Bubble coral care and maintenance

[Kodexa]

I recently added a bubble coral to my tank and I'm a bit concerned it's not inflating yet. I placed it on the sand bottom with low flow, thinking that would be a good spot for it.

My tank parameters are:
Temp: 79
Salinity: 1.025
Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate: all 0
pH: 8.1
Alkalinity: 9.3
Calcium: 520
Phosphate: 0

Is this normal for them to take a bit to acclimate to a new tank?

[Sunnyo]

I recently went through something similar with a bubble coral. I added a new one, and it lost nearly all its bubbles - I basically thought it was a lost cause. But I left the frag in the tank anyway. Then, out of nowhere, it started growing again after about 6-8 weeks.

My advice would be to keep your water quality top-notch and just hope for the best - it might just make it. Also, even if you think there's nothing left, don't remove the frag - you'd be surprised what can happen.

[craftonix]

Did it have bubbles when you first got it?

[Kodexa]

No, when I got it, all the bubbles were inflated and it looked great. I just got it maybe 48 hours ago.

[Kodexa]

Considering my water parameters are already pretty good, I'm wondering if I should tweak my pH and alk levels at all to help my bubble coral acclimate.

[craftonix]

I recently added a bubble coral to my tank and I'm a bit concerned it's not inflating yet. I placed it on the sand bottom with low flow, thinking that would be a good spot for it.

My tank parameters are:
Temp: 79
Salinity: 1.025
Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate: all 0
pH: 8.1
Alkalinity: 9.3
Calcium: 520
Phosphate: 0

Is this normal for them to take a bit to acclimate to a new tank?

I wouldn't recommend making any drastic changes to your parameters, sudden shifts can exacerbate the issue.

Is this a relatively new tank, and how are your other corals faring?

[zeno9]

I gotta say, these bubble corals can be a bit finicky, but they're pretty hardy overall. I've found that higher lighting really makes 'em happy, although they can do okay in low light too. Flow's the main thing that'll keep 'em deflated and unhappy, assuming everything else is in check. They don't handle swings in pH too well, so that's something to keep an eye on.

I've got three big colonies up high, right under my LEDs, and they've been thriving for months now. I really love this coral's beauty, so please keep us posted on how your piece does.

[Kodexa]

My tank's been up and running for over a year now. The other corals are all doing great, so it's just this bubble coral that's got me worried. My parameters have been steady, except for the calcium level, which is a bit high.

I've got a T-5 HO lunar lighting setup with ATI bulbs - Blue Plus and Coral Plus. Those are due for replacement in a couple of months.

[rusticore]

To be honest, that coral doesn't exactly look like it's been thriving for some time. A daylight photo might give a better idea, but from what I can see, there's quite a bit of coraline algae covering the exposed septa - those white skeleton "blades". In a healthy bubble coral, all those septa should be covered in tissue. When the tissue starts to recede or peel off, it's generally not a good sign. I've found that once this starts to happen, it's usually not reversible, but I'd love to be proven wrong.

Stability is key here - I wouldn't recommend making any drastic changes to your parameters. Just keep things steady and hope for the best.

[zenoxa]

Take a look at this article, might be helpful - Advanced Aquarist has a great piece on corals from 2010.