Coral question

[New2Salt]

Got this coral last night after trading in a false lemon peel angel that was picking on everything even our feather duster. I know it is a Leather coral, and believe from reading before I got it to be a Toadstool Leather Coral, I did some research on it before getting it and am now doing some after getting it, I know it's a Sarcophyton, but is it a Sacrcophyton trocheliophorum or a Sarcophyton alcyonidea?

My real question is this: I have read some places on the net and in a book I have that you don't really need to feed them, yet found one place it said it will eat microplankton.

Help! which is it?

Also the book I have now is Marine Reef Aquarium Handbook, they briefly go over alot of diffferent types of coral, but don't really go into detail about specific ones.

Attached is a pic of it, thanks for the help!

 

[reefrunner69]

Nice Pic!!! To be honest it is impossible to classify leathers beyond genus with examining the sclerites under a microscope. If it makes you feel better find one that is close....and call it that, I have always settled for Sarcopyton species (toadstool leather).

As for feeding, I have never actively feed any of my leathers. I make homemade food, and in the process some of it is liquified, this will feed any of the filter feeders, other than that...they gotta make their own food via photosythesis.

 

[New2Salt]

Ok, that's what we figured, boy I can't believe how hardy they are too! I just hope it's not going to be to big for our 29 gallon, all we have coral wise is a pipe organ coral which is really blossoming I'm hoping it fills in more though and this Leather, we would like to eventually MAYBE add LATER either Frogspawn or Starpolyps, I'm hoping they won't hurt any of these, guess I will need to do more reading.
Thanks!

 

[reefrunner69]

I just hope it's not going to be to big for our 29 gallon,

Oh, it will be...eventually. Great thing about leathers though, is they frag easy and you can prune it everytime it begins to grow too large. Then you can give away the frags to friends or trade them or sell them to the LFS.

 

[New2Salt]

Ok thanks Kevin! I read about how to frag, can't believe they use superglue!

Thanks again!

 

[fishfreek]

GEL superglue.

 

[New2Salt]

Oh ok, thanks Fishfreek, btw, I was checking out your site, are you going to add new pics of your 80 gallon reef? Look forward to it!

LOL just noticed I'm an Aquarium Advice Regular and proud of it!

Thanks again for your site!

 

[reefrunner69]

LOL just noticed I'm an Aquarium Advice Regular and proud of it!

Looks like we found the first person to notice the new ranks...50 Kudos!!

 

[New2Salt]

LOL thanks, glad I'm regular LOL!

I'm a Mom, so I have to notice a lot of things!

 

[fishfreek]

HEHE, U no regualar any more. Now your an Activist.

HECK HEA!!!!

 

[New2Salt]

LOL oh my gosh, now I'm an Activist, I have never been an Activist! Thanks guys this Mom needed a good laugh today!

 

[fishfreek]

Oh ok, thanks Fishfreek, btw, I was checking out your site, are you going to add new pics of your 80 gallon reef? Look forward to it!

You found my issue. I have never gotten around to updating my own site.



Oh well.

I will one day.

Till then you can see pics of the 80 here http://www.vafishfreek.com/gallery/80_Gal_Reef

 

[New2Salt]

Boy that link is fine, love your hammer coral and the plate coral, saw a small one of those at our LFS didn't know what it was then.

Thanks again both of your for the new rank!

Hmm won't let me post, guess I'm posting too much sorry
this is what I got: You cannot make another post so soon after your last, please try again in a short while

 

[reefrunner69]

Guess that's why there is a double post

 

[reefrunner69]

It's gone now, I took care of it

 

[michealprater]

Cool Im a addict.

 

[New2Salt]

LOL with as much as I'm on here I'm an addict just doesn't say it yet