elegance coral

BCreefmaker · #1 01/07/2008, 03:20 PM

can someone help me out with my elegance coral, it dosent seem to be very happy in my tank. it was opening up quite nicely in the store and didnt look very damaged, so i got it. and since i brought it home it has never opened up as much as i seen it in the store, and every night it gets super small, sucks into its skeleton, and excretes mucus. but it seems to be opening a little less every day but not the 3-6 inches of expansion away from the skeleton like books ans the interent says it should. its in a very low flow area, just enough to blow the tentacles around lightly. its also under 250W MH. any ideas? all my other corals i got that day are doing fine including my SPS.

Savas · #2 01/07/2008, 03:37 PM

Here is what I know from looking at them but never actually owning one - they are commonly called an "advanced" coral and I do not yet have the confidence to try one. They like moderate flow and moderate lighting, some say even moderate to low levels of light. I would try moving it to somewhere a little shaded in the tank. They also need plenty of room to expand and like to sting near by neighbors, so try giving it a nice spot by itself. It has been my expereince that the excretion of mucus is a defense mechanism and not a good thing to happen. I have also heard from my local fish store that they are very difficult to have live more than 6 months.

Best of luck with it.

BCreefmaker · #3 01/07/2008, 03:41 PM

interesting, i thought the light might be too much, there are books that suggest the same thing, but i thought it might be ok, no wonder it liked the light at the store so much. i was thinking that it might have also been just acclimating to its new situation. it was bought the day after it arrived from jakarta, and it never really got acclimated at the store.

Savas · #4 01/07/2008, 03:42 PM

See the Post by Sk8tr in New to the Hobby - things not to use or buy during your first 6 months in the hobby: FYI; not that you are new to the hobby, but an interesting commentary.

See number 11.

Savas · #5 01/07/2008, 03:43 PM

It could definately be stress than - time in your tank may just be what it needs.

BCreefmaker · #6 01/07/2008, 03:45 PM

oh i know, but trust me around these parts its probably best it goes in my tank, other wise its a given it would die eventually.

BCreefmaker · #7 01/07/2008, 03:46 PM

oh yeah and the guy at the LFS said it likes dirty water? is that true? my water is pretty clean.

Savas · #8 01/07/2008, 03:47 PM

Nothing likes dirty water!

What is dirty water anyway - full of food or "dirt"? I would ignore that comment completely.

tmz · #9 01/07/2008, 04:25 PM

The cataphylia jardenei,elegance coral gows in lagoons or fringe reef structures that are relatively high in nutrients("dirty water"). It needs low to moderate current and modetrater light at least eary on. In it's natural habitat is is usually partly shaded by sea grass.

They have been impossible to keep in recent years but used to be considered quite hardy. Tanks with lower nutrrient levels may be part of the problem as well as collection techniques and areas of collection.

Closing up and excretions could be due to too much light or current or the coral could be beggining a downward spiral.

BCreefmaker · #10 01/07/2008, 04:40 PM

would it do better in my fuge tank? it only has 108 watts of t5 light. or should i give it time to adjust?

rustybucket145 · #11 01/07/2008, 04:41 PM

I'd put it in the fuge for now and watch closely.

sammyfish · #12 01/07/2008, 04:43 PM

Check out the article in this month's Reefkeeping Magazine on elegance coral.

Deb91 · #13 01/07/2008, 05:04 PM

Can you do a google search on your computer? I googled the elegance coral and there is so much information that can help with your questions. I have been trying to answer you with some info but something is going on with my laptop, it crashing or something for the last 45 min. I have been trying reply. I will try later to give you a hand if you still need it. Good Luck!

BCreefmaker · #14 01/07/2008, 05:32 PM

i know about them and what they need to survive. i have read about them in many different books, however they dont really give much info on how they acclimate to new systems or what there general stress symptoms are for too much light or flow. not to mention with this coral this internet aka "the truth machine" has varying opinions on how to keep an elegance ranging from its pretty hardy to impossible to keep and best left in the ocean. the elegance coral is looking nicer today then it has yet in my tank, i readjusted it and locked it in place with putty, along with moving all nearby coral and anemones away.

snorvich · #15 01/07/2008, 06:32 PM

You really need to check out the article in the January reefkeeping magazine. Elegance corals are high susceptible to a very specific infection that once present will always result in their fatality. The ones from Indonesia are more susceptible to this problem than the ones from Australia. This is not just an advanced coral issue as many people with a lot of knowledge are also unable to keep them.

tmz · #16 01/07/2008, 08:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BCreefmaker
i know about them and what they need to survive. i have read about them in many different books, however they dont really give much info on how they acclimate to new systems or what there general stress symptoms are for too much light or flow. not to mention with this coral this internet aka "the truth machine" has varying opinions on how to keep an elegance ranging from its pretty hardy to impossible to keep and best left in the ocean. the elegance coral is looking nicer today then it has yet in my tank, i readjusted it and locked it in place with putty, along with moving all nearby coral and anemones away.

Good for you. Great coral. What's the secret?