what are some fast growing softies?

[ReefSharkDudeGuy]

I was just wondering with everyone's experience, what soft corals tend to either grow the fastest (given optimum conditions naturally) or reproduce the fastest. I've heard that some corals similar to the Kenya tree coral will drop pieces naturally...can anyone tell me if a certain coral does this naturally? I am only wondering about the corals that do this naturally, not through severance or anything. Thanx for your input.

Dash

[sharkdude]

My green sinularia regularly forms and drops new polyps from its side. To keep them from getting lost in the tank, I'll usually cut them off before they drop.

Any mat like coral (ie polyps, zoonthids) will spread and grow realtively fast. Mushrooms too.

For what its worth, I don't believe anything that happens in our tanks comes anywhere close to approaching 'natural conditions' or 'natural behavior'.

PS nice discussion board name.

[Chrismo]

In my tank, the Xenia Elongata are the fastest growing thing I can imagine...
As they grow they wander up the rocks towads the light leaving a trail of xenia babies behind them... I think mine double in size every month.

My LFS said they would take some on trade. I wonder how much $4 value they'll give me? Anyone have any experience with that?

Chris

[griss]

Anthelia is another fast grower.

Griss

[TooFar2Sea]

A local reefer told me he recently traded in 8 xenia frags for $5 (total). Fast growing does not usually translate into high prices.

[opihi]

i second anthelia. it grows like a weed in my tank. i also had a yellow finger leather that grew pretty quickly. i actually sold it because it was growing too fast and didn't want to bother fragging such a beautiful piece.

[reefinready]

ill second that Xenia and polyps(especially green star polyps) are among the fastest growers

[sharkdude]

$5 for 8 xenia frags!?
you was robbed my friend!

I guess it all depends on availability and local market saturation. I understand wholsalers have difficulties in impoting xenia and much prefer hardier tank raised xenia.

I sell frags for what I consider very reasonable prices while still offsetting some of my costs somewhat.

If I sell direct to hobbyists through an ad, I get about $10-15 for a small rock with a few stalks. If I sell or trade wholesale, I get less in cash but better for trade.

I recently traded about 10 small pieces of red sea xenia to a local importer/wholesaler for a nice orange ricordia rock with about 5 polyps on it. I also got a bunch of rubble pieces to make a new batch of frags.

I sell 3-4 inch tall green sinularia frags for $15-20, when I've seen online places selling same or smaller for up to $50!

[JonK]

I would say xenia as well. Most mushrooms you can speed up the process by cutting the mushrooms as well.

Sharkdude : I have a green sinularia as well, it is huge but It has never dropped babies. Maybe a different species?

Griss: I have had great luck with the BTA's you sold me. Started out with 2 now I have 6. The one that had settled on top of the rocks bleached but now it is regaining it's color. It's almost as dark green as it was when I got it from you. Thanks again.

:D

Jon

[ReefSharkDudeGuy]

just wanted to thank everyone for their input, its helped tremendously

dash

[Doughster4]

Zoanthids, anthelia and capnella !

[Ereefic]

When you say grows "fast", how fast would that be?

[zooqi]

I have three things grow fast
1: Leathers

2: Xenias (In a month I propagated 15 stalks of different types of xenia to 150 frags and still growing)

3: Green Star Polyps (If is an inch today on a rock it will be 23-4 times bigger in a month) nice looking softie but watch where they grow.

[dellrio]

i have had my green star polyps for 2-3 months and they have not grown a centimeter... maybe i am doing something wrong... they are filter feeders correct? i feed phytoplankton and then some frozen brine.. and about a wekk aog i began feeding golden pearls... maybe someone can give me suggestions on how to get my mushrooms and grees star polyps to start spreading!!! i'd sure appreciate it!!
thanks

[Ereefic]

zooqi,
Our stars aren't growing much at all. What type of lighting do you have? Think it would make a big difference in growth?

[pAtTy]

I would have to agree that the thin bar xenia is one of the fastest growing softies around. I started with one little frag and it filled my 20 gal. tank in just four months. It also seems to be one of the easiest to frag. I methodically place rubble like pieces between the stalks and let them spread onto the rubble, then remove the rubble and trade into my LFS. Trade-in policy is 1/3 retail value in store credit (usually works out to be $10-$15). I have traded in seven frags in just the past two weeks.

[zooqi]

I had them under just VHO before and they grew fast and now I have added PC and they are growing super fast. I always have the as a trade and many people want them. The brown in the other hand nobody wants and it grows as fast.

[godlyme]

what does everyone fed there frags/corals?? best brands? thanx much newbie mike

[dellrio]

i think the best food is goldenpearls. then frozen brine shrimp or mysis shrimp.. or DT's for filter feaders... it depends on the coral too..

[Weege]

What are DT's, and goldenpearls, and where do I get them?

[kozmo02]

hey patty!

-mike

yea patty's xenia consumed his live rock, its a disease, a plague of mass proportions.

[dellrio]

you can get DT's at any LFS it is just phytoplankton.. and as for the AWESOME goldenpearls you can order them at http://www.brineshrimpdirect.com/brineshrimpproduct5.htm
we got the smallest size of pearls... they are great!

[RalphP]

Hi
What size goldenpearls?Acording to the website they are ouy of stock.

[maxima k2]

My fast growers are ricordia it started as three the sice of pencil erasers and now they are approaching 3 in. and spread everywhere. Right now one is stretching an inch and a half gap to get to a new rock. They are spreading faster than my xenia.

[Aquariareview]

I have been using a mixture in my prop system for a few years with great results. this is for all soft coral and xenia.

4 oz tank water
1 oz DT's
1/8 tsp Marc Weiss Black Powder
1/8 tsp Marc Weiss Spectra Vital Powder
1/2 oz Reef Chem Reef Care
2 drops lugols solution (free iodine)

Mix all
direct target feed with a turkey baster every other day

The Mark Weiss Spectra Vital powder seems to add a lot of pigmentation (color) to the coral. And I have been using Black Powder since it came on the market.

I have split a leather in to 2 tanks and fed one DT's alone and fed the other this mix. In 1 months time the side I had fed this mix was 40% larger and much brighter in color. Poylp extension was at least 3 times as large..