Coral frags!

[Nu-Nu the eel]

Hey everyone! I want to buy some coral for my soon to be reef tank, and i am short in money. So i was wondering how long it would take a normal soft coral to reach respectable size (4-5")

I would use this information todetermine wether i would like to buy 6-7 frags or 1-2 colony corals. Thanks!!!!!!

 

[bighabeeb]

It varies greatly based on what you're looking at. Stuff like my open brain can take quite some time to go from tiny to big. LPS in general seem to grow a lot slower than sps.

Honestly the fastest stuff I've seen is palythoa and zoanthids, and green star polyps or similar stuff. I've only had my GSP for about a week and it's already started to spread onto the rock next to it. My palys I've had for around 2 months I guess, and they are also now starting to spread nicely.

Open brain...well...he just does what he does and chills. No inclination to split, spread, or anything else

 

[Nu-Nu the eel]

Okay thanks!!! So polyps spread fast??

 

[bighabeeb]

Okay thanks!!! So polyps spread fast??

I'd imagine it depends on the polyp - having not had any real zoas before I can only speak from what I've heard, which is that they will indeed spread in the proper environment.

I'd say my palythoa have nearly doubled in size in the couple months since I got them - they're all still fairly tightly packed together right now, but the number of polyps has grown dramatically. About 2 weeks ago two of them broke off - I moved them to another location in the tank, and there's now another 3 or 4 baby polyps coming up.

 

[HN1]

Go with xenia.

 

[Nu-Nu the eel]

Thanks alot guys! So it would be smart for a coral noob like me to buy frags right?

 

[bighabeeb]

Thanks alot guys! So it would be smart for a coral noob like me to buy frags right?

Depends on how patient you are. I'm a n00b too and have found it more efficient to buy normal chunks of coral, but to pick easy to care for ones.

It's more expensive this way, and I'm only adding about a coral every 3 weeks or so - but I think that having a large coral in a tank looks better than a whole butt-ton of teeny tiny frags.

Suppose it also depends on how large the frags are you're talking about. LFS near me has "frags" of zoas that are probably 15 - 20 polyps big.

 

[Nu-Nu the eel]

Haha ya the frags by me are prob the size of a quarter? Thats what i think, but im not 100% i think we can be pacient

 

[lbannie]

I go with frags.... you get to watch them grow, and if they don't do well, you didn't lose too much money! (I tried an sps under my T5, didn't make it, and I'm glad I only lost $10!) All of my frags have grown, it's cool to take before and after pics! good luck

 

[Nu-Nu the eel]

I go with frags.... you get to watch them grow, and if they don't do well, you didn't lose too much money! (I tried an sps under my T5, didn't make it, and I'm glad I only lost $10!) All of my frags have grown, it's cool to take before and after pics! good luck

Haha awesome! How fast har they grown???

 

[Sniperhank]

I've had my duncan for about 2 weeks and it has already started growing a third head. Odd because my kenya tree is supposed to be like a weed but isn't doing anything as fast as my duncan.

 

[Nu-Nu the eel]

Haha wow corals grow fast i guess!! Okay i really need to set up my tank!!! Haha how long after my cycle till i can add coral?

 

[zacheyp]

im no expert but i would say once you are confident that you are cycled you can add all the corals that you want

 

[Nu-Nu the eel]

im no expert but i would say once you are confident that you are cycled you can add all the corals that you want

Lol. I hope so! Haha cant wait to add corals. Its almost more exciting then adding fish!

 

[bighabeeb]

Once cycled, I'd say get a couple of fish in there and make sure your tank's bacteria level is high enough to support them...and that you're confident in your weekly routine.

Once you're there I'd say its safe.

And yes, I hear that duncans multiply like mad - I've been waiting for the LFS to get a 2 headed piece in (all he has are large 5 and 6 head chunks, and that's more than I want to start out with)

 

[Nu-Nu the eel]

Oooohhhh so duncans, xenia, and polyps are good starters!

Okay i will add half of my cuc, then the rest of my cuc and a shrimp, 1 fish and another shrimp, THEN corals? (all at least 2 weeks apart!

 

[Gregcoyote]

Only go with frags, if it will grow in your tank, it will get big fast, otherwise it dies and less is lost, especially when you are new to the hobby. Encrusting corals are easy and fast, like star poloyps and stuff like waving hand. Try to start any encrusting corals onto the back wall of the aquarium or on easily removable stones, because it can take over. Frogspawn is one of the fastest growing LPS corals and a great one to get started in stoney corals with.

 

[Nu-Nu the eel]

Haha okay thanks alot! I reallh like frog spawn and polyps. I like all coral pretty much haha