ClarkiiCircus Posted April 23, 2012 Share Posted April 23, 2012 Hi there, Looks like my 4 headed torch is headed south very quickly. Had water tested the other day at RCA, and they said nothing was out of the ordinary. Anyone have experience with brown jelly disease? Honestly not sure if that is what it truly is. 2 of the heads have dramatically receded and are becoming skeletal. If nothing works, can someone help me frag it to save the remaining 2 heads? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClarkiiCircus Posted April 23, 2012 Author Share Posted April 23, 2012 dip or frag or both? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victoly Posted April 23, 2012 Share Posted April 23, 2012 Any other tank changes recently? Lighting? Livestock additions? I've got a dremel and could help you frag it if you're willing to come south (oak hill). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juiceman Posted April 23, 2012 Share Posted April 23, 2012 Too much flow can be an issue. Also intense lighting. So kind of recent change? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+dapettit Posted April 23, 2012 Share Posted April 23, 2012 I have a dremel as well as a bone cutter. Northeast Austin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mFrame Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 In the last three years I have lost three very large, previously very healthy torch colonies to brown jelly. Here's what I have learned: If you have other corals of the Euphyllia family or similar corals (frogspawn, hammers) - REMOVE THE INFECTED TORCH IMMEDIATELY. Brown jelly is highly contagious and will wipe them all out. When you remove the infected coral in order to either frag off the sick heads or to remove it as a whole, place a ziploc bag into the tank and cover the coral with it before trying to move it. Otherwise the jelly will drift off like mucous and land throughout your tank. You want to contain as much of it and remove it as possible. Frag off any sick heads at the branch of the skeleton. Any heads that are "iffy" should go as well, it's not worth the risk. You can break the skeleton easy with a pair of wire cutters. Do not put the healthy frags back into the same location in the tank. The original coral was made vulnerable either by too much or lack of flow, and the jelly is most likely still in the water column. A small QT tank should be used just for the healthy heads and new salt water should be used in the tank versus using existing tank water. I wish you the best. I have tried dipping with a variety of different projects, and the most success I had was with Lugol's solution. Ultimately I lost all of the colony each time (one was a 50+ head colony the size of a volleyball. I have a 12g Eclipse system I use periodically for QT, it has a built in filter and light. You are welcome to borrow it to use as a QT tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mFrame Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 Take a look here: http://reefdreams.de/lang_eng/info_13_eng.html And talk to the guy sat the Aqua-Dome or RCA and see if they can help you find the antiobiotic mentioned in the article (the antibiotic chloramphenicol). Either way, best of luck, and please let us know how it works out - especially if you're able to save the remaining heads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClarkiiCircus Posted April 24, 2012 Author Share Posted April 24, 2012 Awesome, thanks for the info. Ill move it now, I just broke down my QT after "curing" a clown from ick. Guess, Ill set it back up. Ill go look for that antibiotic this week. Thanks again, Ill keep you posted how it goes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClarkiiCircus Posted April 25, 2012 Author Share Posted April 25, 2012 Just an update: fragged off the 2 dead heads this evening. Took them out of the water to toss them to TOTAL decomposition and a horrendous smell that filled the bathroom. Planning on attempting to order the antibiotic soon. Anyone have any experience with iodine dips? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mFrame Posted April 25, 2012 Share Posted April 25, 2012 Lugol's solution is iodine. You can't buy straight Iodine anymore but you should still be able to get Lugol's. I can tell you I tried it and it had no apparent effect on brown jelly. If you still have healthy heads on the Torch, I would not delay. Contact a vet or your doctor and get the antibiotic as soon as possible, jelly spreads incredibly quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClarkiiCircus Posted April 27, 2012 Author Share Posted April 27, 2012 Final torch head appears to be DOA to the treatment solution Can brown jelly also infect anemones? How do i get the protazoa out of my tank?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mFrame Posted April 27, 2012 Share Posted April 27, 2012 Final torch head appears to be DOA to the treatment solution Can brown jelly also infect anemones? How do i get the protazoa out of my tank?! No, it pretty much exclusively targets the Euphyllia family (torches, frogspawn, hammers) . Your anemones should be fine. After my first bout with it I waited a few months and got another torch. Lost it. Several months later lost another. Now it's been over a year and I have healthy heads of hammers and torches in the tank, so it will eventually clear up. I did notice in all my bouts with it that the initial infection seemed to come after the coral was damaged. My torch would fall off the live rock to the sand, or get bumped, or have some other trauma that weakened it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+deangelove Posted April 27, 2012 Share Posted April 27, 2012 Are you using an UV Sterilizer? If not, adding one to your system might be helpful. What are the Nitrate, Phosphate, & Silicate levels of your tank? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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