48Hours Wild SPS keep RTNing

[minsmarine]

Recently, I get 2 batchs of wild SPS ( Acro ). First batch was consit of 2 large colonies and second batch was consit of 4 large colonies. After placing in the tank, all of them gone ( almost on the same day ) RTN , 48 hours later.

First 48 hours were seem very very fine. Polys extended long ( so assumed their health is very good ) winthin 5 mins.

No color though , they didn't show any sign of stress.

Like very normal.

However after crossing 48hr,

They gone RTN, how fast I could frag , all the frags gone RTN within 5 hours.

First Batch, Tissue pop up from the center of the frag.

Second Batch, Tissue pop up from the top.

While RTN, the whole tissue of the frag is still attach ( not gone RTN by piece by peice ). Still could see poly extending while the whole tissue is no longer attatched to body.

For that both 48hrs,

There was nothing change.

No change in lighting. ( Light was off 2 hr after placing )

No chemical added.

Flow rate reduced to 60% from 100% ( Tunze TS12 ).

No touching after placing.

No life Stock added.

Smell of SPS is in the water.

All my other SPS ( most are aqua cultured, Iwarna , some other reefers ) are doing fine as usual. No color lose, no poly lose ( still extending as b4 ), no stress shown.

So what could be wrong ?

Funny thing is the colony from big colony, is doing very very fine in other people tank.

Could that be my tank water to clean or dirty for wild SPS ?

Water Parameter

NO2 0

NO3 2

PH 8.3

PO4 1.0

Ca 450-500

Kh 9

All test kits are salifert.

Temp 26.5-28.

Light 6 T5 ( 4 x 20K, 2 x 10K ). Tubes are just 8" from all SPS base.

[andysho]

did you dose your sps into lugols solution , esp if you have brought

any new one recently

[minsmarine]

did you dose your sps into lugols solution , esp if you have brought

any new one recently

Nope , I don't and didn't.

All others SPS are seem and doing fine only for those wild version.

[Achilles Tang]

RTN is a mystery to reefkeeping.

Perhaps you should be mindful when choosing any specimens that stress factors or disease could cause RTN and there's really nothing you can do.

It's a risk that you take... but you can minimise it by the 'smell durian' test. Too stinky or too sweet smelling is my personal benchmark for suspect specimens.

[minsmarine]

Thank AT,

I do durian test for all my SPS and so far it's successful. However for the wild version, I was not able to do the test as it's already deliver.

But I am still wonder why 48hrs ? It's not only me. I frag a few frags and pass to my friend on the same day also gone RTN suprising that it's 15km away from my house and all gone RTN at the SAME TIME.

Do you think they have lifespen ?

[FuEl]

Hmmm...If only the wild colonies have problems...it might not be surprising. Captive propagated specimens tend to be tougher compared to wild-collected specimens. Different origins might be a factor too. An analogy would be like...people living in africa might have certain immunity to malaria..but if singaporeans were to visit africa..the chances of getting malaria without first taking a vaccination jab is very high. Get what I'm trying to say? In other words there could be a pathogen of some sort in your tank in which wild sps have no immunity against..while captive propagated sps do.

[Achilles Tang]

The stressor has already taken effect on the colony, frag or mother.

*shrug*

[minsmarine]

Thank FuEl and AT

Both of your comments and knowledge sharing had made my conclution stong. I totally agree with both of you.

[andysho]

i also have some wild acro goine RTN .. too late to save~~~

RTN is still a mystery till today~~~ so now i prefer to buy

aquaculture.. it seems that colour hold longer too~~

just my point of view

[surfedelic]

I think alot of the wild sps is not used to our tank parameter. I have one piece I bought also RTN .... i put so much super glue until half of the sps looks plastic and finally the RTN stopped.

[minsmarine]

Stop where ?

[surfedelic]

The entire base almost RTN and only the branches still ok. Now i am seeing some growth on the glued area -top down.

From the past, I always frag them up but I am trying differently now because i noticed one of the colony that I frag is still taking a long time to recover its color. Probably due to the stress from fragging.

[minsmarine]

The entire base almost RTN and only the branches still ok. Now i am seeing some growth on the glued area -top down.

From the past, I always frag them up but I am trying differently now because i noticed one of the colony that I frag is still taking a long time to recover its color. Probably due to the stress from fragging.

