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FAQs about Dendrophylliid Coral Systems
Related Articles: Dendrophylliid
Corals, Related FAQs:
Dendrophylliids 1, Dendrophylliids 2,
Dendrophylliid Identification,
Dendrophylliid Behavior,
Dendrophylliid Compatibility,
Dendrophylliid Selection,
Dendrophylliid Feeding,
Dendrophylliid Disease,
Dendrophylliid Reproduction, Stony/True
Coral, Coral System Set-Up,
Coral System Lighting, Stony Coral
Identification, Stony Coral Selection,
Coral Placement,
Foods/Feeding/Nutrition,
Disease/Health, Propagation,
Growing Reef Corals, Stony
Coral Behavior, | MD.JPG)
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Duncanopsammia axifuga - Question for Sara M.? Gen. care, sys.
07/07/08
Dear Crew,
I have noticed that more and more LFS are
selling "Duncan" or "Whisker" corals, i.e., Duncanopsammia axifuga.
Unfortunately, there is not a lot of information available regarding
these large polyps stonies, and the information that is available is not
consistent.
<Yes, I have noticed that too.>
For instance,
suggestions for lighting differ from site to site--some say low light
some say high light, and one site says "1 to 4 watts per gallon" (...uh,
could you be a little more specific?).
<LOL I hate those "watts per
gallon" recommendations. I get this image of light-bulb soup. But never
mind that... yeah, it makes no sense. "Watts per gallon" takes no
account of type of lighting or depth of the tank, etc. It's just a
ridiculous way to try and estimate lighting needs (imo).>
In any
event, given the rising popularity of this coral, I was wondering
whether Sara M. planned to add this coral and its care requirements to
her wonderful website, www.asira.org?
<Yes, I have been planning to.
However, like you, I'm at a loss to know their actual care requirements
(too many conflicting reports). Sure, I could make a pretty good guess
based on what most LPS need, but I'd like to find someone (better yet, a
few people) who have been keeping them well for awhile so I can get a
better idea of what to recommend. Please do ask around, and send me what
info you have (my personal email is XXXX)--[note to BobF, you can't post
this publically please]. Done. RMF>
I really do love this beautiful
coral and would like to get a frag for my 30g tank in which I keep a
Yellow Watchman Goby/Pistol Shrimp and a Pearly Jawfish, but I'm
concerned that the lighting isn't enough--4x24W HO T5s (2x10,000K and
2x460nm actinics).
<I do *think* this would be enough if the coral
were well fed. It does seem like most LPS tend to do ok with lower
lighting if you make up for it with target feeding.>
Every LFS
owner/employee with whom I've spoken about this coral raves about its
growth rate and how they've been able to keep a few colonies and frag
them off with regularity--which always makes me ask them ... "So why are
you selling it at $[insert ridiculous price] per polyp?"
<Haha...
supply, demand and hype. Just as with the Acan craze, the stores will
sell them for what people will pay. But try not to judge them too
harshly. With all the e-venders popping up everywhere, and the economy
slumping, I imagine a lot of these places are struggling just to stay
afloat (unfortunately).>
Thanks!
Andy
<Thank you,
Sara M.>
Re: Duncanopsammia axifuga - Question for Sara M.? -07/08/08
Thanks for the quick reply! I see a lot of people on Reef Central
talking about the Duncans, and they truly are the craze at all my
LFS--sell out very quickly. One tiny LFS is actually very reasonable on
all his corals, and sells Duncans at $20 per polyp.
<That's not too
bad if it's a fast growing coral (imo).>
My favorite LFS is
ridiculous--$150 for a 3 polyp frag.
<Yikes>
The only information
I have about these is what I hear from fellow hobbyists/LFS owners.
Apparently, they are very easy to keep, bud very quickly, and feed on
large zooplankton--mysis, etc. I've seen them kept in tanks with MH as
well as under (mostly actinic) T5s. If/when I find additional
information, I'll send it to you.
<These observations on care make
sense to me. Most "LPS" have similar feeding requirements and can adapt
to a wide range of lighting. I wouldn't expect these corals to be much
different. I'm still curious to know things like aggression (or lack
there of) and other such behavior that might be a little more unique to
these corals. As soon as I gather enough info and pics I'll definitely
make a care sheet for them.>
Andy
<Thanks,
Sara M.>
Coral advice 3/19/07
Greetings Crew,
<Hello
John, Brandon with you this evening.>
I enjoy your site and
visit it almost daily. What a great wealth of info. I tell everyone
I know that is into this hobby about your site and the Conscientious
Aquarist. Usually I can answer my questions in the FAQs, but I think
I need a little help from you on this one.
