Dying Cyphastrea Coral Rehabilitation
Coral
Dying Cynarina Coral Rehabilitation
Dying Cladocora Coral Rehabilitation
Dying Caulastrea Coral Rehabilitation
Dying Blastomussa Coral Rehabilitation
Dying Australophyllia Rehabilitation
Dying Acropora Coral Rehabilitation
Under construction! (2012-ACRO001)
Turn it up to 11: Magnetic Stirrer Coral Dip Station
Sure, blowing a coral with a pipette while it sits for 10+ minutes in a dip works. So does blasting it with a powerhead. But… I’m a nerd, and nerds must always over-engineer every problem (or non-problem). This project was the result of trying to find the end of the internet one night while researching new 3D printing ideas. I was inspired by ChickenHaunt’s Resin Wash Station over at Thingiverse. With only a minor tweak, I now have an amazing Coral Wash Station! Enjoy “turning it up to 11” with this magnetic stirrer.
Supplies List:
This is a list of what I actually used to build my magnetic stirrer coral dip station, along with estimated prices as of the published date. I’ve included links to the products and 3D print files (please note, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.) While other stirrers and containers will still make a nice coral dip station, they may not work with the 3D print file. Therefore, I highly recommend this list since it is all most likely to work well together. I also recommend fluorescent filament for the print file, since the setup will likely be near a reef aquarium (so the filament will glow!) At the end of this post, I’ve included more details about the supplies, along with some other options.
- Intllab Magnetic Stirrer: ~$30 USD
- 3D-printed Rack with fluorescent filament: ~$3 USD, if printing yourself
- Magnetic Rods with Retrieval Rod: ~$17 USD
- Sistema KLIP IT Lunch Plus Storage Containers: ~$9 USD (recommend getting two sets – or more if you do a lot of dipping)
Coral Dip Station Instructions:
Step 1: Prepare the Magnetic Stirrer
First, I started with the Intllab Magnetic Stirrer. This is a simple stirrer that does not have a heating option (not necessary for how short coral dips are). Now, if you wanted a coral bath option, I recommend considering a heated magnetic stirrer (but the cost is much greater).
One of the most important qualities of this stirrer is the 316 stainless steel plate due to the corrosive nature of saltwater. (Note: this metal is corrosion-resistant against saltwater, not corrosion-proof. Try to keep the stirrer as clean as possible for the longest life.)
Step 2: Prepare for 3D Printing
My 3D printer is a Creality Ender 3 Pro, which is a “best value” printer in my opinion. The fluorescent green filament I used for the stirrer tank surround is in the storage tub on the left. The black filament used for the rack is on the right.
Step 3: Print and Build
I followed ChickenHaunt’s instructions for the printing and assembly, but there are a few remixes out there on Thingiverse too. Here are a few things I liked/didn’t like along with tips:
- – Use solvent weld to assemble everything rather than hot glue and/or super glue
- – Assemble the components on the stirrer before gluing; otherwise they may not fit (including the magnetic stirrer and the storage container)
- – The strainer platform is quite flimsy
I added a sticker with the infamous quote, “Turn it up to 11!” from the movie, Spinal Tap. There’s no “11” on here, but most of the time I turn the stirrer up to the 4th blue bar. Use trial and error to see what works best for your corals and setup.
Step 4: Add Parts
Once printing and assembly is complete, add the dip container. It should fit snugly into the surround. Of course, the larger containers that ChickenHaunt used would work great for larger corals (but those containers can be difficult to find. I like these smaller ones for frags and small colonies.) Add a magnetic stirrer rod.
Note: The magnetic stirrer kit I recommended includes a retrieval rod. Personally, I try to keep my hands out of coral dip as much as possible for safety. The retrieval rod will pick up the magnetic stirrer rod, thus helping to prevent skin contact with the coral dip. There are additional options at the end of the post.
Now, add the strainer platform with handle. The platform is very flimsy, so whenever I lift out corals, I have to support the handle’s opposite corner. A platform remix would likely fix this, but this still works fine.
Step 5: Test it Out!
Now, just add tank water and medication of choice. Plug in and turn on the magnetic stirrer. I usually turn the knob to the fourth blue bar. Once the medication is adequately dispersed, add in the corals and set a timer for the appropriate dip length.
