Reef Discussion

[Dean Lovett]

Hey all,

As we approach the end of the working week, my wallet begins to warm up, knowing it'll spend most of the weekend at the LFS!

I am looking at keeping a torch coral.

Currently I have a medium sized colony of zoas, a medium sized toadstool coral, and a blue cespitularia.

But, my partner and I want some movement in the tank and we think that a torch coral would do just that.

So keeping a torch coral, I'd love to know about the ins and outs.

Placement, flow, food, light, parameters, growth rate and so on!

Thanks all! Have a great Thursday!

 

[NiCd]

Hi Dean,

Torches are a really nice coral and will do exactly what you are after in regards to movement. Fresh collected can be a little hit and miss. even with what is regarded as perfect conditions a lot will polyp eject, brown jelly etc for somewhat unknown reasons, even after a long time in captivity and then others will be like a brown dog and be the most indestructible coral in your tank.

This seems to be the way with most of the euphyllia species , which is a real bummer when you get cocky and dish out $400 on that toxic green with fluro yellow tipped torch because your poo brown one has been doing so well for the last 5 years.

The generalisation is that they like medium light, medium flow and stable alk, cal and mg. I have seen higher flow give both longer and shorter polyp extension. I think one of the difficulties in keeping them can be is they occupy a wide range on the reef and we are just best guessing the conditions to provide them. They do seem to do better with a feed of mysid or similar every so often.

They have a really strong sting and can send out sweepers a lot longer than their normal polyps so a good idea to give them a bit of clear room unless they are in a euphyllia garden, which nearly all seem ok with each other but you do occasionally get a rough that will destroy everything, so just play that by ear.

If you are looking and keeping a really nice one long term I couldn't recommend highly enough the ones currently being aquacultured by @Oceanarium .

These are to be tank proven and one of the best looking, stable, fast growing and forgiving ones I and others have kept. The downside is their small initially size but within a few months you seem to have a semi respectable polyp that you would expect to pay $100+ for in most shops and within 6-8 months - all going well - you will have something really special that price aside is almost impossible to come by in any LFS.

 

[Dean Lovett]

Wow. Thanks for the informative post!

With regards to placement, I have been reading that they prefer the sand bed? Is this correct?

How fast growing are they, having a nano tank I need to be considerate of space and ensure it won't out grow the tank for sometime!

Thanks again!

 

[MagicJ]

They can be located anywhere providing they have adequate light and flow - just make sure they are secured adequately as the polyps can be damaged if they fall over onto a hard surface.

Generally, they are not fast growing so I don't think you will have too many issues with it outgrowing you tank in the short term - but, as @NiCd stated, they do have long sweeper tentacles which are designed to sting any other coral within reach so make sure there is plenty of room around it.

 

[Sam Parker]

My first coral was a torch and is still going strong. It is just a brown one, but I love it :D

 

[daveH]

Love my Golden torch - had it for a couple of years now - under the blues at night it's gold with really bright blue ends.
Certainly one of my favorite corals. Loves a bit of chopped prawn and scallop once a week.
Get one, you'll love it.

 

[slin1977]

The thing to remember with these so called beginner corals that the LFS tout, is they are quite aggressive towards other LPS
Take for instance catalaphyllia vs hammer vs frogspawn vs torch vs toadstool. If they catch a scent that one is in their personal space they will send stingers out , usually causing some serious damage to the one getting stung.

I forgot the formula since moving away from mixed reefs. I think frogspawn can go with hammers , I don't quite think torches can mix too well with hammers.

Perhaps explore hammers before torches. But if you are into torches, go for it!
You don't see too many torch gardens.... You see lots of hammer gardens.

You won't know until you try.
I've had my zoas and hammers fight it out , hammers one that round.
I can't remember but I think my green star polyps won against the hammers.

Enjoy the shopping !!!!

 

[NiCd]

I founds that most euphillia get along but there is rouge ones that don't,

If you look on the left hand side at the torch/hammer/frammmer garden there is torches hammers and frammers all getting along fine and then down the front about there cat there is a poo brown torch that has stung the shit out of other torches and hammers around it and given itself a clearing.

You can also see the hammers against the acans on the ring hand side and down near the red line that the hammmers left a lobo alone to reach past and get half of a scolly