One of my aquacultured colony gone RTN 3 days ago and now stop. Top Center portion left with poly extending while whole base and left and right side gone. This is my first experience that RTN take 3 days to wipe out a small colony. May be this colony is so healthy or because I didn't do anything.

This time, I left nature to take cause. Didn't do anything, no touch, left it as it. It strated from left side of colony and gone down to base and gone to right. But center top portion is untouched.

Kinda funny , and closely monitoring.

[clammy]

tsk tsk tsk...

why are you guys buying wild pieces anyway? Especially when aquacultured ones are now available... Save a few bucks but kill a bit of the ocean at te same time??

[firestream]

sorry but what's RTN ?

[surfedelic]

One of my aquacultured colony gone RTN 3 days ago and now stop. Top Center portion left with poly extending while whole base and left and right side gone. This is my first experience that RTN take 3 days to wipe out a small colony. May be this colony is so healthy or because I didn't do anything.

This time, I left nature to take cause. Didn't do anything, no touch, left it as it. It strated from left side of colony and gone down to base and gone to right. But center top portion is untouched.

Kinda funny , and closely monitoring.

I also have one aquaculture pc - RTN very fast - like what you say 3 days .... i applied glue the first day ....still RTN ...second day yet the third it still continue to RTN ... I finally take the painful decision to Frag it. Man .... it depends on luck to save this guy ..... .... even though it is aquaculture or wild .... if RTN starts .... better stay alert ..... and start fragging ... when nothing else seems to stop ....

Wah you very gungho ... dont do anything ... me dare not take the risk .. I am afraid the RTN will spread throughout the tank.... one piece 50 - 60 bucks ... heartbroken ... to see it spreads. So if you start glueing or fragging from the left side -it wouldn't have spread to the base ...

clammy,

Regardless of whether aquaculture or wild ... once the guy decides to go RTN .... you have to start praying ...

[clammy]

I dont really care if the whole tank of sps start RTNing if there's such a term..

My point is why contribute to the destruction of the seas by buying wild harvested sps..

Of cos if the sps is harvested from singapore waters, then i say by all means, since the government is killing every bit of life in our waters anyway... at least the coral will have some of its glory left in our marine tanks..

If everybody buys wild sps, then the people who promote this hobby AND bearing conservation in mind, will stop aquaculturing due to the extra costs, time taken.. Sure makes no business sense..

I think a premium SHOULD be paid, and WILLINGLY too, for aquacultured pieces.. for all such efforts in conservation anyway.. You wouldnt buy turtle shells just to decorate your living room, would you? or buy a siberian tiger fur coat.. I have no qualms in wearing crocodile leather tho.. See the difference?

My sad 2cents

[minsmarine]

I also have one aquaculture pc - RTN very fast - like what you say 3 days .... i applied glue the first day ....still RTN ...second day yet the third it still continue to RTN ... I finally take the painful decision to Frag it. Man .... it depends on luck to save this guy ..... .... even though it is aquaculture or wild .... if RTN starts .... better stay alert ..... and start fragging ... when nothing else seems to stop ....

Wah you very gungho ... dont do anything ... me dare not take the risk .. I am afraid the RTN will spread throughout the tank.... one piece 50 - 60 bucks ... heartbroken ... to see it spreads. So if you start glueing or fragging from the left side -it wouldn't have spread to the base ...

clammy,

Regardless of whether aquaculture or wild ... once the guy decides to go RTN .... you have to start praying ...

It's not I gungho this time, I have experience that, this is my 5th time if I am correct rememberly.

Previously, I was like you, will start gluing in 1st hour of RTN ( not 1st day ), kiasu will glue even STN, move to better postion. If RTN than to low flow, if STN than to higher flow, higher light so on so forth. After that , they still gone ?

So its my first time, I told myself, let me see what would happen if I don't touch. As I guess, almost the whole colony gone except center top portion part left with all the poly extending.

Yea, I paid 60 for this colony it's painful. And I was wonder how the nature cause and let it happen. So far I am happy at least it's still left with 25%.

[junyong84]

how do u tell if its wild or captive bred?

[lightningstrike]

how do u tell if its wild or captive bred?

u will notice that there will always be something artificial, e.g. bottle cap, epoxy, etc as the base as anchor for aquacultured sps.