Elegance coral?

[lion-clown]

Is there any reason these corals aren't good? Kind of good looking and haven't seen it in anyones tank makes me curious. Thanks

 

[surf_buddy]

Curious... where did you hear these were not good corals?

BarrierReef has a very nice piece of elegance in their display tank, it was recently fragged, and 3 pieces were sold off pretty quickly.

 

[barrierreefcf]

Is there any reason these corals aren't good? Kind of good looking and haven't seen it in anyones tank makes me curious. Thanks

Its not that they aren't "good" but rather that in recent history many have developed problems after being imported. Its been a while since I read up on the theories and facts surrounding these problems and their origin so I won't muddy the water with my vauge recollections. The bottom line for us as a store is that we see the pieces from Jakarta come in, stop looking good shortly after arrival, close up, develope white slimy strings and excess mucus, then die. The pieces from Australia and Flores Island fare much better but its still no gaurantee that they will make it. The large Elegance we have in the store was a big frag we were given by a friend who has had his for roughly 8 years. The frags we took off of it sold quickly because people knew they would survive. We currently have two Australian Elegance that are doing well and have been in our tank for 4 weeks. At 4 weeks you can be pretty sure they will be fine. Care is fairly easy. They seem to thrive when placed on a sany bottom (seen them thrive when wedged between rocks though as well), medium intensity lighting is fine but they will adapt to high, meaty foods are readily consumed, and a non-laminar medium flow seems best. Anthony can probably provide more detail on the problems with importation and actual spot you would find them in on the reefs.

 

[lizardarm]

Here's an article that explains alot, a good refresher or intro into the problems that these corals have been plagued with for the past several years:
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-02/eb/feature/index.php

and an R.O thread with a bunch of people chiming (sp?) in:
http://www.reefs.org/library/article/elegance_coral.html

and how the elegance coral "gets it on":
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-06/nftt/index.php

 

[returnofsid]

That goes along with what I've read. It seems several years ago, these were a great coral with good longevity. However, in recent years, wild colonies have not fared well in our aquariums. I seem to have read that the reason for this isn't really known. However, that being said, I'd say that a colony that's been in captivity at least 8 years would do very well!!

 

[lizardarm]

I'd say that a colony that's been in captivity at least 8 years would do very well!!

+1 on that.
The research seems to be pointing in the direction of a disease that the indonesian elegance are carrying that they can fend off when left alone in the ocean but overwhelms them when introduced to the stresses of harvesting and captivity.

 

[morgan]

ive got a really nice one with purple tips theres about 40 whole and fragged colonys at the lfs i work at. purple tips orange tips and pink tips and yellow tips
i have always thought cataphyllia to be a fairly easy coral to keep and have seen one kept under 3 fluros for more then year
my one

shop display

close up

crazy zoas

 

[jadeguppy]

My suggestion is to make sure it has been in the store for a few weeks if possible. Also, try to get it from someone who houses the indos and aussies in different systems. Indos ahve been known to infect aussies. Start it out in a low light area and feed it meaty foods like mysis. Vitamin supplements also help if extension is not full. I got mine form a sps reefer whos lighting is too strong for it. The return of deeper color and longer extension has been very slow, which I hear is normal. It will probably be months more until it is back to full health/ extension.

 

[Maxx]

one of the most recent theories is that the Indo's are collected in deeper water and dont adjust to the higher lighting currently present in reef tanks. The swelling and sliming is thought to be a result of "burning" from the intense lighting, and a subsequent bacterial infection occurs. The infection is nasty enough to get passed over to healthy elegence as well...

Thats the theory anyway...

Here is my recent aquired Elegence...

Havent had it quite 3 weeks...

Nick