<I will give it a
shot.>
Anyway, about my tank: I have FOWLR that I am slowly
converting over to a reef. It is a 37 gallon tank (30"Lx22"H). I
have about 30lbs of base rock with 16lbs of Caribbean live rock on,
in and around it. The tank has been up for about 6 months, and all
of the current base rock and a few of the current inhabitants were
moved into this tank 6 months ago from a 29 gallon that I had
running as a FOWLR for about a year. I currently have Old SeaClone
100 skimmer, a Fluval 204 with pre-filter and Seachem matrix, and a
Penguin 170 power filter without the bio wheel. I use a surface
skimmer attachment on the Penguin intake and use a 100ml bag of
Purigen in the box.
For Lighting I have 2 Coralife 36watt dual
T5 fixtures. Each fixture has one 18w 10K and one 18w 03 bulb. I
know this is low lighting and I do not plan on keeping any corals
that require any better.
<You say this now… Once the bug has
bitten you…>
For fish, I have one False Perc, one African Pigmy
Angel, one Royal Gramma, one Banggai Cardinal, and one three stripe
Damsel (I know these guys can get pretty aggressive, but he was my
very 1st fish and I love the little guy).
<Nothing wrong with
that, as long as you are prepared to deal with the aggression.>
For Corals, I am just starting out . I have 2 small mushroom
colonies, a small frogspawn and a small brown button polyp.
<I
would at least look at a stronger lighting scheme. Not much
stronger, but a little.>
I also have one tube coral growing on a
piece of live rock, this is what my question is about.
<I am
guessing that this is what it was sold to you as?>
About 4 weeks
ago, I saw this piece of rock in a tank and my LFS, It has what
appears to be a tube coral growing on it (picture attached). I am
not sure if it is a tube maybe you can identify it by the picture.
<Never heard it called Tube Coral. More commonly called Sun
Coral. Scientifically known as Tubastrea sp.>
It did not look
real good, but the tank it was in had almost no circulation and no
lighting to speak of.
<This particular coral is azooxanthellate,
meaning that it does not need light to survive. You are going to
have to feed this coral, and you are going to have to feed it a
lot. I have two colonies, and I run through about six cubes of
Fortified Mysis shrimp every other day.>
I thought it was worth
trying to resurrect.
<Doh!>
The rock sat in my tank without
doing much for the last few weeks. Despite my efforts, the coral
did not gain any new color or growth, but I did notice it opening up
to accept food on rare occasion.
<You should be able to
support it if you are up to the challenge of hand feeding it, and
upgrading your skimmer, because the one you have will not handle the
amount of food that you are going to have to place in the tank for
this coral.>
I thought maybe I had mis-identified this specimen
and had something that my tank and lights would not support. Then,
the other day, I had to move some rock around due to a snail
attempting to aquascape my tank. I moved this rock with the tube
coral on it over to the other side of the tank when I noticed that
there is what appears to be some kind of rot or a parasite that has
created a large cavity on one side of the coral. It looks as if
something has actually borrowed out from the inside. The polyps
around this area are all dark and appear to be dead. I thought I
saw what looked like a brown worm swimming in the hole, but can't be
sure it was not just some foreign matter or a piece of the actual
coral.
<Sounds like a barnacle to me. I have one in my larger
colony of Tubastrea.>
Here are my concerns:
<Ok.>
Should
I pull this rock and coral out of my tank?
<If you are not up to
caring for it, yes I would remove the coral, and take it back to the
store where I got it.>
Do you have any idea, based on the
picture, what the problem is?
<Mentioned above.>
Is there a
risk to any of the other species of coral that I am keeping?
<Nope. Barnacles pick a place and stay. It will probably die off
after awhile. Barnacles don’t live long in home aquaria. For now
enjoy the diversity.>
If this is a parasite, and I pull out this
rock, is there anything I can do to attempt to save this coral?
<See above.>
Any advice you can offer will be greatly
appreciated.
<At this point your biggest concern should be the
care and feeding of the coral. This is not a species that is easily
cared for, and most expert aquarists won’t make the mammoth feeding
commitment that is necessary for this coral. You will need to make
a trip to a Pharmacy, I like Walgreen’s. Go to the Pharmacist, and
ask for a 3cc/5ml syringe. This is what you will feed the coral
with. Purchase some Selcon, or Zoe and Zoecon. Melt down about
three Mysis cubes, and soak them in one of the aforementioned
products for 10 - 15 minutes. Then suck up as much as the syringe
will hold. You should then proceed to GENTLY squirt each and every
individual polyp with a little of this food. In order to get them
to come out to begin with you will have to do this at night, after
you have turned off the tank lights. With time they can be
acclimated to come out to feed during the day. I have heard reports
that this particular coral needs to be in strong current. I have not
found this to be necessary for long term success, but I will say
that it is most likely needed as the polyp extension is much greater
with brisk water movement. You will need to feed each individual
polyp like this at least three times a week. If you want to ensure
long term health, you should be doing this every other day. As I
said before, this will greatly increase your bioload, and the
skimmer that you have will not handle this kind of feeding. I would
look into the Aqua-C Remora. Another resource for information that
you could find helpful can be found here,
http://www.melevsreef.com/suncoral.html. I am thinking about
writing an article specifically on Sun Coral for this site, and
seeing if Bob will put it up. So without further adieu, Good luck
with this coral. Brandon.><<Will gladly "put this up"... and WWM
will pay for it... I'll offer my image work free for your use...
