Mistake with Flower Pot?

[dragoneggs]

I think I might have made a mistake in purchasing this coral over the weekend. It was a bit of an impulse buy due to its striking color and my thoughts of nursing it back to full health.

I was told it is a Flower Pot LPS coral. I have learned in reading since that it can be difficult to keep and although prolific in the wild... can be difficult to grow long term in the aquarium. It has not yet extended its polyps so it is difficult to get a count on the tentacles.

First, I would like positive ID on the character and second, any tips, suggestions on how I can best care for it!

I know, I know, I should have done my research first on this one but... it is about the size of a small avacodo

 

[NC2WA]

Mark,

Do you know if it has 12 or 24 petals on the flower?? If 24, then it is a gonipora; if 12, then it is a true flower pot. A gonipora is not as difficult to keep as a flower pot, but most species die within a year (as a general rule of thumb).

You need the proper water flow, food supply ( a filter feeder), and water conditions to keep it. I did try this once and I believe it lasted around 11-12 months. From what I've read and been told by most LFS, the red color flower pot is the more hardier of them, with the yellow being the hardiest to keep.

Kirk

 

[dragoneggs]

It has been about 30 hours since introducing it and it has shown a little hint of extension. Here is a closer view.

 

[dragoneggs]

I have yet to be able to determine if it indeed Goniopora by counting. I think it is but I am not definite. My research also realized that it should not be kept with other cnidarians so now I have to figure what the common names for those are?

 

[Anthony Calfo]

I'm sorry to say it... but it is dyed and dying. Do see my article in the list of "fav links" stickied atop this forum (scroll to the articles list in that thread and seek the dyed corals article).

If you hand feed this coral near daily for 4-6 months... it might live. Do give it a try. Micro foods please (cyclop-eeze, coral-frenzy(.com), DTs oyster eggs, etc)

 

[dragoneggs]

I'm sorry to say it... but it is dyed and dying. Do see my article in the list of "fav links" stickied atop this forum (scroll to the articles list in that thread and seek the dyed corals article).

If you hand feed this coral near daily for 4-6 months... it might live. Do give it a try. Micro foods please (cyclop-eeze, coral-frenzy(.com), DTs oyster eggs, etc)

Anthony, all I can find is the following but the link seems to be broken:

The Tragedy of Artificially Colored Live Corals
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-...ature/index.php

Actually, I am very tempted to take it back to the LFS and ask for an explanation and a refund although I know its my bad for the purchase.

 

[Anthony Calfo]

still the 2002 issue (see the root URL):
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-09/ac/feature/index.php

 

[dragoneggs]

still the 2002 issue (see the root URL):
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-09/ac/feature/index.php

Thank you Anthony. Very informative article. I am contacting the LFS to discuss the matter. If I end up keeping it I will do everything I can to save it. It is not a matter of money but of principle.

 

[morgan]

i love the goni and sorry to disagree with mister calfo but it aint dead till every last polyop is gone that looks like more of a handling error in shipment give it sum strong current
once the coral start receding from the base then ur in troble this looks more like to much finger pressuer on the coral i have seen that colour morph before also but that was from the great barrier reef so intrested to know where this one was collected
my lfs has a yellow goni with purple tips and thats been in his tank for 3 years he also has a stunning red goni thats over 5 years old and that thing got smashed worse then that after falling in to another coral and being reduces to a nickle size of polpys and now u would never know it happened
dont give up on it yet

 

[dragoneggs]

i love the goni and sorry to disagree with mister calfo but it aint dead till every last polyop is gone that looks like more of a handling error in shipment give it sum strong current
once the coral start receding from the base then ur in troble this looks more like to much finger pressuer on the coral i have seen that colour morph before also but that was from the great barrier reef so intrested to know where this one was collected
my lfs has a yellow goni with purple tips and thats been in his tank for 3 years he also has a stunning red goni thats over 5 years old and that thing got smashed worse then that after falling in to another coral and being reduces to a nickle size of polpys and now u would never know it happened
dont give up on it yet

Thanks for your comments Morgan. So you don't think it was 'dyed'. I was hoping not. I have emailed the LFS and asked the owner to comment on the coral. I may indeed keep it and do my best to target feed and see what I can do to revitalize him.

 

[spongebob lover]

i just wanted to say

nice coral dood .

