Elegance Coral theory

[elegance coral]

Originally posted by capn_hylinur
eek-----just when my elegance coral was taking off--doing beautiful--I came home to find a 5 head torch coral had been pushed on it by an urchin.
3/4 of it came back by last night but I am concerned about 1/4 of it where the polyps are still retracted and covered with a white mucous.
Is this a normal stress response for elegant coral? I know my pagoda will do this when stressed.

Is there a way you can post a pic? It could be several different things. Infection, mesenterial filaments, or excess slime. We really need a pic to be sure.

[elegance coral]

Originally posted by LuvAngels88
It was closed up into the skeleton when it arrived. It started opening up after an hour or so of being in the tank. I placed the "v" of the skeleton into a rock that has big holes in it. It was purchased from LiveAquaria.com.

Does your Elegance have smooth rounded edges and a flattened cone shaped skeleton, or squared off edges where it was fragged? The polyp has characteristics of both the cone shaped and fragged Elegance corals. I started to buy this coral when they first got it, but was unsure of its skeletal structure. I have been looking for a cone shaped Aussie and can't find one.

BTW, the Elegance looks much bigger in your pics than it did on LA.

[elegance coral]

Originally posted by hybridgenius
How do these things look when they've just arrived from shipment? They say you have to place it in sand and that it has a "v" shape? I'm very interested in puchasing one. Also, where do you purchase your aussie ones?

The last time I checked LA didn't have any Aussie Elegance corals. I believe Zeppelin still has some Aussie frags. He posted before your post on page 14. He may be able to help you out if you want one.

[LuvAngels88]

Originally posted by elegance coral
Does your Elegance have smooth rounded edges and a flattened cone shaped skeleton, or squared off edges where it was fragged? The polyp has characteristics of both the cone shaped and fragged Elegance corals. I started to buy this coral when they first got it, but was unsure of its skeletal structure. I have been looking for a cone shaped Aussie and can't find one.

BTW, the Elegance looks much bigger in your pics than it did on LA.

I believe it has smooth rounded edges, with a flattened cone shape skeleton. I can check later and let you know for sure. Can you elaborate on the polyp characteristics a little, please? Do you think it will do okay in the rock, or should I move it to the sand?

Thanks!

[drouner]

How much does a elegance expand? Are they aggressive?

[LuvAngels88]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by elegance coral
[B]Does your Elegance have smooth rounded edges and a flattened cone shaped skeleton, or squared off edges where it was fragged? The polyp has characteristics of both the cone shaped and fragged Elegance corals. I started to buy this coral when they first got it, but was unsure of its skeletal structure. I have been looking for a cone shaped Aussie and can't find one.


I just checked and it does have a smooth, rounded skeleton in the shape of a V. Divers' Den had another Aussie last night, but it sold fairly quickly. I think they have been getting Aussies in maybe once or twice a week. I bought a "regular" elegance from their Diver's Den earlier this year and that one never opened up all the way (it never looked like it did in the WYSWIG photo). Did not have any luck in trying to get it to feed either. It just kind of "dissolved"--all within a week and a half. Was I glad LA has a guarantee!

[elegance coral]

Originally posted by LuvAngels88
I believe it has smooth rounded edges, with a flattened cone shape skeleton. I can check later and let you know for sure. Can you elaborate on the polyp characteristics a little, please? Do you think it will do okay in the rock, or should I move it to the sand?

Thanks!

Most of the frags lack the green photosynthetic pigments in their tentacles. Your coral has some, but not much. All of the frags I have seen have rows of green photosynthetic pigments that radiate from the mouths and out to the fringe of tentacles, like spokes in a wheel. {This can change in captivity over time.} Your coral has these rows, but it also has bald spots which is normally a characteristic of the cone shaped corals. The pattern of green photosynthetic pigments in a cone shaped Elegance can be completely random, with bright green tentacles. Your coral has some characteristics of both forms of Elegance, which leads me to be a little unsure which one it is. I believe it is a frag, which is why I didn't buy it before you did.

Your Elegance will be fine in the rock as long as the thin layer of tissue that overlaps the top edge of the skeleton does not become pinched between the rock and the skeleton. If only the dead skeleton is wedged in the rock you should be fine. I keep most of my Elegance corals on rocks. Placing them in the sand can be a little safer. The coral can not fall if it is in the sand. In a normal reef tank, sometimes it's better to keep them higher in the tank so they get adequate lighting. Basically, it boils down to personal preference.

