Frogspawn alright?

[CeeGee]

One of the heads on my frogspawn has some REALLY long skinny tentacles on the lower right section of the head.

Is this normal? I mean these guys are long and skinny as can be. My Royal Gramma even started to take a pick at it as it kinda looks like some food dangling out there.

I hope I am not doing anything wrong in the upkeep of this coral. It is a very nice specimen and I want to keep it that way.

Thanks for your help,
CeeGee

[anathema]

Sounds to me like it's possibly stretchign them out for more light, totally guessing though. Without a pic, I can't tell.

2 ways to go if that seems to be the case:

Tilt it so the section in question gets more light, or leave it and let the lower section recede a bit. Letting it recede in a section shouldn't harm the coral, and it's often difficult in our tanks to provide light to all sections of a coral that are used to getting light.

[davejnz]

sounds like sweeper tentacles.They will sting any coral they come in contact with.

[Blastomussaman]

A pic would help.

If your frogspawn's plump and the color is looking well, no worries. It's just developing sweepers. Normally when conditions are good, the sweepers comes out and attacks! Instantaneous deaths for most when hit. When they get out of hand, I normally just cut them.

[CeeGee]

I will post a pic tomorrow.

These "sweepers" look just like the other tentacles. Now that the main lights are out and the lunar's are on the tentacles have all receded and these "sweepers" have receded as well.

Please check back tomorrow evening and I will have a pic for you.

Thanks,
CeeGee


P.S. I have gotten mixed messages on whether or not these guys should be fed or not. What is the word around here? If they need to be fed what should I feed. One of my LFS is always pushing a product called marine snow but I read on this board somewhere or another that that product isn't worth a crap. Thanks for anymore info you guys can give.

[CeeGee]

Well so far tonight it really hasn't extended the thin sweepers that I was talking about. Please guys don't forget about me as I am going to take a pic as soon as they are looking funny again and I will post at that time.

I really appreciate all of the replies thus far,
CeeGee

[CeeGee]

Here are the pics.

"Sweepers"
http://www.gentryillustration.com/images/reefcentral/4-18-2005/sweeper.jpg

Detail
http://www.gentryillustration.com/images/reefcentral/4-18-2005/sweeper_detail.jpg

Once again thanks for some info,
CeeGee

[anathema]

Yep, normal sweepers, looks like a happy healthy coral. :)

[CeeGee]

Thanks for the reply. Now that I know what they are I need to find out how and when to "cut them" as was mentioned by Blastomussaman.

Blastomussaman if you are out there and can give me some advice on how you cut these I would appreciate it.

looks like a happy healthy coral

Yeah it really is nice. It took about a week to start looking this good. I only wish that the "stalk" or whatever you call this on corals wasn't chipped as it is. Does anyone know if that stalk will repair itself?

I know that I am probably asking stupid questions but I am new at this and I am learning as I go.

[Blastomussaman]

Don't need to cut it if it's not pestering any nearby corals. Leave be. If it becomes a problem, just cut it any which way. You can use scissors, tongs, tweezers, toothpick, or sometimes I just use my fingernails and nip them off. Pretty basic, just don't hit any part of the skeleton while you're doing it. ;)

The branch will not repair itself, you have to repair it if you don't like the way it looks. Put some puddy over it and eventually corallines will cover it and give it a nice look.

Btw, nice pic of a nice coral. :)

[CeeGee]

thanks for the compliments (and information). Is there any chance of an infection setting in once you cut the sweeper off?

I have a green with pink tips coming this weekend. I am really excited about it. It is my favorite color morph of this particular coral but the one I have looked so good in the store I had to have it. It looks even better in it's new home :D

I sure hope the new one looks as good.

[Blastomussaman]

Originally posted by CeeGee
Is there any chance of an infection setting in once you cut the sweeper off?


IMO, not directly related to sweeper cutting. Like said, don't hit the skeleton, that's where they get infected. Polyps fall off all the time with euphyllids, my divisa gets so big they cut their own tenticles by crowding and swelling.

Once again, don't cut if you don't need to.