Tongue Coral

[SnowManSnow]

Hi,

I was entertaining the idea of keeping a tongue coral as my next addition. I was wondering if anyone had any experiance with one. Aren't they fairly hardy?... I have 130w on 37 g... apx 24inches deep.


Thanks,

B.

 

[_range_]

I had a tongue in one of my old tanks and it was damn hardy. Some people like to feed them a few times a week but it isn't necessary (many consider them low maintenance). Since tongues should be placed in the sand your lighting might be an issue (mine was kept under MH) but I think you'll be fine. Make sure you place it with adequate distance between other corals, as it has quite the stinging power and can be somewhat agressive. Tongues also appreciate moderate water flow. HTH -

 

[Anonymous]

I have had one for almost 4 years in my 75G. Kept him under 440W's of VHO before upgrading to MH.

My clownfish has adopted him as his host.

Louey

 

[SnowManSnow]

So I guess the next logical question is this... is 130w enough for a tongue? I'd sure like to have one.. but I don't wanna buy one and hand him a death wish.

Thanks,
B.

 

[Anonymous]

130W might be a little lite on the light. 24" is pretty deep too. That coral will need to be placed on the substrate, so your light is even more of a problem, potentially.

"Corals - A Quick Reference Guide" by Julian Sprung shows tongues as requiring light in the 3-9 range on a scale of 1-10. No where in the book does it define the scale. My guess is that it might survive in your tank, expecially if you fed it fairly regularly. I'd rather you wait to hear from someone else who has kept one successfully under similar lighting as yours. Better safe than sorry.

Louey

 

[SnowManSnow]

DOH! actually I messed up... I said tongue.. but I meant plate coral.. sorry bout that guys. Anyone ever keep a plate? is my lighting setup at 130w and 24inches enough?

B.

 

[netjamer]

I have a plate ---Heliofungia actiniformis--- large one- at full expansion about 8-9 in in diameter-- he moved himself today- about 2 inches to the left!-- I have my tank under 96 W of 50/50 CF-- a stock coralife unit---Only had it about a month or so-- but it behaves in a consistent fashion- and polyps get fully extended every day- I feed zooplankton once a week--maybe twice. Seems ok so far.

best,

Drew

 

[Fatal Morgana]

Plate and tongue has similar requirement. Both are pretty hardy coral. My green plate coral is one of the oldest hard coral in my tank, grown from a dime-sized hitchhiker to the size of a boy's fist in past 5 years.