[elegance coral]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by LuvAngels88

[i]Originally posted
I just checked and it does have a smooth, rounded skeleton in the shape of a V. Now I'm ticked! (not really) I knew I should have bought that coral. Divers' Den had another Aussie last night, but it sold fairly quickly. I think they have been getting Aussies in maybe once or twice a week. I bought a "regular" elegance from their Diver's Den earlier this year and that one never opened up all the way (it never looked like it did in the WYSWIG photo). Did not have any luck in trying to get it to feed either. It just kind of "dissolved"--all within a week and a half. Was I glad LA has a guarantee!

Have you tried feeding your new Aussie yet? If you wiggle a small piece of fish or shrimp in its tentacles I think you will notice a big difference in its reaction form the reaction of your last Elegance.

[elegance coral]

Originally posted by drouner
How much does a elegance expand? Are they aggressive?

Some Elegance corals are small when we first get them, so they don't expand more than a couple of inches. Elegance corals that arrive in very good shape or ones that have been in captivity for an extended period of time can exceed 6 inches from the skeleton in all directions. Even straight up. I wouldn't call them aggressive. They normally don't bother mobile animals in the tank. Like any other coral, if they are placed to close to another coral or anemone, war can break out. Healthy Elegance corals do pack a serious sting, so they do need plenty of room around them.

[LuvAngels88]

Originally posted by elegance coral
Have you tried feeding your new Aussie yet? If you wiggle a small piece of fish or shrimp in its tentacles I think you will notice a big difference in its reaction form the reaction of your last Elegance.

I have been gently squirting mysis at its tentacles and seems to grab some, but not too much of it. Got some silversides last night. Just did what you suggested and wow! the coral grabbed it and moved it toward its mouth. I was so excited! Should I feed it daily, or just a few times a week?

The Idol came up and ate the silverside out of my hand too. I was relieved that he did not try get the food away from the coral like the 2 fire shrimps I had in there did. Needless to say, the shrimps had to go into another tank.

[hybridgenius]

I just ordered one and it will ship out tommorow to be here on friday. Its an aussie one too from liveaquaria's divers' den section(they still have about 2 so its going to sell out quick). I'm still very new to these so are there any suggestions with how to have a good start? I know they should be placed in the substrate, but will a rock with a hole in it do? How long does it usually take before it blooms? and should I leave on low light so it could slowly adjust or just keep the T5s running strong? Sorry for all the questions lol.

[gholtmeyer]

[i]< In a normal reef tank, sometimes it's better to keep them higher in the tank so they get adequate lighting. Basically, it boils down to personal preference. [/B]

Its better to put them higher in our tanks? I am assuming that most of us have metal halide lights. I thought that one of the major problems with keeping this coral was that our lights are too bright and burn them and that we needed to keep them lower in the tank?
thanks for all who are posting, this has been a great thread.

[capn_hylinur]

Originally posted by gholtmeyer
Its better to put them higher in our tanks? I am assuming that most of us have metal halide lights. I thought that one of the major problems with keeping this coral was that our lights are too bright and burn them and that we needed to keep them lower in the tank?
thanks for all who are posting, this has been a great thread.

you are correct--they do not like strong light.
they do best on the sand bed----they are delicate and they can damage themselves on the rock.

[Coderabit2]

Thought I'd share a pic of my aussie

[LuvAngels88]

Originally posted by elegance coral
Now I'm ticked! (not really) I knew I should have bought that coral.

Elegance,

I'm wondering if you could call and inquire whether the Aussie being offered for sale at the time is a frag or not. They are usually pretty good about getting answers to inquiries if they don't already know off-hand. Good luck!

[hybridgenius]

How big can they get? And how far apart should i have it from other corals?

[elegance coral]

Originally posted by gholtmeyer
Its better to put them higher in our tanks? I am assuming that most of us have metal halide lights. I thought that one of the major problems with keeping this coral was that our lights are too bright and burn them and that we needed to keep them lower in the tank?
thanks for all who are posting, this has been a great thread.

