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Archive for the ‘Coral’ Category

Trumpet Coral, Metallic Green (Caulastrea curvata)

Icon Written by Geoff on March 20, 2012 – 5:10 pm





Trumpet Coral – Caulastrea curvata

  • Date Added: 03/20/2012
  • Tank: Cardiff 24 gallon
  • Status: Active
  • Purchased at: FAOIS
  • Cost: $20.00 (2 heads)
  • Coloration: Metallic Green
  • Lighting and Camera:
    • 250w MH 2000K+ Ushio
    • Canon Rebel Xi
    • Aperture photo software editing used trying to adjust to viewable color

General Information

  • Description: The Trumpet Coral is a large polyp stony (LPS) coral. The skeleton of this species is branched out of a central base, and terminates into a large head that resembles a trumpet. A large fleshy polyp covers the each head of the colony, and the polyps are florescent green in this species. The Trumpet Coral is able to expand its fleshy polyps to many times its skeleton size giving the coral a similar appearance when compared to a closed brain coral.
  • Light & Flow: For optimum coloration, it should be given a medium light levels such as T5 lighting combined with moderate to low intermittent water current within the aquarium. Can be sensitive to metal halide lighting, so take time in acclimating these corals to this type of lighting.
  • Supplements: It will require maintaining stable levels of calcium, magnesium, pH, alkalinity, and other trace elements as you would with other types of LPS corals. It is essential for LPS health to keep nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates near low to undetectable levels.
  • Feeding: Though these corals are mostly photosynthetic, they benefit from a small piece of raw table shrimp, frozen mysis shrimp or silverside once a week. After the lights turn out these corals will extend feeding tentacles and will quickly accept foods.
  • Care: If heads start to recede, this is a sign of starvation or other environmental concern. Immediate correct or head will die.
  • Range: Indo-Pacific including Fiji, the Great Barrier Reef, Tonga and Solomon Islands
  • Other Names: Candy Cane Coral, Trumpet Coral, Torch Coral, Candy Coral, Bullseye Coral, Finger Coral
  • Other Colors: Neon Greens
  • Previous Purchase(s):

    • Purchased 11/01/2008, 10 heads, $50.00, Marine Warehouse, Inactive


Other Pictures:

11/01/2008


11/01/2008



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Blue WYSIWYG Zoanthid (Zoanthid sp)

Icon Written by Geoff on February 21, 2012 – 7:55 am



Blue WYSIWYG Zoanthid Coral – Zoanthid sp

  • Date Added: 02-17-2012
  • Tank: Cardiff 24 Gallon
  • Status: Inactive 03-06-2012
  • Purchased at: FAOIS
  • Cost: $12.00 (4 polyps)
  • Coloration: Dark Blue skirt with bright blue center and small blue eye
  • Lighting and Camera:
    • 250w MH 20000K Ushio
    • Apple iPhone 3GS
    • Aperture photo software editing used trying to adjust to viewable color

General Information

  • Description: They are easy to maintain, making them a good choice for the beginner reef aquarists. They will reproduce easily in the reef aquarium by budding (splitting off a portion of their base or mouth), which will increase the size of their colony. They are colonial animals with multiple individual polyps attached to a piece of live rock.
  • Care Level: Easy
  • Water Flow: Moderate to low intermittent water current within the aquarium.
  • Lighting: For optimum coloration, it should be given low to medium light.
  • Supplements: It will require maintaining stable levels of calcium, magnesium, pH, alkalinity, and other trace elements as you would with other types of corals.
  • Feeding: The Zoanthus Colony Polyp contains the symbiotic algae zooxanthellae which satisfies almost all of their nutritional requirements. If the lighting is not optimal, the Zoanthus Colony Polyp should be fed micro-plankton or baby brine shrimp.
  • Care: Zoanthus Colony Polyp Corals are easy to maintain, making them a good choice for beginner reef aquarists. For continued good health, they will also require the addition of iodine and other trace elements to the water.
  • Range: Indo-Pacific and the Red Sea, including the western, northern, and eastern coasts of Australia, to Tahiti, and north to southern Japan. Most of those that are imported into the industry originate from Tonga, Indonesia, Fiji, and Australia.
  • Other Names: Sea Mats, or Button Polyps

Other Pictures:


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Purple WYSIWYG Zoanthid (Zoanthid sp)

Icon Written by Geoff on February 21, 2012 – 7:48 am



Purple WYSIWYG Zoanthid Coral – Zoanthid sp

  • Date Added: 02-17-2012
  • Tank: Cardiff 24 Gallon
  • Status: Active
  • Purchased at: FAOIS
  • Cost: $12.00 (12 polyps)
  • Coloration: Green skirt with purple center and small green eye
  • Lighting and Camera:
    • 250w MH 20000K Ushio
    • Apple iPhone 3GS
    • Aperture photo software editing used trying to adjust to viewable color