No more pipette blowing or giant powerhead necessary!
Inspect the corals for damage and health (if you need a primer, check out Assessing Coral Health).
About a minute before the dip time is up, I turn off the magnetic stirrer. This allows the gunk to settle to the bottom. Once the time is up, carefully lift the platform out of the solution (using additional support as necessary).
I have six of these storage containers, as I typically have a three-dip process. Then, I use a fourth container for plain tank water to rinse the corals.
Magnetic Stirrer Coral Dip Station Conclusion:
When I first built this magnetic stirrer coral dip station, of course I was excited. But I had no idea how much it would transform my dip successes. The small footprint combined with the fast water movement made dips easier and more effective.
Additional Supplies Info:
NOTE: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.
INTLLAB Magnetic Stirrer w/ stir bar set & retriever
INTLLAB Magnetic Stirrer
Fluorescent PLA filament
Magnetic Stirrer Mixer Stir Bar and Retriever
Sistema KLIP IT Lunch Plus Storage Containers
Creality Ender 3 Pro 3D Printer
Coral Dip
Blue Sun Coral (Tubastraea sp.): A Natural Rarity?
When I started in the hobby in 2008, there was a legitimate problem with dyed corals and anemones. Sadly, this was not a new problem at that time either. Bleached corals (or even healthy corals) were subjected to dye baths in a dizzying variety of colors, especially in rare shades, such as yellow and blue. Unfortunately, that practice had unsurprisingly deleterious effects on the animals, as the dye interfered with their photosynthesis via zooxanthallae. Fast forward over a decade, and the frequency of dyed corals showing up in local fish stores for sale substantially decreased. So, imagine my shock when a fellow reefkeeper sent me a message about a potentially dyed blue sun coral. The earliest reporting of blue sun corals in the hobby I could find dated back to 2017.
Panic Hits – Artificially Dyed Corals in a Pandemic:
In June 2020, right in the middle of a global pandemic, I was appalled to see reports popping up all over multiple reefkeeping forums and other social media sites claiming that there was a sudden influx of dyed corals. Rehabilitating dyed corals is no picnic; it takes daily feedings, lots of carbon to absorb any free dye, and fast removal of necrotic tissue. Even then, I have never had success with them long-term. Panic started to hit me, as my aquariums were severely neglected thanks to trying to telework and homeschool young children simultaneously. Not only were my tanks ill-prepared, but I couldn’t get the supplies necessary for rehabilitating dying coral. Chlorine bleach and hydrogen peroxide are two of my main staples to keep clean equipment, and they were nonexistent on shelves at the time.
Assessing Blue Sun Coral Health:
Then, on 8 July 2020, a fellow local reefkeeper posted on Facebook that she had just received one of these (on 18 June) and suspected it was dyed and dying. She was concerned that it was affecting her yellow sun coral too, as it seemed to be losing color. So, it was time for me to do some research!
Although I had a lot of questions, my first question was on how to stabilize the coral. Since the owner believed it was dyed, I needed to determine what dyes could have been used so I could figure out how to remove it. Sun corals are often various shades of orange or yellow, so the idea of getting a solid blue coral seemed a bit crazy to me. In other words, I thought that just adding blue dye to a yellow coral would likely result in a greenish coral. However, I’ve used methylene blue extensively, and I know its staining power! It seemed a plausible dye to overcome the yellow.
While researching the various dyes, I found research suggesting that anemones could safely tolerate methylene blue dye, as it did not affect the anemones’ growth or survival. Additionally, the research found that the anemones only retained the methylene blue for approximately six weeks. This gave me hope. Maybe the sun coral was dyed with methylene blue, so it might live if I could feed it adequately (as a non-photosynthetic coral, there is no zooxanthellae interference). I was also prepared with activated carbon to absorb any leaching dye (although this research on using dragonfruit skin was super interesting!)
Bringing the Coral Home:
Only three days later, on 11 July, we met in a mall parking lot, while wearing masks and maintaining social distancing. Even in the hot mid-day sun, the coral was a shocking blue color. I quickly took both the blue and yellow corals home. I followed my standard coral assessment procedure, and several things concerned me.
Determining the Coral’s Condition:
First, I’ve never previously had my hands or equipment get any sort of coloration on them while fragging. Was this the “dye?” I could see blue, yellow, and green colors on this while towel.
