Kenya Tree not Opening

[AMANIQU77]

I bought a xenia and a kenya tree last Friday (3/17/06). The xenia is now happy and waving in the tank. The kenya tree is in clusters. A part of the cluster is opened up. The rest still look like tiny grapes attached to the tree.

SG 1.026, pH 8.1, Temp 79F, Ca 420, Nitrates zero, Phosphates zero, kH 375 (in ppm), supplements of Strontium/Molybdenum, Purple Up, Iodine, and Phytoplankton.

After acclimation, I placed the kenya tree low but with very strong water current (near the powerhead). Then, after 24 hours, I placed it higher with medium water current. I was hoping for it to all open up. However, this one cluster is still the one opening. The rest remain tiny grapes.

How will I know if the kenya is dead already or not? How long do some of you had to wait for kenya tree to open up? I thought kenya is easier than xenia? How come my xenia is doing very well while the kenya tree is, for the most part, closed? I bought them at the same time and drip acclimated them !

PS: Do I have to worry about toxins that kenya tree may excrete when it dies?

How does "dead kenya tree" look like?

Thanks.

[TCTFish]

You've only had the coral for a few days. Set the coral in one spot and leave it be, Let the animal adjust. So long as water quality is good, it'll eventually open and closed doesn't mean dead. It's just 'dormant'. A dying coral looks pretty nasty. It would be tearing apart with gooy slimy icky stuff. Dead and dying coral when lifted out of the water will also wreak really bad. Whoo what a stench!!

BTW...1.026 SG is pushing borderline for the fish. Try to keep it under 1.025. I notice problems with fish at 1.027 and 1.026 is just too close for evaporation to push it over that borderline.

[seaham358]

Like TCT says leave in one place and let it be so it can get used to the tank. They are a very hardy coral, what kind of lights do you have? My kenya like it in the low lights area of the tank but they will adjust to brighter lights. This could be part of the problem if your lights are brighter then what it is used too it will take time to adjust to the lights.

Why are you dosing these Strontium/Molybdenum, Iodine... Do you test before dosing.