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R.T.N.

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paulataylor View Drop Down
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    Posted: January 27 2003 at 3:23pm

 I may have a problem with so called R.T.N., the tissue has been pealing off some of my acros the last several days.

Every thing else is doing great and the water tests fine.

Has any body had this problem, if so how did you deal with it?

Paul A. Taylor
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Mark Peterson View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mark Peterson Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 27 2003 at 10:50pm

My understanding of RTN is that it's not a tissue peeling issue - it's a tissue mortality and bleaching white issue. I am not too familiar with this condition, but it might be helpful to look at what changes have occurred in the tank lately, like within the last month or two. Also think about chemical warfare that goes on between coral. How long have you had these pieces and was there any dead or peeling tissue when you got them. How long has your tank been set up? Hows it's bilogical filtration. Is the skimmer working properly. A skimmer is almost essential for acropora, in my opinion. Anything else die lately?

Mark

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Jake Pehrson View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Jake Pehrson Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 28 2003 at 1:50pm

If the tissue continues to recede then I would recommend cutting of the good parts from your acros and attaching them elsewhere in your tank (making sure to cut well above the RTN).  This usually stops the RTN (in my experience).

Jake Pehrson

Murray

coralplanet.com

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Jared B View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Jared B Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 28 2003 at 2:57pm

RTN, rapid tissue degeneration, or rapid tissue necrosis as they are referred to can be toxic to all of the acros, or even other sps corals in your tank.  The book Aquarium Corals by Borneman has a section on this (p.381-384).  The recommendation provided there is as follows "If RTN is detected in any specimen in the display aquarium, it should be removed from the tank as soon as possible to avoid triggering further RTN reactions in healthy corals. . . then the coral branches may be broken off, or fragmented, well ahead of the area where tissue loss has begun.  The healthy-looking fragments should be removed to a quarantine facility for at least several days before being returned to the tank.  The remainder of the affected coral should be discarded entirely.  RTN is almost invariably fatal, and its presence should be acted on quickly.  It is one of the few times where fast action is required by the aquarist to prevent the loss of one or many corals."  Some people also report success with Lugol's dips.  The cause is almost always due to a stress that the coral has gone through; ie., shipping, acclimation, placement in the tank.  During shipping, many corals secrete a lot of mucous.  This, coupled with the fact that they are in stagnant water, can trigger RTN.  If they are not taken care of at your LFS, and quickly passed on to us, RTN may be lying in wait.  RTN can either be the result of a specific pathogen, or a result of the coral digesting its own tissue.   HTH - Jared.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote paulataylor Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 28 2003 at 5:28pm

 Thanks for the advise, I did remove the mother coral head and fraged into several pieces on sunday, as of last night they were doing well, it did spread to other acros but after a 10 gal water change it has stopped. (90 gal tank).

It could have been placement in the tank, I put it lower in the tank about 2 months ago to accumlate but never moved it up because it looked great and was growing.

I have not had any problems with any thing else it all appears to be thriving.

I dont have a skimmer and the tank was set up in aug 02, dont have any type of mecanical filter only a sump with culerpa and 24 hr light in sump.

never had any thing but "0" amonia, nitrate, nitrite, phospate etc. ph is 8.3,

calicum is 400 etc, etc, etc. every thing is to within specs, for the most part, but I know there is some type of protien in the tank because the glass needs to be cleaned every day. and the culerpa grows at least .5 inch per day,I harvest about a quart every saturday, im starting to wonder if it would make good mulch for the house plants.

no hair problems yet, except on my head.

If any thing changes I will let you all know.

 

Paul A. Taylor
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Mark Peterson View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mark Peterson Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 30 2003 at 3:46pm

I don't understand, why would acropora need to go to the bottom of the tank to acclimate? It needs lots of light and water movement so should always be placed in bright light and fast water!

Again, I recommend a skimmer.

In my experience, Acropora does not like it when there is a lot of caulerpa. That's because caulerpa adds it's own chemicals to the water.

You should look for other "non-caulerpa" algaes for your refugia, in fact if you haven't heard, caulerpa can suddenly dissolve, and in as little as 12 hours all the nutrients captured by the caulerpa are back into the aquarium water.

I think caulerpa is too salty for the house plants.

Just a warning, but within the first year of a tanks life it goes through all kinds of changes and adjustments as the biological filtration and the ecology change. Lots of stuff grows up and then dies off as other things grow and compete for their new home.

Mark

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote paulataylor Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 01 2003 at 11:08pm

I will explain better, it was in the middle of the tank not the bottom because the tank it came out of did  not have as intense lighting as I do and I did not want to burn it.

And from what I have read about culerpa its just like every thing else you have to maintain it properly or it will go into a reproduction cycle and cellphane to mush.  as in keep trimmed so light can penetrate and keep it off the top of the water.

Any way the RTN thing went away as fast as it showed up, havent had any problem for a week now, it appears like it stopped as soon as I did a water change, and I followed Jared b. fragging  instructions and its all good for now.

pt

Paul A. Taylor
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