Back in 2012, I took in several corals from a fellow reefkeeper, knowing they were all rescues. Included in the bulk were a few dying Acropora corals that desperately needed rehabilitation. However, rehabilitating small polyp stony (SPS) corals has its own challenges, and in many cases, these sensitive corals may experience a more rapid death than their large polyp stony (LPS) counterparts. Below I will cover the initial inspection, diagnosis, treatment, for a complete dying Acropora coral rehabilitation.
Assessing Dying Coral Health:
All dying Acropora coral were brown, not extending polyps, and had white marks on them. Upon initial inspection (and not shockingly), they had red bugs (Tegastes acroporanus) and Acropora-eating flatworms (AEFW). I treated the AEFW and red bugs with a series of coral dips as part of rehabilitation efforts. I also inadvertently subjected the tank to a reduced temperature (thanks power outage), which quite possibly killed the red bugs. (At the time, Interceptor was the normal protocol for treating red bugs, but there were also several other suitable treatments.)
Since AEFW lay eggs, it was critical to regularly inspect the coral and re-treat to completely eliminate the parasites. Thankfully, red bugs are live-bearers, so once they were initially eliminated, I no longer had to worry about them.
Quarantined Acropora Coral:
Of course, Acroporas require stable salinity, alkalinity, magnesium, calcium, etc. Given that I had over 50 corals undergoing rehabilitation at the time, my quarantine tank was not exactly a healthy aquarium. I had to focus particularly hard to make sure the other dying corals did not adversely affect the SPS. Water changes to remove excess nutrients were crucial. Once the Acropora parasites were gone, I maintained my alkalinity at 9 dKH, magnesium at 1350, and calcium at 450. I also performed 20% weekly water changes.
Previously Dying Acropora Coral Rehabilitated:
With stable parameters and a lack of parasites, this previously dying Acropora coral was quickly rehabilitated. They can heal quickly and add a beautiful touch to the aquarium. However, I don’t recommend Acropora rescues for beginners as they can have more severe pests than LPS corals, are sensitive to poor water conditions, and require careful monitoring of water parameters.
