( loonie size)
1 diamond gobie( 3 inch)
1 6 stripe wrasse (just over an inch long)
1 blue tang (loonie size)
2 scooter blennies
2 tube anenome

The only other thing I might mention is that out blue tang...which we have had for about a month came to us with a bit of ick. The least invasive solution we could find was to use Kent extreme garlic.....a drop soaked in a cube of frozen food, fed daily. We have been using Kent Ex Garlic for about 3 weeks to a month...and Mr Blue doesnt have any more white spots nor have they shown up on any of the other fish.