Elegance Coral Question

[morayeels]

I just got home ffrom the LFS and man did I find an awsome purple tip elegance. I have atempted several in the past with so so luck. Im going to try something new with this elegance. I runnig 8 T-5 actinics. In the past I always ran high lighting to keep them. I placed the elegance at the top of my tank. So far after placing it the elegance opened about half way. For people who are keeping elegance corals what is your lighting set-up and what are you feeding. I have my own phytoplankton set-up so I think I should be fine.

 

[mudplayerx]

I think elegance corals require meaty foods. I don't think they eat phyto at all. Correct me if I am wrong.

 

[wax32]

Yeah, phyto: not so much, light low, flow low/medium, tank water: DIRTY.

 

[1journeyman]

Also believe they prefer to be placed in the sand.
From what I've read these has abyssmal survival rate in captivity. They used to do well, but something has changed, possibly where they are harvested?

 

[mudplayerx]

Yes, they do have less than a 50% survival rate just in the 1st 2 months. This stems from two things. Their native habitat is muddy water very rich in nutrients (not going to happen in the typical reef tank).Secondly when they are collected, it is common for their flesh to get torn in areas. They have a very bad tendency to succumb to these wounds.
Here's a few tips I picked up with a little reading:
Placement
Placed in horizontal orientation: point down, mouths and tentacles facing upward, NOT in vertical settings as they are often arranged in reef systems. They really need to be placed "on their backs"
Semi-still waters: They come from settings with actually very little water movement, NOT as many hobbyists place them; in full front of a powerhead’s constant blast. Elegance corals need gentle, non-linear water movement.
Lighting
Lighting: full spectrum, low-to medium intensity... provided by VHO or compact fluorescents is fine. These are photosynthetic organisms, but remember, ones that live in turbid, muddy water often shielded by overlying sea grasses (Thalassia). No need for metal halides.
Water Conditions
The need for organic nutrients: IMO, this coral should only be kept in a designated, "species" set-up, in very-well established, fine sand and "mud" substrate, sea grass, high nitrates (tens of ppm and up) are no problem and calcium, strontium... but still no discernible soluble phosphates.
With this species you have to take care not to "over"skim, removing bio-useful
minerals and trace elements. These essential materials can be replaced through feeding (see below), water changes, and live rock (and possibly sand) use.
Feeding
I know of many aquarists that periodically feed their Elegance corals, fine to chunky meaty foods... in a well/properly set-up and maintained setting I would abstain from offering purposeful foods. Just rely on photosynthesis... and nutrients that come from other biological activity in the system.
They will benefit from feeding meaty foods every week or two, but since these corals should be in a skimmerless or very lightly skimmed tank, polluting the tank this way can be a problem.

 

[mudplayerx]

Sources:
Blackburn, Wayne. 1988. Corals in the reef tank. FAMA 12/88.
Borneman, Eric & Jonathan Lowrie. 1998. Rapid tissue necrosis- a new understanding. FAMA 6/98.
Branikowski, Edward J. 1993. The collection, transportation and maintenance of living corals. SeaScope v.10, Spring and Summer 93.
Bruckner, Andrew W. & Robin J. 1998. Emerging infections on the reefs. Natural History 1/98.
Colin, C.L. & C. Arneson. 1995. Tropical Pacific Invertebrates. Coral Reef Press, Beverly Hills, CA. Pp. 296.
Delbeek, J. Charles. 1990. Reef aquariums: coral compatibility. As a reef tank becomes established, corals will grow and require more space. AFM 10/90.
Denison, W.C. 1988. Effect of water motion on coral photosynthesis and calcification. J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol. 115:67-77.
Fatherree, James W. 1999. Elegance Coral. TFH 8/99.
Fossa, Svein A. & Alf Jacob Nilsen. 1993. Stony corals. Can they grow in a closed reef aquarium? FAMA 9,10,11/93.
Fossa, Svein A. & Alf Jacob Nilsen. 1996. The Modern Coral Reef Aquarium, v.1. Birgit Schmettkamp Verlag, Bornheim, Germany. Pp. 367.
Fossa, Svein A. & Alf Jacob Nilsen. 1998. The Modern Coral Reef Aquarium, v.2. Birgit Schmettkamp Verlag, Bornheim, Germany. Pp. 479.
Frissell, Christopher A. 1981. Living coral in the marine aquarium. FAMA 2/81.
Giovanetti, Thomas A. 1989. Keeping Plerogyra sinuosa, the Bubble Coral. FAMA 7/89.
Green, Edmund and Frances Shirley. 1999. WCMC Biodiversity Series No. 9, The Global Trade in Coral. 70pp. World Conservation Monitoring Centre, Cambridge, UK.
Janes, Michael P. 1999. Buyer’s guide to corals. FAMA 6,7/99.
Klostermann, A.F. 1993. Coral growth in captivity. FAMA 5/93.
Knop, Daniel. 1998. Artificial propagation of corals- the stony corals. Aquarium Frontiers On-Line 2/98.
Michael, Scott. 1996. Bubble Coral; the opinions about keeping them seem to be inconsistent. AFM 3/96.
Muscatine, L. 1973. Nutrition of coral. In Biology and Geology of Coral Reefs, v. II Biology. Jones, O.A. and R. Endean, Ed.s Academic Press, NY pp. 77-115.
Paletta, Michael. 1992. Propagating corals in the mini-reef. SeaScope v. 9, Winter 92.
Paletta, Michael. 1994. Selecting healthy corals. Making the right choices for your reef tank. AFM 7/94.
Paletta, Michael. 1995. The care and maintenance of corals. AFM 2,3/95.
Paletta, Michael. 1996. Dangerous neighbors. Placement of corals in the reef tank. AFM 8/96.
Parks, Noreen. 1993. Immortal corals. Reef builders use

