A Memoriam for All Creatures Lost to Elegance Corals

71Percent · 02/23/2021, 09:07 AM

Just experienced my first death at the hands of my new (one month old) Elegance Coral - a red Sea Star. I found it curled up under the coral and tried to rescue it, but it has started to melt away. Additional problem - was my wife’s favorite tank creature. “Why did you add that Killer to our tank?!” Please make me feel better by posting your own calamities. Thanks!

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Sk8r · 02/23/2021, 05:10 PM

It happens. When you lose something in an otherwise well-set-up and proper tank, you naturally wonder if there was any way to have known, or to prevent it, and my only wisdom is that I tried, and little fishes meet sharks every night on the reef, and things happen, be it a big hammer coral slowly overgrowing and blocking light from (or chemically attacking) a slower coral or one fish instantly treating another as lunch. Dead coral becomes reefs that support live coral. Our job is to show other humans the wonder of a reef and get them to think of that when they consider the oceans; and to tell other newer hobbyists what's safe and what isn't. Long as I've been at this, I've never known an elegance to be a problem, but in the ocean, we do get surprised. You didn't intend it. I'd post the problem in appropriate places so the knowlege gets passed. That's what you can do.

71Percent · 02/24/2021, 12:38 PM

Thanks for the well-written response. Very good points and makes me feel better. I have a few galaxia corals and the elegance takes the prize for the most potent/aggressive. On a good note, the star has started moving again, but looks like it lost most of two arms.

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02/23/2021, 09:07 AM	#1
71Percent Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: New York City Posts: 79	A Memoriam for All Creatures Lost to Elegance Corals Just experienced my first death at the hands of my new (one month old) Elegance Coral - a red Sea Star. I found it curled up under the coral and tried to rescue it, but it has started to melt away. Additional problem - was my wife’s favorite tank creature. “Why did you add that Killer to our tank?!” Please make me feel better by posting your own calamities. Thanks! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

02/23/2021, 05:10 PM	#2
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,440 Blog Entries: 55	It happens. When you lose something in an otherwise well-set-up and proper tank, you naturally wonder if there was any way to have known, or to prevent it, and my only wisdom is that I tried, and little fishes meet sharks every night on the reef, and things happen, be it a big hammer coral slowly overgrowing and blocking light from (or chemically attacking) a slower coral or one fish instantly treating another as lunch. Dead coral becomes reefs that support live coral. Our job is to show other humans the wonder of a reef and get them to think of that when they consider the oceans; and to tell other newer hobbyists what's safe and what isn't. Long as I've been at this, I've never known an elegance to be a problem, but in the ocean, we do get surprised. You didn't intend it. I'd post the problem in appropriate places so the knowlege gets passed. That's what you can do. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, chromis, royal gramma basslet, tailspot blenny, ocellaris clown, yellow watchman, chestnut turbo snails, bristleworms, couple of hermits.

02/24/2021, 12:38 PM	#3
71Percent Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: New York City Posts: 79	Thanks for the well-written response. Very good points and makes me feel better. I have a few galaxia corals and the elegance takes the prize for the most potent/aggressive. On a good note, the star has started moving again, but looks like it lost most of two arms. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk