Thanks! And a coral question

[RollTideReef]

Just joined, and would like to thank all posters. I did a lot of research before setting up my tank, and this site was most helpful. Thanks y'all!

My question concerns placing/attaching corals in the tank. If I order, either on line or from the LFS, corals such as brain, colt, toadstool, button polyps, mushrooms, how will they be packaged? Will they be loose in bags, or attached to live rock rubble? Also, how do you place them in your tank so they will stay where put? I've heard of using glue or epoxy, but do I put this on the coral, or on my existing rock, or on rubble? And finally, do the corals have to remain in water all the time, or can they be out briefly while attaching them?

Thanks in advance!

 

[electrikat]

corals can be out of water breifly while attaching. Sponges cannot. Most corals at lfs will be on a rock already. Some online places specify if they are loose or attached. some corals can be attached with a gel type superglue but the slimy ones like shrooms cannot. You have to put them on a peice of rubble and either cover them with wedding veil until they attach, or attach them with rubberbands or through the base with a piece of fishing line. www.garf.org is an excellent place to find out about different methods of attachment of different types of corals.

 

[Phyl]

Welcome to AA!

An open brain is self-contained and you'd just set that on your sand. Colt, toadstool, mushrooms, kenya, xenia and things of that sort (softies) will usually ship unmounted to save from injury (but check with your dealer) but can be tied down to rock to encourage them to attach. You could also pinch the toadstool or colt between rocks and have them attach that way. My ricordea were attached to small slivers of rock that I glued down to my rockwork with gel-type crazy glue. Take the animal out of water, dry off the rock work (and excess water as best as possible without making the animal nuts or they'll slime like crazy) dry off your rock (or use a small piece of rubble of your own that's already dry) and glue rock to rock. Don't put glue on the fleshy part of an animal. If there's nothing but flesh to work with then use bridal veil, rubberbands and toothpics, etc to hold the animal to the rock while it attaches. Stoney corals (either LPS or SPS) can be glued down to rock easily, just again making sure not to get glue on the fleshy parts if at all possible.