Plate coral... It's gonna come out and get you!!!

[sweatervest13]

Hi all,
I was checking on my tank this morning before work. I have a new addition in QT and wanted to make sure he is okay. I check out the DT with the moon lights on and saw one of my plate corals fully inflated. I have seen a plate frag I have do this before so I was not too surprised but this one is about 6-7" across to start (the other one is only 3").
First off this thing has never stayed put since I put him in the tank a few months ago. He moves about two or three inches every day. I have read that they are very mobile and do so by filling up with water to get more buoyancy and kinda float around. Seems cool to me.
Here you go.

It normally is about 1/2" to 3/4" high. This pic it is about 3" high.

 

[meowzer]

WOW...it's really pretty

 

[sweatervest13]

Couple of more pics.
Just with the moonlights.

 

[reefkprz]

plate coral will stay in one spot if it finds a spot where it has the "ideal" combination of light and flow. if it doesnt stop moving chances are its lacking one or the other in all the spots it has found.

 

[sweatervest13]

Quote:
Originally Posted by reefkprZ http:///t/392478/plate-coral-its-gonna-come-out-and-get-you#post_3485283
plate coral will stay in one spot if it finds a spot where it has the "ideal" combination of light and flow. if it doesnt stop moving chances are its lacking one or the other in all the spots it has found.
Thanks for the heads up reerfkprZ!! It has been trying to get past that rock you can see in the pic. I think I will just pick it up and move it behind there and see if it calms down a bit. I have two other plates, one does not move an inch and the other is new and does not move much. I will have to make sure that I find them the ideal spot.

 

[snakeblitz33]

Very nice plate! Healthy!
What are you feeding it?

 

[sweatervest13]

Quote:
Originally Posted by SnakeBlitz33 http:///t/392478/plate-coral-its-gonna-come-out-and-get-you#post_3485294
Very nice plate! Healthy!
What are you feeding it?
I have not been directly spot feeding it every day. I feed the tank and 95% of the time a chuck of meaty food falls on it. I did a bunch of additional research yesterday on plate corals. So, now I know to spot feed daily and the growth will take off. I have a small 1" green plate, i got for the wife's Nuvo 8g. I am excited to see the growth on that one.

 

[snakeblitz33]

Yeah man. It will grow quick with food. Stable parameters also help.

 

[sweatervest13]

Quote:
Originally Posted by SnakeBlitz33 http:///t/392478/plate-coral-its-gonna-come-out-and-get-you#post_3485315
Yeah man. It will grow quick with food. Stable parameters also help.
I am going for stable. I don't think that my tank varies much at all. And that's the way I like it.

 

[travelerjp98]

Ahhhhh oh no! I have to run away from this monster before it gets me!
I jump into bushes and I scratch myself very badly, but I need to escape this monster.
I fall into a sewer and it get------- GOBBLE GOBBLE GOBBLE.

Seriously, nice coral dude!

 

[snakeblitz33]

I can just picture that in a bad B rated horror movie.

 

[travelerjp98]

Quote:
Originally Posted by SnakeBlitz33 http:///t/392478/plate-coral-its-gonna-come-out-and-get-you#post_3485399

I can just picture that in a bad B rated horror movie.

hahahaha totally. I was just thinking about watching one tonight. Lol.

 

[snakeblitz33]

The Blob... a classic.

 

[sweatervest13]

Quote:
Originally Posted by travelerjp98 http:///t/392478/plate-coral-its-gonna-come-out-and-get-you#post_3485374
Ahhhhh oh no! I have to run away from this monster before it gets me!
I jump into bushes and I scratch myself very badly, but I need to escape this monster.
I fall into a sewer and it get------- GOBBLE GOBBLE GOBBLE.

Seriously, nice coral dude!
Nice one!!!

 

[travelerjp98]

Quote:
Originally Posted by sweatervest13 http:///t/392478/plate-coral-its-gonna-come-out-and-get-you#post_3485496
Nice one!!!

Haha thanks!