plate coral

[chizzle]

I saw some at the LFS and was wondering if any one had any experiences or advice. Any suggestions on how to tell a heaelthy one from an unhealthy one? TIA.

[Kurt_Nelson]

I had one, until someone fell on it (crab or snail) and pretty much killed it.

Only suggestion in picking one I've got is try to pick one that's moderately expanded and isn't all retracted at the fish store. It's hard to know what you're looking at when you're looking at one for the first time, but here's a healthy one...



This is a short tentacled one, and it's fairly "puffed up" in this shot.

Keep them on the sand bed and not on your rocks because they'll move. Really... they will. And learn from my mistake and don't put it under an overhang or shelf on your live rock where some clumsy snail/crab might pitch off and land on it. They don't like that as they're quite delicate. They're hardy... but delicate.

[melosu58]

Are you talking about short tenacle or long?

[lando]

When picking one out, make sure it has good color. They do range in color, but it should not look pale. Look for good tissue expansion, it should look swollen and puffy. Do not buy an animal with any part of the skeleton visible.

[EELectric]

This is all good advice! All I know is to keep it on the sandbed

[chizzle]

Short tenacle. Sorry, should have been more specific.

[melosu58]

No problem. Here is some info on them

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...cfm?pCatId=483

http://www.fantasyreef.com/database/...d=5&item_id=44

[chizzle]

So i decide to go ahead & purchase one. He looked great at the LFS, but hasnt opened since I got him home. I'll post pictures a little bit later. Thanks for all the advice & help.

[produceb]

mine only opens at night

[chizzle]

Update! My plate is extending all of its tentacles now, but it isn't puffing up. Should I be concerned? I'll post a picture probably on Thursday (hockey game tomorrow night, so I'll be getting home too late to do it).

Maybe this should be in the reposted in the sick coral, but I figured I'd just piggyback off of the original thread. Sorry if that is the case.

[lando]

Most corals require several days to settle in to their new home. If tissue or polyp expansion is not taking place now, give it a few more days. However, if bleeching or tissue ression (exposing the skeleton) or a slimy film cover the coral, it is not a good sign. Post some pics when you can...

[Kurt_Nelson]

As lando noted, it still might just be adjusting. Mine didn't *really* expand daily - don't know if that was normal or not. Somedays it would really puff up, others... not so much. I always just equated it to whether or not it was in a good mood or not!

The picture I posted might not really be representative of how "puffy" they normally get. If I remember right, it was exceptionally "happy" that day and that picture was taken shortly before it decided to move a bit. They seem to get enormous just before they move.