Coral castaways: Are there corals that you would not keep in your tank?

[Reefkeepers Archive]

Can you elaborate on this more? I’m confused how they’re bred out? I wasn’t aware anyone was breeding corals lol..

Selectively picked out is what I mean. They'll find the brightest colonies, frag them, grow them, take the brightest of those ect ect. And then your left with a coral (like Oregon blue tort acro or space invader pectinia for example) that would never exist in the wild. I prefer the natural colors myself but it's just a preference.

 

[Roatan Reef]

Captain Jerk Zoas..have an entire rock covered in them...they break off and spread like crazy....I want it gone, but wife says NO!!...LOL.. it's manageable of course, but it was one of the early corals I got.

Tried Gonis twice.. 6 mos and dead.

Also Maricultured Coral....lulz...never had a Coral die so fast!!

 

[Fishfreak2009]

None in my FOWLR because they ate everything I tried. Even the palys, xenia, GSP, gorgs, and blue ridge coral...

 

[CMMorgan]

GSP is one I would never keep in my reef again. My first tank I went for the back wall coverd with them. It looked cool put the got onto the rockwork at some point and about 5 years in had taken over covered about 80% of the tank.

I would be totally cool with that. It's actually one of the few corals I am bringing over from my large tank to my down size. It's easy. It's pretty and it gets long with everybody.

 

[prestonrabe]

SPS, for me they aren’t attractive, have no movement, hard to keep and way less interesting in the color department. I do have 2 SPS frags in my tank now but they were gifts. I like mostly, acans, Zoas, euphyllia and the more flowy kinds.

 

[zeszes]

There are a few coral I just don't like the look of, smooth skin acros, sinularia, chalices, I'm just not a fan personally. Other than that if it fits the aesthetic that I'm aiming for with the tank, it's on the list as an option for me, even if it won't work in one tank doesn't mean I wouldn't keep it in another.

 

[Treefer32]

Elegance, Plate, Gonipora, Acans, Trac.
Cant keep any of these more than 6-8 months.
Half dozen attempts of decades.

My new rule is if you die, your never replaced.

I generally have this rule too. However, I also did some research on gonipora and alveopora. I discovered they like stable parameters and manganese a lot. I only do water changes once every 6 months or so. In the meantime I dose Red Sea A, B,C, D trace elements (which include manganese) once a week. I have 4 gonipora and 1 alveopora doing amazing. A red goni that has probably tripled in size. I also have them at different lighting positions. I discovered that 2 that are off on the sand bed and about 4" in height have tripled in size. I have 2 on the sand bed that are growing very slowly. So, I plan to move the two up and glue them down.

Gonis seem to love my tank. I attribute their success to needing to dose trace elements. Elegance and Acans, I have no idea what I do wrong, can't keep them to save my life. I agree if you can't make it after repeated attempts why waste the life, the money, and time. I was like you on gonis and am pleased with how mine are doing. I have high phosphates .15 - .3 ppm and nitrates hover between 10-20. They definitely don't care about clean water.

 

[Treefer32]

I have a massive chalace that I have to break off because it would take over my tank if I let it. I break off 3-5" chunks every 2-3 months and it's funny it grows back in new directions thinking something in the direction it broke has something wrong so, it'll grow up, or outward in different ways. It's almost like it has a memory of sorts of where it lost parts of itself.

The tentacles are annoying though. I've seen it at night, it's freaky and beautiful at the same time seeing the hundreds of tentacles waving in the water. The tentacles keep my purple montipora in check as it tries to grow over the chalice and can't.

 

[Barncat]

All are welcome on my reef!

 

[nano reef]

I prefer having corals with their wild/natural growth and color aquacultured corals have many of those traits bred out.

Do you not find wild corals are harder to keep? I struggled more with this question then any and almost put down wild corals. I don know if its this particular seller but he has big sales and great prices especially around holidays. Iam thinking since halloween, thanksgiving, xmas, newyears are all so close together that he barely has them in his tank then turns right around and sells them!

I dont know if thats the reason or if its because they are wild! I lost 2 torches in the last few days and had both for months. They are both in different tanks too ( next to other torches as well) but all my other corals are fine!

I have a huge order from aqua sd and thinking about asking for a refund after I just lost my torches!

Sorry! I kind of went on a rant LOL

 

[Reefkeepers Archive]

Do you not find wild corals are harder to keep? I struggled more with this question then any and almost put down wild corals. I don know if its this particular seller but he has big sales and great prices especially around holidays. Iam thinking since halloween, thanksgiving, xmas, newyears are all so close together that he barely has them in his tank then turns right around and sells them!

I dont know if thats the reason or if its because they are wild! I lost 2 torches in the last few days and had both for months. They are both in different tanks too ( next to other torches as well) but all my other corals are fine!