[hr]
to slow evolution. Sea Frontiers 1,2/93.
Perrine, Doug. 1994. --- and the single scleractinian. Sport Diver 5/6, 94.
Riddle, Dana. 1994. Coral nutrition. Notes, thoughts, and theories. FAMA 4-8/94.
Riddle, Dana. 1995. Life, light and lipids; the importance of lipid in coral diets. 6,7/95.
Riddle, Dana. 1999. Coral killer? The case against two species of red algae. FAMA 2/99.
Stepanov, Dmitry. 1994. Coral feeding in nature and in the aquarium. FAMA 1/94.
Teh, Y.F. 1974. Keeping live coral. Marine Aquarist 5(1):74.
Verloop Ria and Ron Ates. Elegance Coral Catalaphyllia jardinei. FAMA 12/99.
Veron, J.E.N. 1986. Corals of Australia and the Indo-Pacific. Angus and Robertson, Publishers, North Ryde, NSW, Australia. Pp. 644.

 

[ratrod]

Nice facts by Mudplayerx, IMO elegance=waste of money. Some things shouldnt be taken from the wild. Elegance belong in the blue ribbon eel category, I've only seen one survive behond a year

 

[morayeels]

The Catalaphyllia Elegance Coral is a large polyp stony (LPS) often referred to as Elegant Coral, Wonder Coral, or Ridge Coral. It is truly the most unique and interesting stony coral known. Its polyps are extended during the day showing off its vast array of color-tipped tentacles. Under actinic lighting, the fluorescent qualities are beautiful with lime green, blue, orange, or purple-tipped tentacles which vary between branched or round and bulbous shapes. The most common color variety available to aquarists is gold with pink or purple-tipped polyps.
The Catalaphyllia Elegance Coral is moderate to maintain in the reef aquarium and makes an excellent choice for the beginner to expert hobbyist. Provide ample space in the aquarium between it and other neighboring corals as it will expand to twice its usual size during the day and will sting other corals in close proximity to it. It is best to place the skeleton of the coral into a soft substrate. The soft substrate is less likely to irritate the fleshy underside of the coral when compared to the rockwork. Clownfish may accept this coral as its host if no anemone is present. Use caution when handling, as it is very fragile and can also sting its handler.
Ideal reef aquarium conditions for the Elegance Coral should include moderate lighting with moderate water movement. For continued good health, it will also require the addition of calcium, strontium, and other trace elements to the water.
It will benefit from additional food fed daily in the form of micro-plankton or brine shrimp.

 

[ratrod]

Morayeels, That cut and paste post you put up on the elegance coral was writen when their survival rate was actually a posibility.

 

[the chefin' ma]

Ha! This coral is "CAUGHT FLOATING DIRTY". Sorry it is a real crappy analogy of a rap song but I had to do it.
J.c.

 

[dejaco]

Your question for those of us with elegance corals - placement and what type of system. Mine is in a 210 (72 x24 x 27). I have it on a ledge where it is nestled in and no rock rubs and surface of the fleshy part of the coral. The base is approximately 14 / 15 inches down from surface. It is in an area where flow "gently moves tentacles about. It is directly under a 250 MH 10,000 K lamp and also have 2 - 160 Watt VHO up there. I have never moved it. It was placed 6/25/06 and has really expanded. I don't spot feed it, rather like most of my corals I add frozen cyclops eze every other day when I feed tank in the evenings. I also alternate every other day with powdered Zoplan, Phytoplan, and Cyclops Eze after lights out. Other than that I adhere to that QVC roticery oven motto - "Set it and forget it!"
Hope this helps.

 

[coral1119]

Originally Posted by mudplayerx
Yes, they do have less than a 50% survival rate just in the 1st 2 months. This stems from two things. Their native habitat is muddy water very rich in nutrients (not going to happen in the typical reef tank).
Secondly when they are collected, it is common for their flesh to get torn in areas. They have a very bad tendency to succumb to these wounds.
Here's a few tips I picked up with a little reading:
Placement
Placed in horizontal orientation: point down, mouths and tentacles facing upward, NOT in vertical settings as they are often arranged in reef systems. They really need to be placed "on their backs"
Semi-still waters: They come from settings with actually very little water movement, NOT as many hobbyists place them; in full front of a powerhead’s constant blast. Elegance corals need gentle, non-linear water movement.
Lighting
Lighting: full spectrum, low-to medium intensity... provided by VHO or compact fluorescents is fine. These are photosynthetic organisms, but remember, ones that live in turbid, muddy water often shielded by overlying sea grasses (Thalassia). No need for metal halides.
Water Conditions
The need for organic nutrients: IMO, this coral should only be kept in a designated, "species" set-up, in very-well established, fine sand and "mud" substrate, sea grass, high nitrates (tens of ppm and up) are no problem and calcium, strontium... but still no discernible soluble phosphates.
With this species you have to take care not to "over"skim, removing bio-useful
minerals and trace elements. These essential materials can be replaced through feeding (see below), water changes, and live rock (and possibly sand) use.
Feeding
I know of many aquarists that periodically feed their Elegance corals, fine to chunky meaty foods... in a well/properly set-up and maintained setting I would abstain from offering purposeful foods. Just rely on photosynthesis... and nutrients that come from other biological activity in the system.
They will benefit from feeding meaty foods every week or two, but since these corals should be in a skimmerless or very lightly skimmed tank, polluting the tank this way can be a problem.

for placement, ur confusing me. the mouth is the opening of the coral? so place the coral facing the lights on the top of the tank? where should the soft side be facing?