Help you sell this work to/through the pulp press. RMF>> |
Re: coral advice... comp. f'? 3/21/07
Thanks Brandon,
for the quick and detailed response.
<No problem.>
After
reading your reply and researching further, I have come to the
conclusion that this is not the right coral for me, or rather; I
am not the right keeper for this coral.
<Sorry to hear
that. They can be quite rewarding.>
But after more
consideration, I think I would prefer to spend some time to try
to get this animal healthy, and sell or trade it to another
enthusiast who WILL make an appropriate keeper.
<There are
quite a few.>
If I just it back to the LFS they will likely
just throw it back in with their semi-cured Live rock.
<Not
uncommon.>
Now, unless another person spots it AND
recognizes it AND is willing to make the effort to properly
maintain it, this would be basically like throwing it away.
That just would not feel right.
<Agreed.>
Here is what I
am considering: I have a 2.5 gallon HEX tank with UG filter and
lights. I would like to set up a solitaire habitat for this
coral, and spend the next few weeks giving the daily or bi-daily
feedings it requires.
I would like to use the 2.5 gallon for
this, but will never find a skimmer that would fit. I do think
that it would be easy enough to change 25 to 50 percent of the
water two to three times weekly. For filtration, I would be
using an air driven UG plate with a bio-pad from my existing
filer placed underneath and cover it with crushed coral. I have
small submersible 50w heater that will fit in the tank as well.
This Sun Coral would be the only organism in this tank and it
will be a temporary situation.
<Hmmmm.>
Does this sound
like something that might work?
<I think that it would be
easier on you and the coral alike to try something a little
different. Get a deep bowl and place the coral in it. When you
want to feed it all you have to do is remove the bowl (water
still inside), and feed it that way. The left over food can be
discarded, and you can then place the bowl with the coral in it,
back into the tank. This method was proposed to me when I was
inquiring about keeping Tubastrea Micracantha. Brandon.> |
Green Tubastraea sp. Captive Care of Tubastraea micrantha 2/4/07
Hello All!
<Greetings! Mich here.>
Recently, after some
extensive research I have decided to purchase a nice piece of Sun Coral.
My hesitation was due to the fact that each polyp needed to be fed quite
regularly.
<Regular feeding is imperative.>
I began shopping for
a Sun Coral recently and came across a dark green one! I have never seen
one or even heard of it in such a color. I purchased it after taking the
advise of the LFS's manager that it was no different than the other Sun
Corals. My question basically is, was he right?
<Not so much. It is
in the same genus, but the species is different. It sounds like you
have Tubastraea micrantha. It could possibly be Tubastraea diaphana,
but I will assume it is the former. More info here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/dendrophylliidae.htm
This coral has a
notoriously poor survival record and requires a very fast current and
large amounts of food. I do hope you have a great protein skimmer.>
I have tried researching on the Internet and yes, WetWebMedia.com and
was not able to find any one mention a Sun Coral of this color,
although, there was a website with professional photography of reefs
around the world showing a green Sun Coral similar to mines, but no
mention of it otherwise.
The coral came with some smaller
YELLOW polyps beginning to grow around it. I will be feeding this coral
at least three times a week or can I cut down on the feedings.
<Should be fed daily.>
I culture my own phytoplankton and add about
one full plastic cup a day, 1/2 in the morning and 1/2 at night, can
this substitute the feedings?
<Malnutrition is the biggest challenge
these corals face in captivity, daily targeted feedings with mysids,
diced fish, and zooplankton soaked in Selcon would be most appropriate.>
In addition, I have been getting conflicting information on where I
can place the coral, in caves, dark areas, or in a lighted area?
<Where it can be most easily fed without getting so much light that it
get overgrown with algae.>
I would have liked to place the coral
higher up in my 24" tall 90 gallon tank where water flow is more
abundant, only problem is, I'm afraid the 150w halides may burn the
coral?
<Shouldn't burn it. I'd be more concerned about water flow
and feedings.>
Just so you know, I have an LPS dominant tank, 90
gallons with a 50 gallons tank used as a refuge with Caulerpas and
Chaetomorpha.
Thank you for any advice you can provide.
<Hope
you're up for a challenge my friend! -Mich> 115 Gallon
Lighting Selection - 09/04/06
Hi Crew,
<<Hello Ambrose>>
I've recently purchased a 115 gallon tank (60 long x 18 deep x 24 tall),
and am now exploring my lighting options.
