QT and Nutrient Question

schigara

schigara

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Jan 2, 2005
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Memphis, Tn
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Anyone ever experienced negative effects on corals or clams right after pulling all fish out to be QT'd?

I am wondering if the lack of fish waste has caused the problems in my display tank. 2 days after QT'ing all the fish, the pulsing xenia shriveled up and died. A few days later, the Gold Teardrop Maxima's mantle started to pinch. A Monti Cap went from a dark orange to now pink color. Green fuzzy looking SPS is no longer green. Millipora and Blue Tipped Acro are unchanged. Small 2.5 inch Maxima is fine as well.

None of the test results have shown any real change. Display went fishless on Dec.9th

PH 8.0-8.1 all day and night
Dkh- 9.0
Ca-430
Temp-79.5-80.5
Amm-0
Nitrites-0
Nitrates-<.5
Mag-1330
Phosphates-undetectable

Can the lack of fish and fish waste cause problems to corals and inverts that are accustomed to the fish and watse being present?
 
I think I just found the problem. I was reading and noticed this at Fosters about Emerald Crabs "They are an opportunistic feeder, and if food is not available to them, they may turn to supplementing their diet with corals or invertebrates".

All the lights in the tank are off and I went over with a flashlight and found 1 of my 2 Emerald crabs straddling the Maxima and picking at the mantle. I pulled the crab out and put him in the refugium. Now I just need to find the other one.

I guess I wasn't far off. The lack of food being put in the tank has caused a total lack of algae for the crabs to eat. I haven't had to clean the glass once in the past 2 weeks and the sand has been beautifully clean.

Hopefully this explains what happened to the Xenia and the SPS that have changed.
 
I' doubt I'll will put them back in the display. i think I will leave them to eat the excess stuff that ends up in the refugium.

Unfortunately, I didn't catch this problem soon enough. The large Maxima was non responsive and totally retracted and shriveled up inside it's shell this morning.
 
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