I have a huge order from aqua sd and thinking about asking for a refund after I just lost my torches!

Sorry! I kind of went on a rant LOL

I've found the biggest issue with wild caught corals being pests (I'm looking at YOU LPS-eating sea spiders) but with a strong dip that usually kills them (mistake that i still refuse to learn from, I use iodine) also choosing a healty specimen to start off with, feeding regularly though I've always done that so I'm unsure if it's necessary. Also I stray away from SPS as I've heard my fair share of horror stories of wild SPS dying randomly. Anyway here's my 120 gallon coral-only (for now) 10 month old LPS dominant system! (Granted I only added corals at month four)

 

[Reefkeepers Archive]

Do you not find wild corals are harder to keep? I struggled more with this question then any and almost put down wild corals. I don know if its this particular seller but he has big sales and great prices especially around holidays. Iam thinking since halloween, thanksgiving, xmas, newyears are all so close together that he barely has them in his tank then turns right around and sells them!

I dont know if thats the reason or if its because they are wild! I lost 2 torches in the last few days and had both for months. They are both in different tanks too ( next to other torches as well) but all my other corals are fine!

I have a huge order from aqua sd and thinking about asking for a refund after I just lost my torches!

Sorry! I kind of went on a rant LOL

This is the supplier I get mine from, my LFS gets orders from them once a month and I'll ask if certain corals can be put on the order (being a wholesaler i can't order them myself) great success rates and only ever lost 3 corals from them. I also get mine from Australia

Wholesale Coral Ordering | Coral Colonies & Frags | Eye Catching Coral

Order wholesale coral colonies and frags at Eye Catching Coral.

order.eyecatchingcoral.com

 

[TCoach]

Discosoma mushrooms, Xenia, star polyps, long stinging corals like Galaxea.

 

[Katrina71]

All corals are welcome as long as they keep within their boundaries. I’m talking to you Xenia.

100% agree!

 

[steveschuerger]

im pretty much done on zoas/palys. I have one small bunch (5 polyps) of a Zoa and palys like capt. jerk grow like the weeds they are. Another that I keep trying and failing with is Cyphastrea. I’m giving it one more go as we speak with some.

 

[JetCord]

i will not be adding zoa and paly into my tank

 

[TinnysReef]

I'm dealing with fast growing mushrooms, and organpipe coral, and I think I will avoid these in the future.

One coral that I have decided not to get that I like is the LPS elegance coral. They are reported to produce chemicals that attract snails and when the snails get close the elegance eats them. I don't want to feed a coral better than I feed myself, and I need my CUC alive.

I've just put in a pipe organ coral, how does yours look that is fast growing? I've not heard that these can go crazy.

 

[TinnysReef]

I have a softie tank for the fast growing "naughty" corals - xenia and GSP growing on the back glass and I think they look great. I also like how Kenya trees self propagate.

Would I want these in my mixed tank with LPS's ... I dunno. Considering a GSP island. But Xenias do have a mind of their own and I intend on putting them in the refugium instead of macroalgae.

I'm also thinking about a clove polyp island but I don't have much experience with them. Will they jump ship and spread everywhere?

I feel like in there should be some bulletproof and/or fast growers to make the wait for the others easier. So I'm going with islands for those.

 

[KrisReef]

I have had a few different organ

I've just put in a pipe organ coral, how does yours look that is fast growing? I've not heard that these can go crazy.

I have had a few different colonies over the years, my current one looks similar to the others. My favorite was a brilliant green and I fragged it often but eventually I got tired/lazy and gave the mother colony to a LFS.

My current one grows like a weed and smotheres the competition. It’s not as pretty and the only way I can describe it that is different than the slower growing ones is that the “pipes” are spaced further apart and the colony is more flimsy vs closely packed pipes that stay together when you move them.

 

[nano reef]

This is the supplier I get mine from, my LFS gets orders from them once a month and I'll ask if certain corals can be put on the order (being a wholesaler i can't order them myself) great success rates and only ever lost 3 corals from them. I also get mine from Australia

Wholesale Coral Ordering | Coral Colonies & Frags | Eye Catching Coral

Order wholesale coral colonies and frags at Eye Catching Coral.

order.eyecatchingcoral.com

Tank looks nice! Only pests that I have had problems with has been aptasia! I have bought so many corals from this seller and lost about 40 percent! I just keep going back for those crazy deals! LOL. I bought huge rainbow trachy for 100 bucks and warpaint scolys for 80 gold torch for 80, huge eclectus for 150, big splatter hammers for 20 just crazy deals but after just randomly losing those last two torches I am done!
Usually problems happen right away but these died after months but cant think of a reason they would die especially when everything else if good and sitting next to other torches that are fine! He tells me he treats his tanks with antibiotics regularly so makes me wonder if I lost them because I dont! I am considering do research on that because he swears by it!