Second, the yellow sun coral had a case of “brown jelly disease” starting. This was not good.
Although the tissue appeared dyed, the skeleton of the coral was white as usual. This was not what I expected, especially if the coral was submerged in dye. However, the anemone research referenced above suggests a dye method that may work on just the tissues. At this point, I wasn’t convinced either way on if it was dyed.
Quarantining the Blue Sun Coral:
After initial treatments, I placed the corals into my quarantine tank for observation. I started them on small pellet food, as sometimes that seems easy for corals to digest. Once the coral was regularly eating, I switched it to a varied diet of Roti-Feast, Oyster-Feast, Phyto-Feast, Reef-Roids, and baby mysis shrimp.
Unfortunately, the “brown jelly” spread to my other corals in quarantine, but I was able to keep it from progressing on the yellow sun coral or to the blue sun coral.
About a week after arrival, I was once again convinced that this coral was dyed, as the healing fragmented portion was a dark greenish-yellow. Ah ha!
But this coral decided to just keep me guessing. Wouldn’t the tentacles be blue as well if it was dyed?
Blue Sun Coral Grow-out:
By a month after arrival, I was sure it was natural, as it was just becoming more blue with bright yellowish green polyps. How was that possible?! Methylene blue should’ve mostly dissipated by that point. It had to be natural, right??
Oh but wait… This coral just wants to keep us on the edge of our seats! After four months in my tank, the shadowed areas were turning yellowish green! But, notice the baby polyp – it’s blue! My head was starting to hurt. (And yes, unfortunately I was not feeding the coral as much as necessary, so it was receding. My tanks were quite neglected during COVID-19, as you’ll see by the algae and aiptasia.)
In reviewing the 2017 post photo, the shaded regions display similar coloration.
Spawning of the Blue Sun Coral!
On 12 December 2020, five months after getting the coral, I woke up to find this blue sun coral spawning! And, the planulae were orange (not blue) – suggesting the coloration was natural (and reproduction hopefully not affected).
One of the planulae immediately settled onto the glass, where I watched it eagerly (until it disappeared about three days later).
Here are some of the planulae. Unfortunately, none of them survived, or maybe they weren’t even fertilized in the first place.
According to username, “Tennyson,” on Nano-Reef, the dark orange/ brown ones are “duds” while the more yellowish planulae are viable (assuming this is consistent across all sun coral colorations).
(For more reading on sun coral reproduction, please see the references below.)
Although the tank wasn’t exactly clean, both sun corals were appreciating the high nutrient levels!
Final Thoughts:
Although I took this photo under actinic lighting, the blue of the sun coral is very similar to the blue of the Oregon Blue Tort Acropora coral. This amazes me as one is photosynthetic while the other is not. In advertising the Oregon Blue Tort, there are plenty of websites that describe the blue as “so vivid it makes you wonder whether it was injected with an artificial blue pigment,” “often considered the bluest Acropora coral you can buy,” “one of the bluest of the blues,” and “so blue it almost looks fake.” I can see why this blue sun coral was also believed to be dyed!
Conclusion:
Over 13 months later, here it is (under actinics again, so the yellowish green polyps are hard to capture on the camera). I lost four polyps, and a few polyps shrank but are now re-growing. The coloration hasn’t changed a bit. The tissue is brilliant blue, the tentacles are yellowish-green, the oral cavity is yellowish-green, and the center of the polyp is blue. Shaded areas turn yellowish-green, but they regain the brilliant blue color once exposed to light again. This makes me believe it’s a structural blue versus a pigment.
Although I lost four polyps, this gives me an opportunity to clean the skeleton to help identify the coral (to be included at a future point). I am convinced that this coral is not dyed, but I have no explanation for its coloration, especially as blue is rare in nature.
So, let’s celebrate this amazing coral with a happy ending. It was fate that on 25 July 2021, the Washington D.C. Area Marine Aquarist Society (WAMAS) hosted a virtual meeting with guest speaker, Matt Wandell, from the Monterey Bay Aquarium. His topic was on “Use and Care of NPS Corals.” Of course, I had to chat with him about this unusual beauty. I am happy to report that we have made arrangements for at least half of the coral to go on display at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in the fall of 2021 (once the weather cools down).
