Thoughts on my buddy's Pagoda Cup Coral

AllSignsPointToFish · Jan 18, 2017

I have a coworker that is also a reefer. Coincidentally, we both have pagoda cup corals. This is his first, I am on my second. I've never seemed to have trouble with them, but he can seem to make his happy no matter what. His water chemistry seems to be inline from what he tells me. We've varied lighting intensity and even flow, but nothing seems to matter. He never gets much polyp extension:

Here's my cup coral:

I want to help him, but I don't know what else to tell him.

Nicolas_Brown · Jan 18, 2017

I got one from a store and never got PE then it dies, got another and never had an issue. Idk what's the deal was but didn't make sense hopefully someone can chime in

AllSignsPointToFish · Jan 18, 2017

He's had his for like two years now! I guess I could suggest he perform an iodine dip.

ebushrow · Jan 18, 2017

If he has

AllSignsPointToFish said:
He's had his for like two years now! I guess I could suggest he perform an iodine dip.

If he has had it for 2 years, it is clearly not starving and dying....maybe it doesn't need to extend its polyps as much to get what it needs....is it growing? Some corals (the same species) will have great PE, while others will not...yet they both seem to do fine and grow. Is it possible that he is just missing the PE due to time? If he broadcast feeds, it will probably extend, but only if it needs the extra nutrition IME...I also find that the cleaner a tank is (uln) that the polyps extend more (sps dominated) as they need the nutrition from the external source...in normal lps systems, PE doesn't seem to be as great....except for a few corals that eat like crazy-trachys, welsos, plates, etc.

dragon99 · Jan 18, 2017

Is there a fish that's bothering it perhaps?

AllSignsPointToFish · Jan 18, 2017

ebushrow said:
If he has

If he has had it for 2 years, it is clearly not starving and dying....maybe it doesn't need to extend its polyps as much to get what it needs....is it growing? Some corals (the same species) will have great PE, while others will not...yet they both seem to do fine and grow. Is it possible that he is just missing the PE due to time? If he broadcast feeds, it will probably extend, but only if it needs the extra nutrition IME...I also find that the cleaner a tank is (uln) that the polyps extend more (sps dominated) as they need the nutrition from the external source...in normal lps systems, PE doesn't seem to be as great....except for a few corals that eat like crazy-trachys, welsos, plates, etc.

He does broadcast feed, and he feeds Rod's to his fish. He definitely doesn't run an ULNS because he nitrates are always at least 5 ppm. He actually doesn't have any SPS. I asked him about PE during lower light times, and he said the polyps might extend a little more but never like my pictures. My last pagoda had similar polyp extension and that was definitely not as clean a tank as the one I have now.

AllSignsPointToFish · Jan 18, 2017

dragon99 said:
Is there a fish that's bothering it perhaps?

I don't think there are any fishing bothering it. He did lose a few fish recently, but he also has a flame angel. Could be the flame angel, I suppose.

Triggreef · Jan 18, 2017

I've had mine for probly 4 years, for a long time when my tank was probably not the most stable, it has very little pe, almost no growth. It's since got much better pe and always had pretty good color. Not really much growth still but i mean its about 26 inches down from the surface and under a ledge basically. I really don't pay much attention to it, and since it doesn't take up much space i leave it in there.

My tank is really stable as i dose a 3 part mix, but every now and then i get a spike or drop in alk just like anyone else. Maybe a couple times a year but it happens.

My guess is his alk or ca is not stable. Or calcium is low. Under 370ppm and corals cannot form skeleton effectively.

Hope that helps

AllSignsPointToFish · Jan 18, 2017

I do know his PAR is higher than mine even though he has cut back recently. His PAR runs at least 150 at this location, but my pagoda sees about 110-140.

AllSignsPointToFish · Jan 18, 2017

Triggreef said:
I've had mine for probly 4 years, for a long time when my tank was probably not the most stable, it has very little pe, almost no growth. It's since got much better pe and always had pretty good color. Not really much growth still but i mean its about 26 inches down from the surface and under a ledge basically. I really don't pay much attention to it, and since it doesn't take up much space i leave it in there.

My tank is really stable as i dose a 3 part mix, but every now and then i get a spike or drop in alk just like anyone else. Maybe a couple times a year but it happens.

My guess is his alk or ca is not stable. Or calcium is low. Under 370ppm and corals cannot form skeleton effectively.

Hope that helps

Could be. I don't think he tests as often as I do, and I get the feeling that his parameters move around more than mine.

nano reef · Oct 11, 2021

I think that is a different type of turbiniaria. Mine looks like his and I have had it for years and is growing and doing fine! I cant wait for it to get bigger and scroll!. Mine is purple and yellow. I picked another for 7 bucks on ebay and now I see one on after live sale for 7 as well that is green and purple or blue! Cheap coral but very nice corals! I didnt relize its sps! Its the only sps in my tank and doing ell, or so I thought!