Elegance Coral Advice Needed!

[baldyguy]

Guys have seen a nice Elegance Coral in my LFS, as always I have scoured the web and have been reading that they have not had a high survival rate lately........... also that high lighting can kill them...... currently running MH is this to bright for them?

Any experiences or advice is greatly received.

 

[neilanh]

How much MH and what size tank?

 

[baldyguy]

Whole system runs 300 gallons..... 8ft DT & 6ft sump..... MH is 6ft with 3 150W 10,000K each on from 1200-2100.

 

[neilanh]

450W on a what, 220 gallon display tank?

that's not much light

 

[baldyguy]

Yeah ....... all other softs are doing fine so are my BTA's never had an issue of low lighting before.

 

[austinsdad]

I just got a feeling that the reports, and my past experience support the notion that regardless what you do it won't last long. I've heard the same reports and talked directly with a number of folks over 6 years maybe. One had success and I haven't heard from him in a while.

Good luck.

 

[melosu58]

I`ve also heard the same reports. Liveaquaria puts it in the moderate care level but I would put it in the difficult level. JMO

 

[CaptainAhab]

Not to mention moderate to strong lighting. You better put him up high

 

[semibfy]

Guys have seen a nice Elegance Coral in my LFS, as always I have scoured the web and have been reading that they have not had a high survival rate lately........... also that high lighting can kill them...... currently running MH is this to bright for them?

Any experiences or advice is greatly received.

Although experiencing difficulties w/ Elegant Coral lately, it used to very easy to keep coral going back around 20 yrs.
It may have to do areas where (different locations, deeper water than shallow, etc)they collect now.
If it is well, I mean, well extended at lfs, you can try but MUST see the coreal when retracted. Any possible damages to skin near the tips can cause melt down of coral in no time when transferred from tank to tank.
Ask lfs to turn it around. By doing so tentacles will retract thus can have better view for inspection.
Make sure to have them bag coral underwater also.
Find out what kind of lighting at lfs and remember the location of its placement at the time of purchase.

When putting in your AQ with MH,try putting it low and gradually acclimated it to your light by bringing up to mid to 2/3 level, You have to monitor and decide. Indirect strong movement around the Elegant always worked for me. GO easy on feeding if target feeding.
Hopr this helped a bit.

 

[baldyguy]

Many thanks for the advice I think, as with all things in a reef, I shall put one in, monitor it and move as required...... the ones I am looking at have been in my LFS for about 8-12 weeks now and are doing fine.

 

[semibfy]

Best of luck! BTW, when you move them, do so at night when they are retracted so less of possible tear/damage done when extended.

 

[Mighty]

I've had a purple tip Elegance Coral for a few weeks now. It was doing fine until a week ago. It is now shrunk up, and had what looked like mucous hanging from it. I'm still waiting to see what will happen. I have a 46 bowfront with 2 x 150w halides, and T5s. It's placed in the sand, toward the corner, where it has plenty of room to itself, and low flow. I remember reading something about this coral sloughing every so often, but would like to know if anyone else has experienced anything like this.

 

[semibfy]

I've had a purple tip Elegance Coral for a few weeks now. It was doing fine until a week ago. It is now shrunk up, and had what looked like mucous hanging from it. I'm still waiting to see what will happen. I have a 46 bowfront with 2 x 150w halides, and T5s. It's placed in the sand, toward the corner, where it has plenty of room to itself, and low flow. I remember reading something about this coral sloughing every so often, but would like to know if anyone else has experienced anything like this.

any pic possible? Sound like melt down but until pics, cant not be sure.

 

[Innovator]

It would be best to place these corals on the sandbed, as they are in nature, and not the rockwork. Placement upon the rock structures tends to tear their delicate tissue when expanding. As already stated, they have had a horrible track record for the past 5-10+ years and I'm sure collection, transport, handling, and the degrading environment is to blame. 20yrs ago they were indeed rather easy to care for. Make sure there is enough water flow to lightly "play" with the tentacles to keep the tissue consistently flushed. If there are any changes in lighting or you move the coral it will exhibit a degraded appearence by shrinking and sloughing. If the tissue is literally shrinking by the hours/days as if pulling from the skeletal then it would be in your best interest to remove it and provide treatment in a quarantine tank. If you think you are having problems then you better set up some kind of quarantine tank already just in case it needs to be pulled.

 

[Patroklos]

My LFS has started ordering them again over the past year after a few years of refusing to carry them. So far they have had good luck, ordering them for their larger customers (ie resturants) whose tanks they maintain and they haven't had any problems. I just bought one of the first batch offered for general purpose, a brilliant neon green specimen. I'll keep you guys posted.

 

[Mighty]

Here is a pic I took tonight, and one taken the first week I put it in the tank. It hasn't pulled away from the skeleton, but has remained closed for around two weeks now. I read someone's post about Elegance Corals reacting negatively in systems that utilize chaeto. My macro in my fuge has tripled in size in the last few weeks. Has anyone experienced this?