<<This should be based on
your stocking plan>>
Ideally, I'd like to build an environment where
I can keep any specimen happy and long-lived.
<<This is not reality
my friend. All corals, invertebrates, even fish, will not prosper under
the same lighting scheme. You need to settle on a particular species,
or on a particular niche on the reef (fore-slope, back-reef,
rubble-zone, etc., etc.), and then gear your lighting to suit>>
I
love the "shimmer" effect halides have on tanks, and have decided to
include this as part of my setup.
<<Indeed...halides provide the
most "bang for the buck" in my opinion>>
Now the question remains,
how many bulbs, how many watts, and color temperature should I go with?
<<A quite suitable setup would be three 150w or 175w 10000K bulbs. You
could use higher wattages, but they aren't really necessary>>
Hence,
the details of my questions:
1. If a 60-inch fixture were used but
with only 2 MH bulbs - would this be strong enough for light to reach
the entire tank?
<<It is very likely you won't get an even "spread"
of light throughout the length of the tank...best to figure 1 bulb for
every 2' of tank length>>
Or am I better off with a 3-bulb system?
<<Yes>>
2. What is the optimal wattage for a 24 inch deep tank?
<<Again, this will depend mainly on the livestock you wish to keep. If
you plan an SPS dominated "high energy" environment then you may want to
consider 250w halides...else...an LPS or deepwater environment will do
fine under 150w or 175w bulbs...these lower wattages will even suffice
for a typical "garden variety" reef where the higher light demanding
organisms are placed higher up in the water column>>
3. If I go
with the 3 bulb setup, I'd like to have 2 x 10,000K bulbs on the far
ends, and a 14K bulb in the middle. Anything wrong with this?
<<You
can do this, though the difference in Kelvin will be noticeably
visible...you may want to supplement the end bulbs with actinics to
better "blend" the lighting else you may find you don't care for the
look>>
4. I have space for 4 more lights which I want to make
actinic. Is there any difference in using VHO or PC for these 4 spots
(they will all be actinic blue).
<<Not really, no. The actinics
serve mainly to please you (the aquarist) as the metal halide bulbs
contain more than enough light in the blue spectrum for the coral's
needs>>
5. Are there any differences between double-ended and
regular halide bulbs?
<<The double-ended bulbs tend to provide a bit
more intensity than the single-ended bulbs of like wattages...though
this may be largely a function of the type/style reflectors associated
re. But even so, many authors agree/feel the double-ended or "HQI"
bulbs are the better choice for high energy lighting systems
Why are
double ended ones more expensive?
<<because people are willing to
pay for what they perceive to be better. But, careful searching of the
NET will often yield sales/bargains>>
Thanks in advance for the
wealth of knowledge.
<<Is my pleasure to share>>
Look forward to
your response.
Best Regards,
Ambrose
<<Thank you for writing
so well. EricR>> Re: 115 Gallon Lighting Selection - 09/04/06
Thank you, Eric, for your prompt response, not to mention on labor day!
<<Hee-hee!...I reckon if Bob can do it, so can the rest of us!>>
<"Pleeeeeeze don't make a me leave the plantation!" RMF>
I have a few
further questions if you don't mind:
<<Shoot>>
When asked what
type of reef environment I'd like to keep, it might be easier to
describe what specimens I have interest in.
<<Ok>>
I plan to
keep at most 3 Acropora, at least 1 colony of Sun Coral, your standard
polyps and mushrooms, soft coral like Fingers, and other corals mostly
in the LPS and soft group.
<<Ah yes, the "garden variety" style of
reef keeping. Very popular, often the most attractive, but also often
the most difficult for long-term success due to the wide variation of
requirements/habitats/aggression/toxicity/tolerances among the differing
species. Researching each individual specimen "before" acquisition is
vital>>
I have also seen a species of coral in the trade while
traveling in Asia, but have not been able to find/identify it other than
on
Melev's Reef (http://www.melevsreef.com/pics/05/10/pico_1004.jpg).
According to the site, it is a Dendrophyllia,
<<Agreed>>
but I
have heard from Asian aquarists that it originates from Japan. Is there
a chance that you might point me in the right direction, as far as
lighting is concerned, and also what this species is?
<<Hmm...looks
very much like a Balanophyllia sp. (Orange-Cup Coral). Lighting is of
little concern as the coral contains no symbiotic algae. Care/feeding
will be very similar to that for Tubastraea sp. (Sun Coral)>>
Then
there is fish, but I assume that lighting for fauna is less of a
concern?
<<Mmm, the corals are reef "fauna" as well, but yes,
lighting is "usually" less problematic with fish...though keeping fish
from low-light environments (e.g. - Lionfish) under reef-type lighting
can often lead to blindness>>
a) What would be a good balance of
wattage for the metal halides?
