Dying PomPom
Printed From: Utah Reefs
Category: Specialized Discussion
Forum Name: SPS
Forum Description: This is the place to ask questions SPS corals.
URL: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=28395
Printed Date: November 23 2024 at 10:28pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.03 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Dying PomPom
Posted By: DeepFriedOprah
Subject: Dying PomPom
Date Posted: September 28 2008 at 11:44pm
MY Pom Pom is dying and I am trying to find out why. I heard that this was a problem for several people a few winters ago. I HAD about 14 stalks of PomPom now I am down to three. It had been gowing like mad for the last 6 months . The pieces that have died were next to some that are still alive. They were scattered throughout the tank, high flow, low flow, intense light, and low light. I know they were not stung by anything. Today I have removed all but one of the dead pieces, and the ones that are alive have slowed their pulsating motion. Everyhing else in the tank is doing well. I gave one piece to another member and his did not make it either. The dying ones have gone from white in color to grey.
At time of death
N03: no trace
PH: 8.2
Dkh: 7.2 now 10+
CA: 380 now 440
Temp: 77~78
Salinity: 1.024
15 gallons water change last week (total system volume 95 gallons)
I do not run AC.
P.S. I got the PomPom from JAMISON at the first of the year, this is only mentioned to see if anybody else's is dying from his mother colony.
Jason ------------- "So, Just right in half? I have a very large one, Like 4" that I would like to frag, as well as a few smaller ones" Cameron |
Replies:
Posted By: Dion Richins
Date Posted: September 29 2008 at 12:31am
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Iodine........................................ ------------- http://www.customaquariumfurniture.com" rel="nofollow - Bad "censored" Cabinets Best quality in the valley! He is one sexy bald guy, even with out a finger!(MAC) |
Posted By: DeepFriedOprah
Date Posted: September 29 2008 at 9:26am
I can get that checked. ------------- "So, Just right in half? I have a very large one, Like 4" that I would like to frag, as well as a few smaller ones" Cameron |
Holdencraft 33 wrote:Posted By: Mike Savage
Date Posted: September 29 2008 at 2:26pm
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Verify that your hydrometer/refractometer is reading correctly too. I would have suspected Alkalinity was low but you tested it as being fine. Mike -------------  |
Posted By: BobC63
Date Posted: September 29 2008 at 2:42pm
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Is something picking at it?
My Coral Beauty will occasionally nip at my Silver Tip and the affected polyps shrivel up; if it does it enough the whole stalk dies off - but I have so much that I don't care
 Interestingly enough, though, the CB doesn't bother the Pom Pom at all (maybe the 2 types "taste" different?)
------------- - My Current Tank: 65g Starfire (sitting empty for 2+ years) - * Marine & Reef tanks since 1977 * |
Posted By: DeepFriedOprah
Date Posted: September 29 2008 at 11:05pm
Bob,
I have not seen any fish come close to nipping at this. I will test for iodine tomorrow.
Jason ------------- "So, Just right in half? I have a very large one, Like 4" that I would like to frag, as well as a few smaller ones" Cameron |
Posted By: Jasob
Date Posted: September 30 2008 at 11:14am
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I used to have silver tip xenia in my tank and it would grow like mad. I got pom pom xenia as well and it is stable. For some reason about 1.5 years ago the silver tip died off but the pom pom is still going strong. I'd guess it has something to do w/ things like iodine you don't usually test for. So may do a few more water changes of the next few days and keep an eye on it. Also any new additions or a coral near it that could be annoying the pom pom? ------------- Jason Tooele, UT |
Posted By: sukie
Date Posted: September 30 2008 at 3:15pm
| In my 27gal nano tank - could not keep pom-pom to save my life but I could keep other types of xenia. I don't know why. . . |
Posted By: freetibet
Date Posted: October 01 2008 at 9:51am
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my pom pom was doing good and very big now its dying off slowly. now i have a small one and thats dying off ------------- 40 breeder, TEK T5 6x39 7 months Quote by Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama "My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness." Salt lake city,Ut |
Posted By: BobC63
Date Posted: October 01 2008 at 6:03pm
Both my Silver Tip and White Pom Poms are growing very well 
I really don't have an answer to "what I am doing right"...