You're right when it comes to Indo Elegance corals. Australian Elegance are completely different. They still need time to adjust to very intense lighting, but they can. These corals are coming from much shallower water than the Indo Elegance corals, so they have adapted to much brighter light before we get them. As with any photosynthetic coral, providing them with light that is to week can be just as deadly as providing them with light that is to strong. If your Aussie Elegance is in the sand and not doing well, it may be due to a lack of light. This is why I said Sometimes its better to keep them higher in the tank. It would depend on the amount of light in the tank and the individual Elegance. I have kept an Elegance under 250W 5500K MH (an unbelievably bright light), 2 110W actinics, and 2 40W actinics. The coral grew huge and spawned often. Today's Indo Elegance simply can not withstand bright lights.

[elegance coral]

Originally posted by Coderabit2
Thought I'd share a pic of my aussie

Beautiful, and thanks for sharing. I have one just like it. I'll work on posting a pic.

[elegance coral]

Originally posted by LuvAngels88


Elegance,

I'm wondering if you could call and inquire whether the Aussie being offered for sale at the time is a frag or not. They are usually pretty good about getting answers to inquiries if they don't already know off-hand. Good luck!

Thanks for the tip. The next time they post an Elegance that I am unsure of I will give them a call.

[elegance coral]

Originally posted by hybridgenius
How big can they get? Huge. I have seen the cone shaped reach a polyp expansion of roughly 16 inches. And how far apart should i have it from other corals? I would provide at least 6 inches in the beginning and expand this number as the coral grows.

[John Kelly]

Seen this article yet?

Elegance Coral Article in RK mag Borneman Jan 08

Taken from the article:
"On Internet message boards and magazines, there has been much speculation as to why this species no longer thrives in aquariums, and along with these speculations putative cures? have been proposed. None of this speculation, however, has any good evidence - in theory or practice - to support it."

Has there been anyone other than Darrell who has had an Elegance recover from symptoms of the Elegance Coral Syndrome by following Darrell's advice, his theory?

Symptoms:
- Swelling of oral disk
- Fringe of unexpanded tentacles
- Pale/faded color
- White opaque mucus-like web
- Non-sticky tentacles
- Decline in feeding response
- Tissue recession
- Death

[chris wright]

I'm lucky to live in Australia where they are easy to get in real good health. I follow the local forums, and cati's are very common, and people here are lucky enough to not have many problems at all.

I've managed to get some pretty good pictures that I plan to post when photobucket comes back online

Good to see you back John, haven't seen you on your Goniopora forum for a while

Cheers

Chris

[Mental1]

You know what upset me more about the article ( I mean the Darrell versus Eric thing has been going on for a while) was the amount collected. All those animals being imported to die. The fact that the supposed abundant collection sites in Indo were bare. I know in some places coral collection is regulated but what's the story with Indo? That scares me for the future. I mean the reefs are up against it just on the pollution side never mind collection damage. I became sad thinking about all those animals dying through lack of understanding and over-collection. The red one was so beautiful ... I would have saved it.

[elegance coral]

Originally posted by John Kelly
Seen this article yet?

Elegance Coral Article in RK mag Borneman Jan 08

Taken from the article:
"On Internet message boards and magazines, there has been much speculation as to why this species no longer thrives in aquariums, and along with these speculations putative cures? have been proposed. None of this speculation, however, has any good evidence - in theory or practice - to support it."

Has there been anyone other than Darrell who has had an Elegance recover from symptoms of the Elegance Coral Syndrome by following Darrell's advice, his theory?

Symptoms:
- Swelling of oral disk
- Fringe of unexpanded tentacles
- Pale/faded color
- White opaque mucus-like web
- Non-sticky tentacles
- Decline in feeding response
- Tissue recession
- Death I don't think any of them have recovered from this one.

Good to see you're alive and kickin.
I saw the article last night. I am working on a response.

[elegance coral]

Originally posted by Mental1
You know what upset me more about the article ( I mean the Darrell versus Eric thing has been going on for a while) was the amount collected. All those animals being imported to die. The fact that the supposed abundant collection sites in Indo were bare. I know in some places coral collection is regulated but what's the story with Indo? That scares me for the future. I mean the reefs are up against it just on the pollution side never mind collection damage. I became sad thinking about all those animals dying through lack of understanding and over-collection. The red one was so beautiful ... I would have saved it.

I never wanted this to be a Darrell -v- Eric thing. I don't even know the man. In fact, I agree with most of what he said in this article. There are those fine points I don't agree with though.
My whole theory is based on the fact that these corals have been over fished and collection has been forced in to the depths. Now that Australia is exporting these corals they should stop collection in Indonesia. At least long enough to see if they can repopulate the decimated areas.