(24 inch deep)
<<For your
tank/your stocking plan...the 150w or 175w halides will do fine>>
b)
What is the importance of a calcium reactor for this environment?
<<Depends on the concentration of calcium assimilating organisms in your
system...you may find frequent partial water changes to be quite
sufficient for keeping up with use/renewal of earth elements>>
c)
What is the ideal water flow considering the size of the tank as
well as the specimens kept?
<<Something in the 10x-20x tank volume
range...without blasting flesh from the corals and assuring elimination
of dead-spots>>
Again, really appreciate the knowledge passed.
<<A pleasure to assist>>
Ambrose
<<Regards, EricR>>
SUN POLYP GODDESS - 06/06/2006
Hi, I read the articles FAQ and u
mention that u live near the Goddess.
I would like to find out more
about her tank
< Know problem, best to email her directly >
Setup
/ filter / skimmer / nutrient control
Size of her tank/ Feeding
In
fact if I could would like to see it myself but I have over in the
Asia. Do u have pic of her tank or does she has a website homepage
<
Here are links to her sites
http://home.earthlink.net/~rapplegart/ and also
http://web.mac.com/suzynrob/iWeb/SaltwaterPlanted/LiveFeed.com.html >
thing that can quench my thirst on this biotope, setup and husbandry
< I believe you can email her at
rapplegart@earthlink.net. Be sure to tell her Adam sent you. >
Thanks
< No problem>
Steven
<Blundell>
Sun coral
biotope, poor English 6/5/06
Hello guys,
<... and
ladies...>
I would like to spealise
<Spiel on!>
and maintain
a suncoral biotope. Could you help guide me as to the steps or actions I
would need to do to achieve it?
<Maybe>
Background
I have a
210 Gallon aquarium (60'x30'x27')
Sump (30'x24'x18)
Filter
Aquamedic shorty 2 skimmer, Sponge, RowaPhos in media reactor.
Water
flow
Tunze wave box, Eheim 1262, Eheim 1260, Rio 20hf, Seio 820 and
620
Fish
Sohal tang, Yellow tang, regal tang, Falco Hawkfish,
flame angel, 2 green wrasse, 6 line wrasse, coral beauty angel.
Corals
Euphyllia, Fungia, Favia, Merulina, Trachyphyllia, 4 sun
corals, tube anemone,
<This last is misplaced... trouble>
100+
mushrooms (RF, Yuma, Discosoma) and BTA.
<This likely also in time>
others
Arcadia 3 series MH - 150watts x 2 and 30 watts x 2 actinic
Calcium reactor
Question:
1) I understand I would have to forgo
all non-photosynthetic corals. Am I rite?
<What is rite? Right?
Incorrect on both counts>
2) Do have to remove tangs to decrease the
Bio-load?
<Not likely, though the Sohal should be watched for
growing aggression>
3) Is my skimmer sufficient for the bio-load of
a tank stocked with sun corals?
<Likely so>
4) How many sun
coral colonies do you think I would need and can keep in a tank like
mine (assuming each colony is about the size of a fist)?
<...? I'd
try two, three>
5) Would fortnightly water change of 10% would be
sufficient?
<Try it and see>
6) Would plating coralline algae
continue to grow if MH is hardly used now?
<Depends on water
quality, presence of predators...>
7) What do u think of a setup of
this magnitude?
<U?>
Pls advise.
thanks
Steven
<Advice proffered. See WWM's coverage of Dendrophylliids. Bob Fenner>
Re: Sun coral biotope 6/6/06
Hello again,
Thanks for replying my email. Sorry for my short hand previously.
I
have still have so doubts in my mind, which I believe You would be able
to assist.
1) I understand I would have to forgo all
non-photosynthetic corals. (oops sorry I meant photosynthetic corals) Am
I rite (Right)?
<<Mmm, no... Tubastrea species may not be
photosynthetic, but can tolerate some light, and/or be situated in
darkened areas... Are not directly toxic to or from photosynthates>>
<What is rite? Right? Incorrect on both counts>
2) Do have to remove
tangs to decrease the Bio-load?
<Not likely, though the Sohal should
be watched for growing aggression>
3) Is my skimmer sufficient for
the bio-load of a tank stocked with sun corals?
<Likely so>I
understand there are Sulphur reactors available, that would help sun
coral feedings mentioned by Charles D. in one of his articles, but
feeding frozen food leaks out PO4, and I am right to say Sulphur
reactors does not help PO4 reduction but only NO3 levels?
<<Actually
do help reduce, remove soluble phosphate... indirectly>>
4) How many
sun coral colonies do you think I would need and can keep in a tank like
mine (assuming each colony is about the size of a fist)?
<...? I'd
try two, three> I have 3 fully open, and fourth yet to open since
acquisition, Has been 4 week already.
