elegance coral

[selador]

I recently bought an elegance coral not knowing much about it. So I researched and found that most of the new ones now die and once you get them in your tank they don't look good after a few weeks. I've also seen posts on here that say the same thing. I've also read that they eat phytoplankton and many many many sites said that they cannot eat brine shrimp because it is too big.

I've found that much of this information seems to be false. Well I've only had it for about 2 weeks now but it is looking better than I ever saw it in the store. I've got about 2.5 watts per gallon in a bare bottom tank and it is really beautiful when it opens up for the day. It also eats large solid foods. It acts just like an anemone and will grab the food with it's tentacles and bring it to it's mouth. I've had great success feeding it large pieces of shrimp and it has been very difficult to feed it "liquified" food because it cannot feel it.

So it is so beautiful in my tank and it looks really happy that I hope it does not die in a few months.

Also, I have heard that it does sting quite a bit and the first place I had it, it was practically killing one very small anemone on some live rock however, I have a bicolor dottyback that has taken to it and it does not sting the fish. Interesting.

 

[SnowManSnow]

i hope you have luck with your elegance coral. the cards are stacked against you though he is probably expanded more because you only have the 2.5w/g in your tank in an attempt to expand its surface area to catch more rays.

Keep us updated!

 

[montana]

I hope your luck is better than mine. I am in the same position as you. I am new to all this and we just installed a beautiful 120 gal tank 2 months ago. At the strong urgence of the person who set up our tank and whom we have purchased everything from (and we do trust and like), we brought a beautiful Elegance home on February 25 and it was thriving just as you explained and liking eating small pieces of shrimp...until about 3 days ago (10 days from purchase). It has shrunk up to literally nothing and looks terrible. We read as much as we could, which suggested that maybe it was getting TOO much light, so we moved it last night to under a ledge. I hope this helps, but I think it is not long for this world. Our first death, and, of course, by far our most expensive purchase to date!

 

[wade1]

montana

:welcome:

If you guys have new euphyllia's, treating them before placing them into the tank seems to really improve survival hugely. Also, some of the cultured forms are really more hardy or less disease laden which improves things.

Search around a bit and see if you can find some information on dipping/treating euphyllia's/elegance corals.
Wade

 

[Omni2226]

You need to check out this article:
Renaming our Coral.
http://www.reefkeeping.com/index.htm

Its a great read. From what I understand all corals should not be treated the same just because they have certain things in common.

So not all soft corals like "dirty" water and low light. Same holds true for the so called Large and Small polyp corals. They dont all like high light and squeaky clean water. What I mainly take away from this article is that corals are like fish. Each one,on an individual basis, needs to be researched as much as possible and then use the best tool of all, your own eyes.

Observe and take action as needed as far as lighting and feeding go. Just because a coral has large polyps doesnt mean it wants large bits of food and vice versa for small polyps. A lot of soft corals love high light and lots of flow, some dont. Even corals in the same species can be worlds apart as far as needs go.

Elegance corals are often found in lower light (deeper water) with slow water flow, but they are also found in bright light with water flow that can rip your arrm off.

Anyway good luck with ya coral and check out that article. Lots of good stuff in it to think about.

 

[montana]

Thanks! I have ALOT to learn. It is just so disappointing to have our first coral die within 2 wks...but I will keep buying and learning!

 

[wade1]

Try to learn then buy and you will save yourself a LOT of money and headache, as well as the environment.

Please don't hesitate to come here and ask about various corals if you can't find information and I'm sure people will gladly respond.

 

[montana]

The store owner was very surpised to hear of the coral's demise and is giving us a full refund - and not stocking any addt'l elegance until she has a chance to read up on it further....but you are right, from now on I am going to research, research, research MYSELF and not just take anyone's word for it!

 

[montana]

The coral is gone. It moved it to a spot that was out of direct MH light, and we still had hope last night, as it still had some healthy looking tentacles (although some had sloughed off and it was starting to detach from the skeleton). But this morning, it is all white, detached from the skeleton an no tentacles. One question: While it was still looking healthy the first two weeks we had it, on several occasions it had spewed some milky substance. It was mosty transluscent, and looked gel-like. We assumed this was a healthy thing - but was it a sign of illness? Are they supposed to emit anything? I am assuming the get rid of waste matter. THANKS! Just trying to learn, and haven't found anything on any websites pertaining to this particular question, but I will keep looking....

 

[fyrefysh]

montana, you've got PM

Sounds like it slimed your tank, hopefully everything is still looking okay. Some corals and anemones that release slime when they die will poison the rest of the tank. I would suggest a water change.

 

[FragMaster]

It was more than likely expelling zooxanthellae.
Its what most corals do when they are super stressed, or realy ill.
They do emit a slimey substance other than zooxanthellae whentheyare sick though, but unless it a small tank IE 29g or under its usualy not going to effect the rest of your stock. UNLESS it happens to get stuck to one of them, then there is a chance the "matter" could sting or smother the coral.
This usualy dosent happen though IME. It usualy just gets blown around and sucked into the sump.
You should be fine with a small water change and the addition of some fresh high grade carbon IMHO.
I dont think a single elegance coral could slime out a 120g tank?
I could be wrong but a stable 120g system shouldnt be effected much if at all by it.