- I don't dose or test for Iodine/Iodide
- I do perform small bi-weekly water changes (about 7% biweekly) as opposed to larger but less frequent changes
- My tank flow situation is such that they are both in areas of "medium flow" and both are located around mid level in a 30" deep tank (so maybe 12 - 15" below the water surface)
- I run 250w 14K halides that are about 8" - 10" above the water surface (so approx 20 - 25" from bulb to coral) and I run these for 12 hrs / day
- water temp is right around 78 - 79F and pretty stable (less than 2.5F fluctuation from high to low)
- I do not feed any specific "coral food" to the tank; no phyto or liquid supplements either
My Silver Tip does have individul "stalks" die off but more always grow in to take their place... I have not seen this happen at all with the Pom Pom
------------- - My Current Tank: 65g Starfire (sitting empty for 2+ years) - * Marine & Reef tanks since 1977 * |
Posted By: DeepFriedOprah
Date Posted: October 01 2008 at 6:40pm
You do run AC and phosban remover all the time correct? ------------- "So, Just right in half? I have a very large one, Like 4" that I would like to frag, as well as a few smaller ones" Cameron |
Posted By: BobC63
Date Posted: October 01 2008 at 6:58pm
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Yes I run AC and pO4 remover 24/7/365 and I change the AC once a month and the pO4 remover about once every 6 months ------------- - My Current Tank: 65g Starfire (sitting empty for 2+ years) - * Marine & Reef tanks since 1977 * |
Posted By: DeepFriedOprah
Date Posted: October 10 2008 at 12:47am
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I have added Lugols solution and started running A/C. But it was to little to late wether or not it would have helped. All previously existing pom pom is dead. But I have noticed at least three new starts of pom pom, two have multiple polyps and one is just one polyp. Hopefully these will fully grow out.
This leads me to think that nothing was wrong with the parameters, because nothing was changed in the tank when I noticed these new little starts. So the renaining dead pieces will be left in the tank to run their natural course. ------------- "So, Just right in half? I have a very large one, Like 4" that I would like to frag, as well as a few smaller ones" Cameron |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: October 10 2008 at 1:40pm
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I wrote an article about this many years ago. It's in the June 2000 Sea Star titled "The Lessons of Xenia".
Here is the link:
http://www.utahreefs.com/SeaStar/wmasSeaStarJn00.pdf - http://www.utahreefs.com/SeaStar/wmasSeaStarJn00.pdf
A brief mention in the article advises us that, a while after disintegration (1 week to 2 months IME), small starts of Xenia may be found in other areas of the tank. It may be that this is a simple reproductive response; a way to spread their seed.  ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member 
|
Posted By: DeepFriedOprah
Date Posted: December 13 2008 at 12:24am
Well here is an update on the POMPOM. It all completely died and I have several starts scattered throughout the tank. I believe what Marks article says about it dying and reproducing. Here is what it looked liked while dying:
 Here is a new start
 and another:
 ------------- "So, Just right in half? I have a very large one, Like 4" that I would like to frag, as well as a few smaller ones" Cameron |
Posted By: Andreason
Date Posted: December 13 2008 at 11:42am
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I have plenty if you want some more. Not the silver tips though, just the regular pulsating.
Wendy ------------- Andreason's |
Posted By: DeepFriedOprah
Date Posted: December 21 2008 at 10:04am
Thnaks Wendy, but I have over a dozen new starts so I will have plenty here shortly! ------------- "So, Just right in half? I have a very large one, Like 4" that I would like to frag, as well as a few smaller ones" Cameron |
Posted By: DeepFriedOprah
Date Posted: December 21 2008 at 10:05am
Thanks Wendy, but I have a dozen new starts, so I will have plenty here shortly!
Jason ------------- "So, Just right in half? I have a very large one, Like 4" that I would like to frag, as well as a few smaller ones" Cameron |