<<Some take more time...>>
5) Would fortnightly water change of 10% would be sufficient?
<Try
it and see>
6) Would plating coralline algae continue to grow if MH
is hardly used now?
<Depends on water quality, presence of
predators...>
7) What do u think of a setup of this magnitude?
<U?>
Thanks, the crew has always been a great helping hand.
Steven
<<Welcome. RMF>>
Tubastrea problem ... nano
lvstkg, Dendro. sys. 3/29/06
Hi Crew,
<Aaron>
I hope you guys can help me narrow down a problem I have. I
have a 15g nano setup bare bottom with a BakPak dual, 4x13 watt T5 and
two powerheads for flow. There is about 15 pounds of live rock in the
tank.
For occupants I have
3 feather dusters
10 Blue Leg
Hermits
15 or so Astrea snails
1 1" percula clown
1 firefish
1 Red Scooter Blenny
These were the occupants of my FO tank I broke
up to make a reef tank, I've added the following coral frags.
2
Ricordea Polyps
1 Trachyphyllia
3 colonies of Protopalythoa
1 unidentified zoanthid
1 small Xenia colony
1 Lobophytum
1
Sarcophyton
1 6"x6" mat of Green Star polyps
<Very hard to keep
such a "garden" mix of cnidarians in good health in such a small
volume...>
I feed a variety of things, usually a fix of live
rotifers and phytoplankton but also zooplankton and Artemia. Regular
feeding of mysis to the
Trachyphyllia. Everything has exhibited
good health and growth, Protopalythoa growth is actually kind of out of
control.
<And toxic>
I've never had any trouble with my water
parameters ammonia and Nitrites always test 0, Nitrate <10, calcium
between 400 and 450. I dose iodide once a week and maintain the other
elements with HBH balance blocks.
About 3 weeks ago I added a nice
dark orange Tubastrea and I could never get it to open up for me,
<Open at night time...>
I tried every kind of food you can
imagine. After a while I noticed that both the Sarcophyton that was
quite close to the Sun
Polyps was kind of droopy and that the
Lobophytum that was clear across the tank was also not looking quite
itself. I didn't think much of it at first, those corals can be kind of
moody but when they didn't come around in a few days I tested, did a
water change and switched the carbon I had in the skimmer outflow. No
change.
On a hunch I moved the Tubastrea to my frogfish
tank. Within hours the polyps had started to swell up more and tonight
I got it to open up a little bit with some mysis. The softies in the
other tank have also started to come around as well.
<Ah, good>
Problem solved? Not really. I have a new system I hope to have
finished this week, it's a 20g with a 20g sump that has a large fuge
area I was planning on keeping the frogfish (Histiophryne bougainvilli)
in. I
<Unusual:
http://filaman.ifm-geomar.de/Summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=24733>
was
planning on taking both the smaller tanks down. Can you offer any
advice on how I can keep the softies and the Tubastrea in the same tank?
<Mmm, not likely going to be able to. There is just too much allelopathy
amongst the mix you present. I would trade in what you have to unless
you can reconcile to having more than one, and larger systems. Bob
Fenner>
Cup coral 9/30/05
I bought a Turbinaria
(cup coral). It was polyped in the store. I acclimated it about 45
minutes. My lighting is 65x2 power compact.<Another instance where
little research has been done before buying. Your lighting is no where
near the wattage required for keeping this coral alive. Five to six
watts per gallon is suggested (250-300watts for 50 gallon tank)> I have
a 50 gal system II RTR that pumps about 400 gph + a Seio 620 on it, and
has almost direct current hitting it.<We want good water flow but not
directly at the coral. One reason it probably isn't opening.> It has
been in my tank for four days and has not polyped yet. The other day it
secreted a stringy stuff I blew off it. It still has a velvety look and
an iridescent greenish hue. The "pores" look as though the polyps are
tucked in there. It's about 3 inches from a frogspawn, but it up current
from it. Question is how long can a coral stay in without feeding? is
this normal?<Not normal, and most corals do produce most of their own
food with proper lighting provided polyps are open.> All my experiences
has been w/ LPS and they open within hours. Water parameters. ammonia,
nitrite zero, nitrate <10 ppm. dKH bout 8-9(little low, but the other
corals are unaffected) calcium about 500 ppm. ph 8.2 . <Frank, with all
due respect, future queries should be spell checked, grammar checked and
capitalize where necessary. It takes three or four extra minutes to
correct these items as they need to be edited before posting. James
(Salty Dog)>
Frank Crone Purchase of new Turbinaria
4/24/03
Dear Crew
<cheers>
I have recently spotted two nice
specimens of Turbinaria in my LFS.
<if brown varieties (T. peltata
like cup/chalice and pagoda) then very hardy... if yellow varieties...
they need very strong flow and very bright light (!) likely>
I have
reserved them for a later purchase. I have the following system, 130
gallon 72x24x18. 4 60 watt arcadia lights (1 actinic) and 1 T5 80 watt
blue white mix tube.