 

[lavenderfish]

I made a very similar error. I had spent the weekend making compatible coral lists and had it in my head that goniopora would work. I checked via search engine when I got it home to determine best tank placement and realized I'd screwed up:doubt: . For the first 2 placements over 6-8 weeks it steadily but slowly retreated in size. Not wanting to throw it out but not really having a lot of hope for it I put it out of the way in a very high flow place and it has really started to look good. The tissue recession has stopped and polyp extension has really improved. Reef-roids was supposedly developed with goniopora in mind and it seems to show feeding behavior when it hits the tank. If you keep it go for the flow and try some Reefroids. Since you live fairly close PM me and perhaps I can send you a sample since a little goes quite a long ways. I wouldn't recommend gonioporas or buy another but hopefully I can save the one I have. Best of luck to you whatever your decision.

 

[Anthony Calfo]

Good heaven's... that coral is dyed as sure as the sun will rise tomorrow!!!

I have been through dozens of countries, both hemispheres... reefs from the Indian Ocean through to the East Pacific and over to the Carib, Med, etc... not to mention lived the handling of marine ornamentals by the tens of thousands for what is now approaching 20 years. There are no Goniopora even remotely this color naturally... and it will die if it is not fed heavily for a long time due to the zooxanthellae bing masked by the dye.

I am certain that no one can show me/us a naturally occuring specimen that looks like this.

 

[dragoneggs]

Anthony, you may not be comfortable with this but could you please recommend some phytoplankton/zooplankton products? I see that Kent Marine seems to have a variety of products. I also assume I should be target feeding. If so, I assume I should be turning pumps off for a period of time and feed with syringe? Any detailed advice would be appreciated.

I am also concerned about messing with my tanks overall water quality and causing other parameters to become out of balance. Do I have to concern myself with causing extreme algae outbreaks or... ?

Also please comment on Reef-roids as suggested by lavenderfish.

 

[Anthony Calfo]

no worries my friend... I have no qualms about making comments about any specific products. All - just like me, my mag, this forum... anyone/anything - must stand on their own merits.

So at the risk of losing present or future ad revenues for my mag ... I will say again, as I categorically have in the past, that I will not use or recommend food supplements that do not list their ingedients or their date (expiration or mfg is fine by me... a reference point of responsibility). I literally won't take them for free let alone use them.

Based on that criteria... I do like/use and recommend DTs for phytoplankton, and Cyclop-eeze and coral-frenzy for zooplankton substitutes. Live copepod cultures are ideal for many corals too.

If anyone studies phyto culture well enough to understand and appreciate the need for growing cultures in refridgerated environs and tuning "fertilizer" recipes, then live phyto is best. Few folks (myself included) have the skill, time or discipline to DIY home culture live phyto that is anything near the nutritional quality of properly cultured commercial phyto. I for one think my personal time and reef system's value (lives and dollars spent) is worth the tens of dollars per year buying good commercial phyto for a typical reef aquarium.

I have not used Reef-roids and cannot comment from personal experience.

 

[lavenderfish]

Hmm.. I have used DT's as well Reef-roids but I was under the impression it was too big a food for the Goni. Maybe that helped out too. Perhaps it was all in the improvement of flow. I really don't know what caused my Goni to turn the corner and give the impression it might live. To be honest if it started to decline tomorrow that wouldn't surprise me either.

 

[dragoneggs]

Hmm.. I have used DT's as well Reef-roids but I was under the impression it was too big a food for the Goni. Maybe that helped out too. Perhaps it was all in the improvement of flow. I really don't know what caused my Goni to turn the corner and give the impression it might live. To be honest if it started to decline tomorrow that wouldn't surprise me either.

PM sent...

 

[dragoneggs]

Okay... a bit of online research on phytoplankton has enlightened me bit. I also happened on the 'battle' of truths between Reef Nutrition's Phyto Feast and DT's Live Marine Phytoplankton. Interesting read.

It appears that Phyto Feast Live is available locally but DT phyto is only available online making it much more cost prohibitive due to a $25 shipping charge. I guess I will be trying the reef roids and phytofeast first.

 

[lavenderfish]

Dt's is sold at Bridges in Lake Stevens, Pet-pourri in Everett, I think Barrier Reef carries it. I haven't found it to be an online food at all. Bridges is closest to me and last week had fairly fresh DT's

 

[dragoneggs]

Dt's is sold at Bridges in Lake Stevens, Pet-pourri in Everett, I think Barrier Reef carries it. I haven't found it to be an online food at all. Bridges is closest to me and last week had fairly fresh DT's

Great.. thanks! I searched for local stores on the DT website and it showed nothing for a hundred miles. I will be driving by Barrier Reef on the way home tomorrow.