I.D please fish&coral

[lauren_88]

Hi I purchased a new coral today. LFS told me it was a softie, called orange bush? It needed to be fed twice a week using this reef feed that they sold me and that it didn't need much light. I just want to check that because after researching online I couldn't find any info on it? And the small amount I found stated that this coral is really hard to keep and needs feeding daily?









Also wanted to check this fish I got a week ago. Was originally told it was a fairy wrasse and reef safe. However have seen what looked like the same fish in a different LFS today labelled as a dwarf parrot? Also seen my fish 'nipping' at the orange bush as soon as I put the coral in the tank. Could this just be him being nosy or is he actually not reef safe? Sorry for bad pictures he wouldn't stay still lol












Thanks
Lauren

 

[mr_X]

that's either a carnation or a chili coral. they don't require any light, but do need a constant supply of phytoplankton, which you probably won't be able to supply without spoiling your tank. yet another coral that should be left in the ocean. a very poor success rate in captivity.

the wrasse looks to be a longfin fairy and is reef safe.

 

[paulace2372]

I recognise the fish as a dwarf parrot wrasse but unfortunately all too often the common names are misused and everyone gets confused. I looked it up and the latin name for it is Cirrhilabrus rubriventralis. Im pretty sure your's is juvenile. Sometimes wrasse like to clean things so he may have been busying around doing his thing but I have known them to be nasty and aggressive to tankmates - keep an eye on the situation.

As for the coral - wow, very orange! Some people may think that i am talking through my hoop here but I have actually seen these things being kept quite successfully upside down in tanks on the undersides of rocks and small cave holes. It should be noted that I have never kept one of these but a good friend has a couple, doing as I have said and I believe he just feeds three times a week. They are non - photosynthetic so they don't need much light, just the amount that reflects from the gravel seems to do fine. I hope this helps a bit!

 

[lauren_88]

I'm feeling a mixed of nerves and annoyance regarding the coral. It was expensive and I am new to this hobby so now don't know whether to return it and ask to swap it for some yellow polyps or some mushrooms. I hate the thought of it dying and I don't want the worry every day that it might die lol. LFS really irritates me as they give you complete wrong info. They said it was easy to keep etc etc. I kept asking and saying I was inexperienced and had a fairly new set up. Grrr

 

[paulace2372]

You should take it back, get something much easier to cut your teeth on. maybe mushrooms etc. Give it a little while and build up your confidence and knowledge with simple corals like a kenya tree and some xenia before trying anything hard work. careful who you buy from, some of them just want a sale and couldn't care less about fish or corals!

 

[lauren_88]

Yeh I think I will do. I just hope that they let me swap it because I threw out the main receipt but kept the paper one which had the name/price of coral plus my signature and the signature of the sales person. Just hassle I don't need lol. Stick to the ones I felt confident with, polyps and mushrooms lol

 

[paulace2372]

you will soon be able to experiment a little more once you have some confidence and you will learn as you go along! what setup do you have? size, lights, filter, power heads etc etc?

 

[lauren_88]

Thing is I don't want difficult corals or complicated fish. I want a fairly easy to maintain, hardy system lol. I have a RR94l with the lights that came with the system, 2 pumps and a nano powerhead and my filtration is 9kg LR plus sponges and ceramic rings(which will soon all be replaced with LR rubble)

 

[mr_X]

how long has your friend kept this coral? how established is his system?
non-photosynthetic means it doesn't need any light. indirect or ambient light has no effect on it.

 

[paulace2372]

I assume you're running a skimmer aswel? Do you know what the lights are? t5?

 

[paulace2372]

how long has your friend kept this coral? how established is his system?
non-photosynthetic means it doesn't need any light. indirect or ambient light has no effect on it.

Six or seven months ago I think he put the last one in but had one before that for some time. I remember him saying the light in the tank and the setup of his flow would make it easier for him to feed the coral successfully without causing problems in his tank. He uses a small black tube attached to a funnel next to his sump inlet to feed almost directly into the cave area that he has the corals "hanging" from the rock. I wish I had taken pics of the coral and the method with which he feeds them. The way he explained the benefits gained from the small amount of ambient light made sense at the time, make any sense to you?
I believe it was his way of controlling when the coral took the phytoplankton.

 

[paulace2372]

Sorry you also asked about how long it was established. i would have to say in excess of 8 to 10 years, he has been keeping a reef for well over twenty years.

 

[mr_X]

yes. i believe non photo corals would do much better in an 8 year old tank. i think the ambient light was for him to see to target feed them?

 

[lauren_88]

Yeh I run a skimmer. And the lights are t5. Well I took the coral back and got some yellow polyps for only £14 much cheaper and easier to keep will post a photo later they are hiding at the moment as have only just been placed in the tank

 

[Greenturtle]

Good choice have you considered ricordeas and colt coral? They are my 2 favorite corals, and they are easy.

 

[lauren_88]

Here is my new yellow polyps. I don't know a lot about colt coral or ricardos?

 

[lauren_88]

Lol sorry ricardeas. Predictive text on iPhone lol

 

[Greenturtle]

Colt coral looks an average SPS coral, but sways around. I have one the size of a basketball that took over the left side of my 90 gallon.

Ricordias are mushroom corals that have little tentacles on them.

I would check both of them out.

 

[lauren_88]

Quick question do I feed mushrooms and polyps? One LFS said no they use photosynthesis the other said yes feed twice a week so I bought some reef feed.

 

[mr_X]

no. you do not need to feed mushrooms and polyps. they are just trying to sell you stuff.