<too much blue here for optimal coral growth...
but nice aesthetic>
I recently upgraded with the T5 and am wondering
if this extra light will be too much for the cup coral I am about to
purchase.
<not even for the T. peltata if acclimated slowly... they
are very adaptable>
Also I have the other following stony corals :-
1 small Favia
1 Euphyllia
1 Porites
2 colonies of candy cane
coral
Various leather corals
<other than the Porites perhaps...
none of the above are very high light corals (no MH required here)>
The cup corals will be placed away from all these corals (6 inch
spacing), and I feed all my corals every other day with plankton and
fine mussel. Any advice on the survivability of this coral would be
helpful, i.e. placing etc.
<depends again on species... T.
mesenterina/reniformis are more difficult>
I also have a high fish
population of
1 flame angel
1 yellow tang
1 Midas blenny
1
maroon clown
1 Dottyback
1 mandarin
Will this stock affect the
cup corals life and survival?
<likely help by providing food/feces>
regards Jim Griffin
<kindly, Anthony>
Algae growth on
exposed Turbinaria skeleton 10/7/04
Dear WWM Crew, I have a
Turbinaria peltata coral which has some tissue recession in the center
of the disk/cup due to physical injury. The rest of the coral appears
healthy however. Hair algae has begun to grow upon the skeleton in this
spot and despite efforts by myself and the hermit crabs to physically
remove the algae it continues to grow back. Each time it grows back the
tissue recedes a little. Would attaching some epoxy to this spot
perhaps help retard the algae growth? Do you have any other
suggestions? With the help of water changes, water circulation, greatly
reduced organics/food input, and the use of Phosban media I have
decreased the hair algae quantity in the tank but some spots of growth
still are very stubborn. Thank you for any input, Laurie <Turbinaria
tends to reclaim exposed skeleton slowly, which makes this problem a bit
more difficult. I would probably suggest simply leaving it alone. With
good water quality, the coral will eventually win out. Although the
epoxy solution works well with some faster growing corals, I would not
suggest it here since Turbinaria is a relatively slow grower. Best
Regards. Adam> Goniopora & Yellow Cup Coral 4/1/05
I'm in
a bit of a bind. My parents surprised me with 2 gifts, Goniopora and
what the store told them, yellow cup coral. They picked it up while on a
road trip, and don't even remember the name of the store. I'm having
trouble finding out info. on the yellow cup,
<It's tough to say... it
may be a dyed coral (Yellow Turbinaria peltata)... or it may be one of
the real yellow species like reniformis. Do look for pics of Turbinaria
species.>
...but was horrified with what I learned about Goniopora.
<Yes...>
My parents thought they were doing a good thing. Little did
they know. Now, I'm stuck with these 2 corals that I know very little
about. They have no idea what store they bought it at, so there's no
chance of returning these items. First off, is there anything I can do
to sustain my Goniopora other than pray?
<Actually... if it's a
free-living green G. stokesii, then keep it on a Deep Sand Bed and stir
the sand around it a couple times each week minimum>
I've read a lot
on your website, and I normally never introduce coral unless I've
thoroughly researched it. But, now I'm stuck. The Gonio seems okay, it
gets bigger and bigger every day it seems. The yellow cup I have as high
up as I could
put it in the tank, but the edges seem to be fading in
color , and there is a brownish lining around the tubes. Here are the
parameters of my 30 gall. Cube tank---ammonia btwn 0 and .25, nitrates
at about 20, nitrites at 0, alkalinity btwn 80 and 120 (though I don't
know how this element affects the tank), ph at 7.8. I've got mushrooms,
2 open brains, polyps that seem to be turning white (probably not a good
sign), a yellow leather coral, and the 2 new corals mentioned above,
along with dozens of hermit crabs, snails, and 4 small fish. I feed the
gang Cyclop-Eeze which everyone seems to love, and DT's Phytoplankton.
<Do consider adding DTs "Natural Diet" to the mix here. Fabulous food!>
I add iodine, strontium/Molybdenum. once a week, and I was adding
calcium every few days, but I also use Oceanic salt which has a lot of
calcium in it. I need to buy a calcium tester this week, so I can't tell
you the calcium levels of my tank yet. I've got a Prizm skimmer, huge
wet/dry AMiracle filter and 176 combined wattage. I was doing 10 gall.
water changes weekly until about 2 mos. ago, when I started doing 10
gall. water changes every 2 weeks instead.
<Ughhh! Please be more
generous with the water changes>
Can you give me any info. on the
yellow cup coral as far as feeding or otherwise, and is there any hope
for
Goniopora? Thanks for your time, and sorry for this lengthy
email.
