shipped blasto wellsis - how are they doing 3-6 months later

[johns]

Last year I had a handful of blasto wellsi colonies shipped to me (West Coast to Wisconsin) and only one of them survived longer than 3 months (still alive over a year). I later heard that MANY people were having the same problem with these latest batch of blastos that were coming in and some people even stopped guaranteeing them.

Now for the past few months there have again been some beautifil blastos coming in to a lot of places. I'm wondering if I can hear from some of you that have had them shipped. Did they survive shipping? how are they doing 3 - 6 months later?

Are you having any better luck with some vendors vs. others? Not sure if I should mention names yet, but all mine that died came from the same vendor and all recieved within a couple months period of time. The one that lived came from another source.

[wil611]

Tagging along.

I have some merleti are they much easier than the wellsis?

[john76]

I haven't been buying any recently because of this. Seems like the ones I see on the net and in stores are all dying.

The last one I bought(my purple about five months ago)... was fine for a long time. Now it's receeding for no reason. The rest of my blastos are doing great.

[johns]

The rest of my blastos are doing great.

Were these one bought at a different time than the one that isn't doing well now? Or from a different place?

[john76]

The others I have are older than a year. And aquired mainly in trades.

[organism]

the newer ones that I've gotten haven't done too well, I even had one that struggled for about 3 months before dying, but it looked awful the entire time, unless I see a healthy blasto under similar lighting and I'm the one driving it to my house, I'm gonna hold off on buying them for now

[mschriskim]

Since they are just well known to be sensitive I guess it is vary important to know history of that blasto.

Just like organism said until similar lighting...

If you get the blastos that are in someone's tank for some time you will have much better luck than blastos came from Sea few weeks ago.

Also lighting same thing if you get one from PC lighting and putting them in to MH... even shade or bottom... they will look ok for few days or weeks than open mouth....

Another hard one is Yuma I guess people start to realize this as well.

[AtlanticReef]

Yup, I lost 3 red/pink yumas because the root came out of the rock and flow away...I couln't find them.

[mschriskim]

AtlanticReef, I did lost few as well.

Most people see problem on Yuma is melting... for that temp is the key.

Normal, like 78-80 reef tank is little hot for them. Sure if they get slowly adjust they will do fine but again history is vary important.

If Yuma came from sea not too long ago they normally at low temp like 74 (Do not know how low temp at wholesaler and retailer....).

I guess this might be one big reason why they are melting in few weeks (3-4weeks) after you get them.

If you have a chiller you could adjust them slowly.... to your current temp. (Not in few hours but for about 2 weeks adjustment)

[prunfarm]

I have no experience w/ shipped blastos. I won't touch them shipped - I've heard too many horror stories to even try.

[pondfrog]

I've got probably 6 different blasto colonies one acquired about 8 months ago the rest within the last 4 months.
All of the ones gotten in the last 4 months are doing great at the bottom of a 90g tank lit by VHOs only.

The one I acquired 8 months ago was one of about 4, in which the 3 tohers died. They were all at the bottom of a MH (250W) 24"tall tank.

It seems, in my experience, and that of others with success that very low light for a long period of time, if not always, seems to be the way to go. I am afraid to move any of my currently thriving colonies back to even lowlight MH.
Just my $02
Steve

[Rendos]

I have no experience w/ shipped blastos. I won't touch them shipped - I've heard too many horror stories to even try.

How else can you get Blasto's? They were all shipped at one time or another.

[dieselab]

I have bought my fair shair of blastos local and online. So far two colonies out of 20 plus and a few polyps have receded. I guess I have been lucky.

[baja_01]

I have also heard the low light trick. I know some one on here was putting fresh ones in his sump lit only by a small bulb for a month or two and then moving them to the tank. That seemed to work for him.

[prunfarm]

Sorry, I meant shipped to me. I purchase them from LFSs after I can inspect them. I have a pretty good rep w/ my LFSs, and they let me pick up and check out all sides (looking for receding polyps, new growth, etc.)