Candy Cane splitting?

MrSpiffy · #1 02/07/2007, 09:25 AM

So, I have no clue if this is my Candy Cane coral splitting or if this could be an indication of water quality. It started out wonderful, but started to look like this after a few weeks or so of having the frag in my tank. It appears that it's trying to split, but it's been like this for about 2 months now, and I'm starting to get a little concerned that maybe it's something else. Can anyone help me out on this? What is this little guy doing, splitting or having a problem?

Thanks!

Candy Cane on 11/27/2006:

Candy Cane on 1/29/2007:
(Lighting is the same, the exposure settings on my camera were different. Sorry it's a little dark.)

Josh K · #2 02/07/2007, 09:55 AM

I agree it sure looks like its splitting, can you tell if the skeleton is starting to grow outwards as well?

sjfishguy · #3 02/07/2007, 10:02 AM

Does look a little strange for splitting, but I agree, that is probably what it is.

Paintbug · #4 02/07/2007, 10:49 AM

its splitting. you should start to see a new mouth shortly.

MrSpiffy · #5 02/07/2007, 10:59 AM

It does look like it has a new mouth on the bottom-most polyp, at this point. But does it always take this long to split? I miss how nice this used to look. I know it's doing its thing, but man... it looks like a mess.

As for the skeleton, I'd have to actually look at it a bit closer. (I'm at work right now.) I'll take a peek when I get home tonight.

Paintbug · #6 02/07/2007, 11:35 AM

some species take awhile. i have some baby blue canes that take weeks, while i have some neon greens that seem to split over night, well in a week or so.

MrSpiffy · #7 02/07/2007, 05:11 PM

Yep, these are a blue variation (sort of a baby blue or aquamarine color). If yours take weeks to split, it wouldn't surprise me if I had a similar type. I just think that 2 months seems a bit long. Now, it may have partially been my lighting that was inadequate (I had 2 x 15W NO fluorescents before just recently upgrading to 1 x 50/50 65W PC with 1 x 15W NO fluorescent daylight, for a grand total of 80W.) Perhaps with my new lighting it will give them the energy they need to finish up splitting.

Anything else I could do to help them along? Calcium seems good around 400ppm (maybe could up it a little bit to 420-450). I've been dosing Eco System Reef Solution once a week for trace elements. Perhaps I need to do that more often? I'm just impatient, I guess... SPLIT, DANGIT!!!!

Paintbug · #8 02/07/2007, 05:18 PM

i dont know of a way to speed them up LOL. more light would probably help. i have mine under 4x65W of PC myself. i got it from a guy here on RC, and there was 3 heads. they almost died in shipping thanks to the USPS. but they recovered, and now almost 2 years later i have 9 heads, and a couple of them are splitting.

MrSpiffy · #9 02/07/2007, 05:30 PM

Well, I guess I'll just have to be patient with it.

2 years to get 9 heads from 3? Sounds like it's a somewhat slower-growing species. Maybe I'm just used to my softies. My anthelia, GSP, and colt are all growing pretty quickly. Not necessarily a bad thing to grow slow, though. I don't need corals exploding with growth and taking over my little tank!

I'll give it some more time and see how it goes. It doesn't look like it's dying, but it definitely looked nicer before it started to split.

I'm glad it's happy enough to start splitting, though!

Paintbug · #10 02/07/2007, 07:43 PM

mine are slow growers for sure. i have some neon green ones that started with 9 heads, it got to 14-15 in just a few months, then i moved and it got broken into about 4-5 small pieces. i know have a cluster of about 8 heads again, and i have traded off the others of all kinds of corals. i have a colt that i got when it about 2" tall. it is now about 10" tall/across, and in need of a trim LOL.