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| FAQs about SPS Coral
Reproduction/Propagation
Related Articles: SPS Corals, Acroporid
Corals, Dyed
Corals,
Related FAQs:
SPS 1,
SPS 2,
SPS Identification,
SPS Behavior,
SPS Compatibility, SPS Selection,
SPS Systems, SPS
Feeding, SPS Disease,
Acroporid
Corals, Agariciid Corals, Astrocoeniid Corals,
Merulinid Corals, Pectiniid Corals, Pocilloporid
Corals, Siderastreid Corals, Stony Coral Behavior,
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,
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Best to culture species separately for production |
Ceramic Tile and the Like. Cnid. cult. –
09/17/07
Cheers guys, thanks for everything that you do.
<Welcome>
I had a quick question, I have searched everywhere but cannot seem to get a
straight answer so...
I am setting up a SPS frag farm of sorts and have a good amount of cultured
pieces (say 60 in a 400 gal system). I have been looking for bases to mount them
on so the brood doesn't knock in to each other. I have used ceramic tiles, but
ran into some ph issues
<Mmm, the ceramic tile is not at fault here>
which I believe were caused by air conditioning (I took a sample outside,
aerated it, ph went up dramatically). Anyway, ph is stable and in check (trough
a couple of equipment mod.s), but I wanted to make sure there are no ill effects
from using ceramic tile in a system (I read on the site they can be used for
clownfish, but people would be just using a few, not a mass amount of them).
<This material is almost entirely chemically inert>
In addition, when I had the ph issues, many of my colonies lost some color
(there are no bugs, everybody gets dipped and I have inspected all of them). I
am seeing a return of color, but some of them have taken on a whitish appearance
but have good polyp extension, it is almost as if they are getting burnt with
too much light.
<A possibility... even with just change in water/light transmission>
I feed little if at all,
<I would...>
and I am starting to wonder if perhaps my water is too polished
<Yes... a possibility>
or perhaps I have a couple of bad ballasts. In the past I used an ORP meter but
it drove me nuts.
<... Mmm, is a very useful tool>
Thanks for any comments or suggestions
Tom
<Well... if you're serious re aquaculture here... I would look to more easily
manipulated plug material (there are a bunch available you can make or just
buy)... And I would feed SPS, other Cnidarians intentionally... again if you're
serious... And I would use the ORP meter, ozone... much to chat up here. Bob
Fenner>
SPS Accident - 5/8/2006
Hey everyone,
I had a little accident with an Acropora in my tank. I broke off four 1 inch
long pieces - fragging by accident I guess. I have always wanted to
propagate my own coral to become more self sufficient in the hobby. I have some
small cylindrical bases for the coral and want to use reef putty to
connect the frags. My question is in regards to the base of the frag being
slightly buried in the putty. I need to get at least a couple of millimetres
into the putty to get the frags to stand. Is this alright or should I try
something else.
Cheers
Marc
<Marc - Yes, it is OK to stick the frag in. If it grows, the base will
eventually cover the putty. With new frags, it is usually best to try to
duplicate the same lighting and flow they had before they broke off for best
results. However, with a brand new frag, you might want to start the frag lower
in the tank and then move it higher over the course of several days. Best of
luck, Roy>
SPS collection business 8/21/06
Dear Bob and crew,
<Alan>
I'm thinking of starting an exclusive Acropora collecting business to supply to
the trade. I only wish to collect Acroporas from the wild by
fragging a few branches from a colony and gluing them unto rocks for sale in
order to minimize impact on ecosystem.
<Mmm... can't really be done this way... need to collect colonies, keep them in
captive conditions... some time (months) later frag them... Too hard to make the
transition otherwise>
I suppose this will generate faster returns rather than having an aquaculture
facility which requires more overhead cost and time.
<...>
Do you think this is viable in the long run?
<Nope>
Any words of wisdom? Thanks a lot.
Best regards,
Lee
<Keep studying, dreaming, planning... Bob Fenner>
SPS/Frags/Mother Colonies/Captive Generations… 10/6/05
Greetings Oh Great Fish God's,
<Are you sure? I swear I caught my Sailfin mouthing off the other day…>
Kudos for the exemplary work you guys and gals do on this site to provide
the vast knowledge base that you do and for sharing your experiences with the
rest of us wanabe reefers. It truly must be a thankless task.
<It’s not so bad.>
Question: Is a frag a frag and will it always be a frag? <Not if it grows up,
but I suppose there is a lot of gray area in there.> I now have 2, 80gal
tanks that are brimming with assorted SPS corals and frags. I had initially
purchased mother colonies and after some time I began to frag them. I am now at
the point where I am fragging the frags into frags. <Awesome.>
Although all of the frags and the frags of the frags are doing great but as
they mature and grow they never seem to look like the mother colony in
density, color, or number of appendages/bushiness. <Well unless they are placed
in the exact same conditions (noticed I said conditions not tank) a Frag will
never grow up to look exactly like its mother. There are so many factors
playing into this, nutrients, water flow, light, relation to light, temperature
of light among many others.> What constitutes a mother
colony? <In my opinion a colony large enough to be fragged itself.> Size, age,
it's density? <Probably all of the above.> Or, must a mother colony come from
the wild where it has been naturally reproduced. <Not in my opinion. I have a
large Sinularia that I consider to be a mother colony. It was purchased over 5
years ago as a captive propagated frag and is now a monstrous size. I now make
frags from it, so I consider it to be a mother colony. Honestly though this can
be relative, I suppose some say a true “mother” colony must come from the wild.>
Can a frag or a fragged frag or a frag from a fragged frag ever become a mother
colony or is it doomed to a
life of being just a simple frag? <Jeez say that last sentence 5 times fast.
Like I said in my opinion if a frag has multiplied its original size
significantly and has thrived for a decent amount of time. If it is now large
enough to make frags without significantly reducing the colony, then I consider
it to be a mother colony. Of course I will say that most of these questions
seem to be relative or up to opinion.> As mother colonies are fragged, and then
the frags fragged, is there anything lost in the genetics from the mother
colony as to the number of times it is fragged and re-fragged? <For the most
part frags are exact duplicates. Remember an Acropora species of different
color/shape/density can be the same species. That’s why some of them are so hard
to identify.> Or would this
ultimately lead to healthier tank/captive raised specimen?
<Yes consecutive generations of captive propagated corals generally adapt a lot
easier to changes and captive life in general in comparison to their wild
counterparts. I would much rather purchase a captive propagated coral over a
wild specimen any day of the week.>
Tanks in advance,
<No trouble, try not to over think or put labels on your specimens, the fact
that they are thriving and producing children should be good enough. Have fun
with it. Remember that most of these labels we use including LPS and SPS are not
scientific, they are hobby generated.>
Gary
<Adam Jackson.>
The Great White North
<The Great Southwest?>
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