Why just my button polyps?

[DustinKeating]

A little while ago i bought button polyps from a friend and a couple other things, the leather that recently died was also from him. All tolled i got 2 single yellow poyps, living and doing fine. A button polyp rock and a leather that was fragged poorly, but i dont understand why just these button polyps are dying. They've expelled their Zooanthaella (SP) i think...they've turned whiter and they have whitish stringy stuff coming from them. I've got 2 other zoo rocks that are doing really well, and no where near them.

My levels are good with the exception of a very little amount of ammonia. Why would just these buttons be dying? is it possible his tank and my tank aren't meshing, because the leather died too. Although i think the leather was due to fragging it, and then immediately moving it to another tank with different conditions. What could be the problem.

Oh btw, lighting is similar with similar placement.

 

[aresgod]

are there any stining corals near them? could be chemical warfare. most likely not though, probably had something to do with your friends tank.

 

[KahluaZzZ]

have you tried to target feed them ? They can handle mysid/brine shrimps

 

[DustinKeating]

I haven't tried spot feeding them, maybe i should. I've kinda just assumed they're dead.

I actually only have only other zoa's, on the other side of the tank. From what i know zoo's dont really partake much in the chemical warfare.

What differences might there be in our tanks that could have such a drastic difference, my tank is likely the one with problems because he has a very awesome tank with A LOT of thriving corals, lps, sps and soft.

 

[SALTY WATERS]

I pulled this off a site about Button's maybe this is what is happening?

"They will reproduce easily in the reef aquarium by budding (splitting off a portion of their base or mouth), which will increase the size of their colony."

Just hopfull thought for ya!

 

[1979camaro]

if they are expelling white strings they aren't budding

 

[KahluaZzZ]

i've never seen button polyps spreading like this..mine always create another baby at their base and that's it. Better check your params with a good test kit and post it. Ammonia isn't friendly. I noticed a vivid green color when my ph is slightly over 8.3 . I try to maintain at 8.4 . They grow everywhere, even where no MH is present. When i added those, my tank wasn't ready so i lost a couple due to huge ph swings. Another thing..i had mush that hated transportation and were expelling their zooxanthellae in the bag..i tough they were dead...but they "swallowed it"...they were almost out..anyways, they're huge and colorful now. Maybe it's not too late even tough it's not really the same species.

 

[DustinKeating]

Yeah i think these suckers are gonners, i'm starting to wonder about my tank. All my levels have been checking out but things keep dying strangely, for example i lost a mushroom the other day for no real reason (that i know of)...
Any suggestions what i might look for?

 

[1979camaro]

what are you testing for?

 

[DustinKeating]

just what i thought would cause this kind of problem
phosphates, nitrates, nitrites and ammonia.

 

[1979camaro]

check salinity, pH, KH, temp

 

[DustinKeating]

oh man, what's kh....i feel stupid now. is it hardness?

ph is cool, normal fluctuations between night and day, but somewhere around 7.8 - 8.2 or something, i remember it being the correct general parameters.

i've been speculating that my hydrometer might be off, but i've yet to get it checked out. I do run my salt pretty high, about 1.025 and it might go slightly higher due to some evap.

 

[1979camaro]

it needs to be 8.1-8.3 imo 7.8 is too low

1.025 is fine for salinity

kH is carbonate hardness

you haven't used any copper or meds or anything have you?

 

[DustinKeating]

any suggestions for my PH? i've read that the best thing is to not tamper with it, should I?

No meds, well actually em tablet but they're not copper based and only one approximately 3 months ago. I dont think that's the problem, or atleast i hope not.

So what should i do first, find out what to do about my PH and second, check my KH. Done deal, thanks a lot. I'll tell you what i find.

 

[1979camaro]

i would just use an over the counter pH buffer...im surprised it fluctuates that much. whatever you do, bring it up sloooooowly