pagoda coral not opening....

[pod]

thought i'd get some feedback on why suddenly my pagoda coral is not opening.

here's a pic of the entire tank and the coral.

i've had it for about 3 weeks, and it opened up nicely for about 2 weeks... then all of a sudden it closed and would not open again. as you can see from the tank pic, it's placed high and with mod-high flow. (running T5HO lights).

water parameters:
ammo/nitrite 0
nitrate 10
SG 1.023
ph 8.3
temp 78-79
dkh 11
Ca 400

only thing that i have changed is that i'm using kalk water (RO) for topoff, and dripping it in every other night. the ca is up to 420 now... ph stable.

 

[yote]

Any chance theres something munching on it?
Theres several types of nudibranch that'll eat specific corals,not to mention other things that come with em.

Thats the only thing I can think of right now.

 

[HAWKS12thMAN]

i have some polyps that wont open for weeks at a time..... And when they do there bigger, brighter, and mor beautiful than ever. never could figure out why they do it.

 

[pod]

I think I found the culprit.... I got up this am and saw half of my hammer destroyed... I can only guess that it's my one and only peppermint shrimp. I got him out and placed in my 10 gallon QT. Anyone with similar experience?

 

[Bifferwine]

Weird that it's the peppermint shrimp, they are usually thought to be pretty harmless.

 

[yote]

Never had any problems out of my pepperment.But if he ever decides he likes the taste of coral,,he'll be a BBQed shrimp.

 

[HAWKS12thMAN]

i have never heard of a peppermint shrimp doing that.... what else is in you tank..... any stars?

 

[pod]

i only have two small serpent stars (LR hitchhikers). i've actually seen my peppermint shrimp nibbling at my mushrooms... but that was a while ago. maybe he ran out of things to eat... we'll see.

 

[d.french]

bad things is some stores sell peppermint shrimp that are really camel shrimps which are not reef safe and thats is what happens they munch up polyps, as for pagoda corals keep calcium and alk, up. i had one but didn't do well in my 125. i can keep lps in my 29gallon but not large tank just like zoos ican keep them in my small tank that is algae free but not big tank which has phosphate problems again been working alot and neglecting that tank. Give it some more time and watch what shrimp you buy, the only shrimp i would put in would be a fire shrimp and a cleaner shrimp.