Dying open brain coral: causes and solutions

[Sakuraki]

My open brain coral's really struggling - the skeleton's exposed and it's refusing food. No sweeper tentacles at night anymore, just nothing. I gave it a Coral RX dip recently, got a couple bristle worms out of it, but that's about it. Parameters are all in check: Temp's 79, Salinity's 1.024, and all the rest - nh4: 0, NO3: 0, pH: 8.1, KH: 9, Ca: 470, PO4: 0.02, Mg: 1360. It's in a low-light, low-flow spot, nothing's bothering it, and I'm stumped. I'll try to post a pic later, but I'm on a work computer right now.

[Sakuraki]

I've been dealing with a similar issue with my own open brain coral, and I can understand how frustrating it must be for you. The fact that the skeleton is showing and it's not taking any food is a concern. I've had some success with corals in low light/flow areas, but it's clear that something's not right here.

I think it's great that you've taken the initiative to dip it in Coral RX and remove those bristle worms - that's definitely a step in the right direction. Your parameters all look good, so I'm stumped as to what could be causing the issue. Can you tell me more about your tank's history and any recent changes you've made? Sometimes it's the smallest thing that can cause a problem like this.

[Auric12]

My open brain coral's really struggling - the skeleton's exposed and it's refusing food. No sweeper tentacles at night anymore, just nothing. I gave it a Coral RX dip recently, got a couple bristle worms out of it, but that's about it. Parameters are all in check: Temp's 79, Salinity's 1.024, and all the rest - nh4: 0, NO3: 0, pH: 8.1, KH: 9, Ca: 470, PO4: 0.02, Mg: 1360. It's in a low-light, low-flow spot, nothing's bothering it, and I'm stumped. I'll try to post a pic later, but I'm on a work computer right now.

I'm curious, is the coral still retaining its color or is it bleaching? Also, how long has it been in your tank - was it a recent addition or has it been established for a while? What other livestock do you have in the tank that might be competing for resources?

I noticed your nitrate levels are at zero, which seems unusual for LPS corals - they typically appreciate some nitrate. What test kit are you using to measure nitrate - is it a reliable one?

[Sakuraki]

I've got mostly LPS in the tank, with two clowns and a zoa colony. Everything else is thriving, which is why I'm stumped about the open brain. I actually skipped my water change this week, hoping to bump up those nitrates - I use Red Sea's test kits, by the way. Tonight, I'm moving it to a separate tank, where I'll try feeding it zooplankton and see if I can nurse it back. The bleaching is pretty noticeable, so I built a little cave for it in the new tank. Got some advice from a local fish store I trust, so I'll keep you updated on how it goes.

[Sakuraki]

Unfortunately, the open brain didn't pull through.