Buying SPS as fresh cut, mariculture, wild, etc. (success rate)

[evoIX_Reefer]

I recently purchased some SPS and unfortunately the recently fresh cut frags aren't doing as well as an established mini colony that I purchased along with it. Dipped it and ran it through different flow rates/lighting on a frag rack. Now both are set in different areas and not doing so well. Losing color and no PE.

A little worried so I wanted to know what are your success rates between fresh cuts, mariculture, wild, etc.

 

[brick-brothers]

I bought fresh cut sps and actually prefer fresh cuts rather than have it on a plug. My wild sps is 25/75. 25% successful. I just recently discover that wild sps don't do well with the dipping, imo.

 

[evoIX_Reefer]

Wouldn't the wild SPS be more susceptible to aefw, etc?

I generally prefer aquacultured or those that have been grown in tanks before buying and cured for weeks but harder to find when I feel like buying than running over to a LFS.

 

[duke62]

I don't like maricultured at all. Not only do they not acclimate well to aquarium life they also carry all sorts of pests and I really don't like the way their growth pattern looks. To me their branches are to tightly grown maybe has something to do with the high lighting from shallow pools in the sun or maybe something else. As far as wild corals I really like Australian. They have the best rate of survival for me and some of their colors are insane. I only take fresh cuts frags from them and if a lfs won't cut it I won't buy a frag.

 

[akma]

Wild colonies you want to cut it off the base. Dip for aefw but eggs are usually at the base.

 

[brick-brothers]

yeah they would be. I think they will do better after dipping a month or 2 after being in qt

 

[evoIX_Reefer]

Do you guys actually have a qt for fish and corals?

A little surprised over the wild caught and fresh cut. My Millie was dipped and doing fine. Just my fresh cuts aren't doing well. So experiencing the opposite.

 

[brick-brothers]

yeah that's strange yours don't do well. what do you use to dip them in? I use Bayer. Works good but my wild sps doesn't do well.

 

[piranhapat]

I agree with everyone above. The reason for your fresh cut not doing well can be a few reason. Fresh cut needs to heal for at least a week. They can quickly get stressed. Also size of cut. 2 to 3 inches better than 1/2 to 1 inch. Next can be temp and how you acclimate it. I would think getting a wild coral be hard to get these days.Today they using Mariculure in swallow ocean pends and growing small colony's. Where Aquaculture are a from generation grown from our aquariums. Mariculture will adapt in time. Some will lose color especially Yellow, Reds, Blues, After awhile some will brown. If STN starts can be from Alk. I Qt everything perriod. One thing for sure I don't like pest. Also I agree cutting the base of the small colonys. Key to success of new SPS to your tank is Temp. Salinity, Alk. Than Calcium and lighting than current.

 

[ValorG]

Actually don't have much trouble with anything, wild, freshcut or mari. Just start at low light and leave it there for maybe 3 weeks or more. Once it starts to darken or get richer color I'll slowly start moving it up. But then again I have high nutrients and I think that also helps with new corals.

 

[evoIX_Reefer]

First temp acclimated in my dark sump. then drip acclimate in a bucket. Added few drops of coral rx. Manually swirled the water over 7-10minutes. Placed into another bucket with tank water for another 10 minutes or sso. I swirled and shaked the frag to make sure anything probably on it is removed and placed onto frag rack for about 2-3 days.

Frag rack was set to bottom front of my tank. Millie mini colony displayed PE this whole time and the frags....not so much.

 

[evoIX_Reefer]

3 weeks is pretty long but I like tried and proven method. Especially from someone who has an extremely high success rate.

Valor do you dip at all? What is your exact procedure of you don't mind me asking?

 

[evoIX_Reefer]

Temp stays at 77-78f based on APEX setup.
pH is 8-8.3.
Salinity always at 1.026 with tunze osmolator for ato. Refractometer

Alk is hovering range from 10.4-9.44 based on salifert and Hanna test readings.
Cal is reading 420-440 constantly. Salifert and Hanna
No3 near undetectable red sea pro
Po4 0.02 Hanna

I'd like to add my tank has only been up for about 4 weeks and in with diatoms/dino. Slowly diminishing algae but just figured have the whole setup out there in case I played with fire too early.

I have a superman and rainbow monti, orange setosa, green slimer, bonsai and garf bonsai in there doing fine and visual polyp extension. That's why I thought it would be fine for this set of coral.

 

[Mattl22]

I'm Finding maricultural seem to crap out after few weeks I'm waiting to see if any the 3 I have will turn out ok had them a few months and there so so with color / growth on the other hand wild Australian sps I've gotten few from Pw and have grown out and colored really nicely with them I dip then glue it right in!

 

[ValorG]

3 weeks is pretty long but I like tried and proven method. Especially from someone who has an extremely high success rate.

Valor do you dip at all? What is your exact procedure of you don't mind me asking?

Well coming from someones tank I dont wait that long obviously. The 3 weeks or longer is more for slightly bleached wild pieces. Which they all generally are coming in from shipping.

I dip everything. After temp acclimating by floating, I'll put in half tank water in with half bag water. Wait like 2 mins, then add bayer at 10 mls per cup. I'll constantly blow on the coral for at least 3-5 mins with a turkey baster. The total dip will be 5-7 mins depending on where its from/size/mounted.