Palau Neon Green Nepthea with SPS?.
 

The OP is in the SPS forum, but I decided to post this here due to the heavy user volume. I have the chance to acquire a cutting of this beautiful, thought to be extinct, species. It would be going into my tank which has SPS and LPS. I took most of my softies out when I converted. I run Chemi Pure, Poly Pad, and conduct 10% weekly water changes, and skim on the wetter side. How toxic is this coral to SPS? I really do not want to damage or inhibit what I have going on at the present time. Any comment or info appreciated. Thanks Mile.

I keep a number of softies and SPS together in my tank with no troubles (Nepthea among them), but they are separated by a couple feet-- definitely never touching. Those Neon green ones are cool. If I had the chance to get one I wouldn't hesitate!

seapug, this would be the only Nepthea species added and it would be on its own rock on the sand bed away from the SPS.

Many people run mixed reefs. I have SPS, LPS and softies including 3 collonies of the Neon Green Palau. I run carbon in the sump and change it out every couple of weeks. I also have one rock island that is softie/LPS and one that is SPS/LPS.

Have any pics of this coral?

A pic I found online.
[IMG]http://www.frags.org/uploads/Nepthia-053005.jpg[/IMG]

I also run a mix of softies, SPS, LPS and a Neon green palau nepthea for at least two years. The neptha now is a large colony with five large staks, and big as a wide hand. So far no chemical warfare noted. I run carbon and do 15% water changes every two weeks. When the nepthea gets too big, it "auto-amputates" to fit in it's own cubby hole.

I don't think that's a rare species at all. I have a piece that looks just like that in my tank, and I've seen it a few of others. I know an aquaculturist that propagates it regularly, and I think GARF grows one like that as well.

No issues with this in an SPS tank. It's mainly the leathers from the genus Sarcophyton that are toxic to SPS, but even that is easily controlled if you run carbon.

The mother colony, Palau green nepthea, has been captively grown for over 15 years. Wild Neon Green Nepthea is thought to be extinct in the wild. Many aquarists confuse Sinularia species, common to the trade, with the real thing. What you are probably seeing is just that, Sinularia.

At least 3 of the ones I have seen are descended from the green nepthea that was captive grown by GARF. I did not know it was so threatened in the wild, though.

Here is the frag I got over a year ago, right after dropping it in the tank
[IMG]http://home.comcast.net/~jbrigman/pics/nepthea.jpg[/IMG]

And a close up of the polyps after it opened
[IMG]http://home.comcast.net/~jbrigman/pics/nepthea_11_28_06.jpg[/IMG]

IMO "chemical warefare" is more often an attempt to explain the unexplainable and is rarely the actual reason for coral demise. Many people keep mixed tanks, some run carbon, some don't. I wouldn't worry too much about it (stinger cells are another issue – and space should be provided), but if your tank does start having problems, you will have something to blame it on.

I keep a 38 gallon mixed reef with a large sinularia (~ 12" tall) and my sps appear to be in good health. I don't run carbon and perform weekly 10% waterchanges.

Nice pics jeffbrig. You have a really nice coral, I especially like the close ups of the open polyps. It is surprising to find out that a species in captivity is not in the ocean anymore, atleast that is the common knowledge. How has the coral been since it was placed in your reef?


m2434, I'm trying to avoid the problem thats why I asked. I guess I have to weigh my options to see where I go with this. It would be a nice coral to get though.

Potsy, thanks for the feedback based on your experiences with your mixed reef. I run 2 units Chemi Pure and a poly-pad only contained in a canister filter. It is cleaned around once a month. I skim wet and conduct weekly 10% water changes.

[QUOTE][i]<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11578484#post11578484 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mile sq. reefer [/i]
[B]

m2434, I'm trying to avoid the problem thats why I asked. I guess I have to weigh my options to see where I go with this. It would be a nice coral to get though.
[/B][/QUOTE]

I realize that, my point was that I don't think it would be an issue. The chemical warfare problem is exaggerated IMO.

Not a problem at all. I've seen a 24"+ sinularis and like 10 10+ neptheas in a very successful sps 180. I have a decent size colony of each in my 120 sps.

I have to agree with jeefbrig, This coral is far from rare. Everyone around here has tanks full of this coral. You can tell the difference between the green sinularia and the nepthea by the polyps.

The only thing I don't know about is the chemi-pure. My (nepthea) will usually let me know if I use too much carbon or phosban. and would probably prefer if I didn't use them at all. I don't know how much it will like the chemipure.

I've kept Sinularia successfully before with the use of Chemi pure, I just dont run carbon. That should not be a problem. In the North East you just dont see this coral too much, if often at all.

Thanks to all that have commented on this thread, I appreciate your honesty and assistance in trying to help me make an educated decision.

Whats the dif between Nepthea and Sinularia? I have what I have been told is Nepthea.

[QUOTE][i]<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11578484#post11578484 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mile sq. reefer [/i]
[B]How has the coral been since it was placed in your reef?
[/B][/QUOTE]

For the first 6+ months I had it, this coral was getting munched on periodically by a eunicid worm. It would grow and branch a bit, then get nibbled down to a stump. After I finally managed to catch and remove the worm, it has probably tripled in size in the last 6-9 months. It's very low maintenance, and happy sitting on the bottom in a lower flow area.