References:
Arthur Jen, 2017 (original post is now deleted). https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/baby-jb-for-trade-southern-california.333673/
BSA Corals, “Blue Emerald Sun Coral!,” 26 June 2020. https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/blue-emerald-sun-coral.733669/
Calfo, Anthony, “The Tragedy of Artificially Dyed Live Corals,” September 2002. http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-09/ac/feature/index.php
Fatheree, James, “Aquarium Corals: A Look at the Sun Corals,” Advanced Aquarist, 2011. https://reefs.com/magazine/aquarium-corals-a-look-at-the-sun-corals/
Mizrahi, D., Navarrete, S. A., and Flores, A. A. V., “Groups travel further: pelagic metamorphosis and polyp clustering allow higher dispersal potential in sun coral propagules”, Coral Reefs, vol. 33, no. 2, pp. 443–448, 2014. https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/37522324.pdf
ReefdUp, “Blue Sun Coral Spawning!” 12 December 2020. https://wamas.org/forums/topic/95817-blue-sun-coral-spawning/?_fromLogin=1
Rowlett, Joe, “A Field Guide to Sun Corals,” 2015. https://reefs.com/magazine/field-guide-sun-corals/
Tennyson, “How to tell if a coral is dyed a different color?” 6 July 2020. https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/how-to-tell-if-a-coral-is-dyed-a-different-color.736716/
Tennyson, “HUGE Sun Coral Spawning event,” 9 October 2019. https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/huge-sun-coral-spawning-event.654328/
Wells, CD, Sebens, KP, “Individual marking of soft-bodied subtidal invertebrates in situ – A novel staining technique applied to the giant plumose anemone Metridium farcimen (Tilesius, 1809),” PLOS ONE 12(11): e0188263, 21 November 2017. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0188263
Montipora-Eating Nudibranchs and Treatment
Growing…growing…gone. Unfortunately, this is an all-too-common story in the reefkeeping hobby due to a pest aptly named for its favorite meal, the Montipora-Eating Nudibranch (Phestilla subodiosus). Although treatment of Montipora-Eating Nudibranchs is historically challenging, this article covers several available options.
Montipora-Eating Nudibranchs (M.E.N. – just kidding, I won’t use that acronym) are from the phylum Mollusc, class Gastropod, sub-class Opisthobranchia, order Nudibranchia. From there, they are of the suborder Aeolidina, superfamily Fionoidea, family Trinchesiidae, genus Phestilla, species subodiosus. Identification down to the species level was only accomplished as recently as 2021, although the hobby has been actively fighting them since at least the early 2000’s (Wang, et al., 2020).
How to Identify:
These nudibranchs are white in color and range in size from 1-3mm in length. The body is covered in cerata, which may store the nematocysts (stinging cells) of the coral to help protect them from predators. Shown in the picture is a single Montipora-Eating Nudibranch (circled in red) at the edge of a Montipora digitata coral.
The key to detection is to understand the life cycle of these nudibranchs. If there is only one nudibranch, it is capable of reproducing asexually. The adults lay tiny clusters of 3-20 eggs (Borneman, 2007) in crevices along the base of the coral (see image). As the eggs hatch, the juveniles immediately join the adults in eating the coral in a distinct jagged line along the base and edges. Reportedly, these nudibranchs can survive extended periods with no food source.
Back in grad school, I modeled the lifecycle of these nudibranchs and how various treatments worked on them. Unfortunately, the results were never promising once the nudibranchs established themselves in a mature tank. (Note: Sadly, I built this model with an educational license, and my files are “legacy file types” for the software. I have been unable to regain access to my work for either historical purposes or additional research.)
Montipora-Eating Nudibranch Treatment Options:
Treatment for the Montipora-Eating Nudibranchs comes in the forms of prevention, natural predators, chemical destruction, and manual removal.
Treatment Method 1: Prevention of Montipora-Eating Nudibranchs:
Prevention lies in purchasing from a reputable dealer or hobbyist first and foremost. Chances are, if the person has had them before, that person will have them again. Next, the responsibility falls to the new owner of the coral in proper quarantine procedures (at least two months is recommended). Examination with a magnifying glass is recommended to help identify and remove eggs. However, the nudibranchs might have laid eggs in a hidden crevice. Since the eggs are laid at the base of the coral or on dead coral skeleton, some hobbyists chose to remove the coral from the base rock. Both remaining coral on the rock and base rock then dies. This is to help ensure that the eggs are not transferred.
