Reef Discussion

[Dean Lovett]

Hey all.



So, I have a blue cespitularia, and have had it for about 3-4 weeks. Since adding it to the tank, it hasn’t opened its polyps (It does open them slightly when I add marine snow to the water). It sometimes looks GREAT other times, it looks a bit limp. It hasn’t lost any colour, it has stayed relatively the same.



But most noticeably is the presence of thin strings from the top of it... The strings look something like this:
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F

(Pretend the Fs are joined… so it has like perpendicular spines from it)

Also, when I touch them, they retract…



Are these stingers? Is it doing it as a show of aggression to my toadstool coral or zoas?


Also, flow is seeming to be a problem, if i give it too much, it gets smashed, too little and it looks limp.

The photos above, it is leaning to the right, normally it straightens up after the light has been on for about 30 minutes or so!


Also, if you have any experience with this corals, let me know about them! :)

Thanks all!

And have a great week!

 

[Agent M]

The F's are its polyps, and when you touch them, they retract in defense. Its looking healthy and happy in all of the pics you have posted of it.

They do produce slime, thats quite normal. I wouldn't put Blue Cespitularia in the 'easy' category as far as soft corals go - it can be finicky and doesn't transport well at all. So its done well to make it to the shop and to be transferred to a tank as well - they often melt along the way. But looks like you are doing great so far.

As for flow, wherever you have had it so far in the pics seems to be fine. Soft corals will deflate and expand over the day, most noticeably when the lights go on and off. They can take moderate to strong flow, as long as its hitting them indirectly, not aimed straight at them in a stream. That's the ultimate flow IMO. Once you have it in a spot its happy, leave it be and don't move it around as this can delay growth.

 

[ReeferRob]

That doesn't look like Cespitularia to me. They are VERY touchy about alkalinity and they can take a week or more to settle in after a move.

This is blue Cespitularia direct from Africa:

 

[Dean Lovett]

Argh, thats what i have been thinking but so many people have been so damn adamant about it being a cespitularia...


Any other idea?!

 

[ReeferRob]

I got a $50 that says it's a Sinularia of some sort. Like I've said before, the nomenclature on soft coral is a royal mess. I can order the same thing from 2 different countries and get 2 different soft corals, Cladiella is that "catch all" for CITES permits when the shippers are lazy. If I order that from Indonesia, I get Cladiella, if I order it from Fiji, I usually get some sort of stubby Sinularia.

 

[Dean Lovett]

I got a $50 that says it's a Sinularia of some sort. Like I've said before, the nomenclature on soft coral is a royal mess. I can order the same thing from 2 different countries and get 2 different soft corals, Cladiella is that "catch all" for CITES permits when the shippers are lazy. If I order that from Indonesia, I get Cladiella, if I order it from Fiji, I usually get some sort of stubby Sinularia.

I checked photos - and the sinularia seem to have polyps all over its body, and mine only has polyps on the ends of its arms. do some Sinularias have that feature?

 

[ReeferRob]

Can you test your alkalinity? That's where I'd start, soft corals, the Xenia complex in particular, are VERY touchy about low alkalinity.

 

[ReeferRob]

I checked photos - and the sinularia seem to have polyps all over its body, and mine only has polyps on the ends of its arms. do some Sinularias have that feature?

Yes, there are probably 10-12 different species of Sinularia. I'm in the process of pissing one of mine off to see what it looks like retracted.

Edit:
Pissed one of mine off and what you have is not a Cespitularia.

 

[Dean Lovett]

Yes, there are probably 10-12 different species of Sinularia. I'm in the process of pissing one of mine off to see what it looks like retracted.

Edit:
Pissed one of mine off and what you have is not a Cespitularia.

I dont have a alkalinity test kit yet (BAD I KNOW) But it was tested on Thursday just gone and it was 12.

Right thanks for pissing it off! haha!

It often seems limp - and as soon as i touch it, it becomes upright again!

But are we convicned the tiny thing string that looks like the tail of a jelly fish is a polyp? I thought it might have been stingers?! Because the threads arent coming out of the polyps them selves, more from about 1 mm away from the polpys... There was two and now there are about 4...

 

[ReeferRob]

Depending on where Sinularia come from there is quite a variance in polyp size. There's also the possibility that you have a Capnella tree coral too.
Cultured Sinularia:

Cultured Capnella:

 

[ReeferRob]

They produce a LOT of slime when they're not happy. I'd say that's what's going on with yours. Something is making it not happy.

 

[Dean Lovett]

Depending on where Sinularia come from there is quite a variance in polyp size. There's also the possibility that you have a Capnella tree coral too.
Cultured Sinularia:
View attachment 49892

Cultured Capnella:
View attachment 49893

Also, it is glittery.

Yeah i touched it the other day, and it was slimy.

What should my first approach to cheering it up?

 

[ReeferRob]

Get some flow on it, go from there.

 

[slin1977]

Don't dose anything without a test kit. My theory is your alk is likely above 12.

Regular water changes with RODI water and artificial salt say Red Sea blue bucket will get mojo back.

 

[Agent M]

Argh, thats what i have been thinking but so many people have been so damn adamant about it being a cespitularia...


Any other idea?!

I hope you're not describing me or Ezza as being 'so damn adamant', lol .... do you want advice or not?

I don't think there are any other corals that look Xenia-like AND have glittery flesh. There is more than one species of Cespitularia. One species of plant, animal or mineral (not really) can look entirely different from another. Cespitularia is very soft and mushy and extremely slimey when lifted from the water. A Sinularia will be firmer and less slimey - if that helps.

@n0rk may be able to help

 

[Dean Lovett]

I hope you're not describing me or Ezza as being 'so damn adamant', lol .... do you want advice or not?

I don't think there are any other corals that look Xenia-like AND have glittery flesh. There is more than one species of Cespitularia. One species of plant, animal or mineral (not really) can look entirely different from another. Cespitularia is very soft and mushy and extremely slimey when lifted from the water. A Sinularia will be firmer and less slimey - if that helps.

@n0rk may be able to help

Sorry if the tone came off wrong! I was typing this at work, I work outside of the CEOs office and have clearly typed it without rereading my use of language!

I appreciate all advice I have recieved along this journey! :)

 

[Nick_85]

Looking at your pic your zoas are also closed and what looks like a leather is closed id be checking your params mate

 

[Dean Lovett]

Looking at your pic your zoas are also closed and what looks like a leather is closed id be checking your params mate

Yep they both are, that's because I took this photo hours before the light gets switched on. Everyone was sleeping! When the light is on, the toady looks grand! I'll update when I get home from the gym!

Thanks for the observation though!

 

[Ranibranch]

It's a pretty coral, whatever it is >_>

 

[curly747]

It's a pretty coral, whatever it is >_>

Yes i agree. And i think it looks healthy. I would just relax and enjoy it and let it settle in a bit.