<Best of luck! Anthony> Goniopora & Yellow Cup
Coral Follow-up 4/2/05
Hi Anthony,
<Cheers>
I think it is a
yellow Turbinaria peltata, but I guess it was dyed yellow, which is
really awful, as I'm learning.
<Ughhh! Its a deplorable thing they
do dying such corals. Have you read the articles we have on WWM on dyed
corals and anemones? >
I have it high up in my tank so it can get as
much light as possible...
<Your intention is good... but this will
harm the coral, my friend. The limited zooxanthellae remaining with be
light shocked. Instead, this coral needs moderate light and VERY regular
feedings (target feed the polyps 3-5 times weekly for a couple of months
at least)>
...but since is in the shape of a cup/bowl...
<This is
the low light variety of the species as evidenced by its cup shape. High
light Turbinaria peltata often have convoluted shapes>
...it collects
some debris, and the edges of each of its Turbinaria tubes is outlined
in brown debris lookin' stuff.
<The debris should never
accumulate... this animal needs better water flow my friend>
Also the
edges are turning dull and white slowly. I feel like I'm killing it.
<Not so much as the animal have already been insulted (dye). It is a
hardy coral that can recover in months if you feed it regularly>
My
calcium levels were running high at 550 ppm, so I did water changes and
will hopefully get it down to 450ppm.
<Yes, please... or lower
actually to be safe>
My pH and alkalinity were also a bit low, so I
added buffer and hope to get things more stabilized in the next week.
Could this affect the yellow Turbinaria the way I described?
<If
anything... the high light has harmed>
The Gonio has fluorescent
green buds but constantly winds up below the sand bed level, so I'm
going to move it onto a deeper sand level in the middle of the tank,
rather than in a corner where it can smush into the glass corner.
<Ahhh... this may be Goniopora stokesii. If so, it is a bit hardier and
can survive in aquaria for some years if given a deep sand bed, some
phytoplankton feedings... and perhaps weekly sand stirring IMO>
Is
"Natural Diet" another type of DT's food or is it just for coral?
<It is an excellent food for many corals>
Also is Cyclop-Eeze good
for corals too, b'c my fish love it, but I thought it was good for
coral?
<Agreed>
What else besides good tank husbandry can I do
for the yellow Turb and Gonio? Thanks, Helana...
<You are doing
fabulously my friend. Keep reading, pondering, researching and consider
applying some of my suggestions above. Best of luck! Anthony>
Re: Goniopora & Yellow Cup Coral 4/2/05
Thanks for your speedy
reply, I have read almost all the articles that I could find from your
website on both Gonio and Turbinaria, and since mine is a bright yellow,
I'm assuming it's a dyed Turbinaria peltata. I have to move the
Turbinaria to a lower place, but when it was on the sand, the blue sand
would always blow into it, plus I have a dragon goby who loves to dig!
<Understood... indeed, do keep sand off of it. This coral only occurs on
hard substrates>
It's looking worse than ever, and getting whiter
around the edge of its bowl rim. Also, you mentioned target feeding the
individual polyps... what does that mean, and what do I use to feed it?
<Do a Google search of WWM for "target feeding" my friend. But the gist
of it is as it sounds - targeting polyps with food.>
I have
Cyclop-Eeze, DT's phytoplankton, frozen brine Mysis shrimp (they are in
frozen blocks that dissolve into pieces of tiny shrimp--can't imagine
the coral could eat something so big... plus I never really use it),
flake food, frozen bio-pure rotifers (which I never use anymore b'c I
use the Cyclop-Eeze to feed coral instead, plus fish love it), and
Formula Two gel binder frozen fish food (algae fish food). Can you tell
me which of these I could use to target feed my yellow dyed friend, and
what/how does one target feed?
<Again... please turn to our
archives. We work very hard to build them to help you to help yourself.
Go to the index/home page at WWM and type in "feeding corals." I just
did and see some fabulous hits>
It sounds complicated and I'm already
getting nervous. Lastly, you said in your email..." Goniopora stokesii.
If
so, it is a bit hardier and can survive in aquaria for some years
if given a deep sand bed, some phytoplankton feedings... and perhaps
weekly sand stirring IMO>" When you say deep sand bed, I used about 8
bags of blue sand when I set up my tank, back in July, I hope that is
deep enough?
<I have no idea of knowing how deep that is an unknown
sized tank ;) If you have at least 3"... you are in the ballpark>
Also, what do you mean by sand stirring IMO? I'm sorry for these silly
questions...but I haven't heard these terms or abbreviations before.
Thank you for your continued patience and support, Helena.
<Much to
read... and do consider joining a local aquarium society for outstanding
perspective from tanks you can visit/see. Above all... please realize
that you lack of familiarity with basic terms for reef keeping requires
that you learn them before acquiring more livestock. Start with Eric
Borneman's Aquarium Corals. A great reference book. kindly, Anthony> |
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