Treatment Method 2: Controls for Montipora-Eating Nudibranchs
Some hobbyists have found certain natural predators will help control the nudibranchs. Unfortunately there are no known complete eradication measures available naturally. The wrasses generally known to eat most invertebrates will most likely also feed on the nudibranchs. It is important to keep in mind that as far as natural predators go, what works for one hobbyist may not work for another hobbyist, especially with wild creatures.
Treatment Method 3: Coral Dips for Montipora Eating Nudibranchs
The last method of eradication is by chemical means. Coral dips often help stun the pests so they can be blown off gently with a pipette or powerhead. These adult Montipora-Eating Nudibranchs (as pictured) were in a dip much longer than the coral colony could survive. Unfortunately, that is typically the case; however, there are a few less lethal options.
Montipora-Eating Nudibranch Treatment: Iodine
Many hobbyists have found that an hour-long dip in iodine will kill most adult nudibranchs. However, this may cause undue stress to the host coral, especially if flow, pH, and temperature are not ideal in the dip.
Montipora-Eating Nudibranch Treatment: Levamisole
Levamisole (a pig dewormer available at farm supply stores), has been used in a similar manner to the iodine dip, but with a higher fatality rate to the host coral. Levamisole paralyzes the nudibranchs so they can be removed more easily from the coral.
Montipora-Eating Nudibranch Treatment: Potassium Permanganate
Another chemical method is potassium permanganate. The dip (50mg/l for 30-90 minutes – Borneman, 2007) has been shown to effectively destroy both the adults and the egg masses with moderate impact to the coral. After eradication on the corals, the main tank should be kept free of Montipora for approximately two months.
Like all chemicals, caution should be exercised when handling potassium permanganate. Using an MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) to learn about the hazards of use and what protective gear is highly recommended. An MSDS for potassium permanganate suggests the use of eye protection, gloves, and respiratory protection as potassium permanganate can cause serious burns to the skin, nose, and throat.
Montipora-Eating Nudibranch Treatment: Series of Dips + Manual Removal
Rather than trying to kill both adult nudibranchs and eggs, I attempt to just break the lifecycle by removing the adults so that they cannot reproduce. When I get any frags of Montipora, I perform my usual coral intake process. I perform an inspection, remove the plug/base/dead skeleton, perform dips with manual pest removal, and attach a new base. Then I place the coral into my quarantine tank, but it stays for an extended period (60 days rather than the typical 30 days).
Since a succession of coral dips work for AEFW and red bugs, I also dip all Montiporas daily the first week to aid in manual removal. After that, I dip every other day the second week, every third day the third week, and then once a week for weeks four through six. I have not lost a single coral with this method, and it saves me the hassle of treating with different medications for different parasites at different times.
Various dips may work to stun the nudibranchs, and examples include CoralRx, Revive, and Tropic Marin Pro Coral Cure. Again, here the goal is to simply aid manual removal by stunning the adults. If the adults are removed, the eggs will continue to hatch in the presence of food. Adults are then easily removed before they can reach maturation. In the lifecycle model mentioned above, this was the most successful approach when implemented correctly.
Montipora-Eating Nudibranch Treatment: Display Tank + Dips
The worst challenge is a display tank with mature colonies infested with nudibranchs. My best advice is to consider the coral dip series described above (although large colonies may require buckets for treatments). Additionally, the hobbyist would have to kill any bases left attached to the rock along with unremovable encrusted Montipora colonies. Another option, if the colonies are smaller, may be for the hobbyist to remove all Montipora from the display tank. The hobbyist would then place all removed Montipora into a quarantine tank for treatment, minus a sacrificial frag that stays in the display. The hobbyist must then frequently replace that sacrificial frag so as to draw out the nudibranchs from the rockwork.
Montipora-Eating Nudibranch Treatment: Other Dip Options
Hobbyists have used garlic and freshwater dips with nudibranch mortality but they also often report high coral mortality.
Conclusion:
Although there are still no full-tank chemical treatments, eradicating Montipora Eating Nudibranch is possible with patience and proper husbandry. Using a combination of dips and manual removal seems to be the most effective option available at this time.