General Information

  • Description: They are easy to maintain, making them a good choice for the beginner reef aquarists. They will reproduce easily in the reef aquarium by budding (splitting off a portion of their base or mouth), which will increase the size of their colony. They are colonial animals with multiple individual polyps attached to a piece of live rock.
  • Care Level: Easy
  • Water Flow: Moderate to low intermittent water current within the aquarium.
  • Lighting: For optimum coloration, it should be given low to medium light.
  • Supplements: It will require maintaining stable levels of calcium, magnesium, pH, alkalinity, and other trace elements as you would with other types of corals.
  • Feeding: The Zoanthus Colony Polyp contains the symbiotic algae zooxanthellae which satisfies almost all of their nutritional requirements. If the lighting is not optimal, the Zoanthus Colony Polyp should be fed micro-plankton or baby brine shrimp.
  • Care: Zoanthus Colony Polyp Corals are easy to maintain, making them a good choice for beginner reef aquarists. For continued good health, they will also require the addition of iodine and other trace elements to the water.
  • Range: Indo-Pacific and the Red Sea, including the western, northern, and eastern coasts of Australia, to Tahiti, and north to southern Japan. Most of those that are imported into the industry originate from Tonga, Indonesia, Fiji, and Australia.
  • Other Names: Sea Mats, or Button Polyps

Other Pictures:


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Yellow Jacket Zoanthid (Zoanthid sp)

Icon Written by Geoff on February 15, 2012 – 11:28 pm



Yellow Jacket Zoanthid Coral – Zoanthid sp

  • Date Added: 02-08-2012
  • Tank: Cardiff 24 Gallon
  • Status: Active
  • Purchased at: Coral Corral
  • Cost: $20.00 (20 polyps)
  • Coloration: Black skirt with yellow and black center and small yellow eye
  • Lighting and Camera:
    • 250w MH 14000K Phoenix
    • Apple iPhone 3GS
    • Aperture photo software editing used trying to adjust to viewable color

General Information

  • Description: They are easy to maintain, making them a good choice for the beginner reef aquarists. They will reproduce easily in the reef aquarium by budding (splitting off a portion of their base or mouth), which will increase the size of their colony. They are colonial animals with multiple individual polyps attached to a piece of live rock.
  • Care Level: Easy
  • Water Flow: Moderate to low intermittent water current within the aquarium.
  • Lighting: For optimum coloration, it should be given low to medium light.
  • Supplements: It will require maintaining stable levels of calcium, magnesium, pH, alkalinity, and other trace elements as you would with other types of corals.
  • Feeding: The Zoanthus Colony Polyp contains the symbiotic algae zooxanthellae which satisfies almost all of their nutritional requirements. If the lighting is not optimal, the Zoanthus Colony Polyp should be fed micro-plankton or baby brine shrimp.
  • Care: Zoanthus Colony Polyp Corals are easy to maintain, making them a good choice for beginner reef aquarists. For continued good health, they will also require the addition of iodine and other trace elements to the water.
  • Range: Indo-Pacific and the Red Sea, including the western, northern, and eastern coasts of Australia, to Tahiti, and north to southern Japan. Most of those that are imported into the industry originate from Tonga, Indonesia, Fiji, and Australia.
  • Other Names: Sea Mats, or Button Polyps

Other Pictures:


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Florida Ricordea Coral (Ricordea florida)

Icon Written by Geoff on February 6, 2012 – 8:51 pm



Florida Ricordea Coral – Ricordea florida

  • Date Added: 02-05-2012
  • Tank: Cardiff 24 gallon
  • Status: Active
  • Purchased at: Coral Corral
  • Cost: $20.00
  • Coloration: Blue Green with neon green eye
  • Lighting and Camera:
    • 250w MH 14000K Phoenix
    • Canon Rebel Xi
    • Aperture photo software editing used trying to adjust to actual viewable color

General Information

  • Description: Ricordea florida mushroom corals are heralded for their bright and highly variable coloration that often change within the aquarium depending on their environment. It is easily identified by its raised dots across its surface.
  • Light & Flow: They adapt to wide variety of lighting but care should be given to placing under metal halide lighting. They prefer low flow areas for best inflation or tissue loss.
  • Supplements: It will require maintaining stable levels of calcium, magnesium, pH, alkalinity, and other trace elements as you would with other types of corals.
  • Feeding: All mushroom corals included are photosynthetic and a majority of their nutritional requirements are obtained from the symbiotic algae zooxanthellae hosted within each coral. They also eat plankton and smaller invertebrates, such as crustaceans and brine or mysis shrimp.
  • Care: Growth pattern can lead to encroachment on its neighbors. Ricordea appears to be able to effectively kill other corals that it comes into contact. Since they are slow growing corals, this does not generally create a large issue.
  • Range: Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean
  • Other Names: Mushroom Coral
  • Other Colors: Various


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Chalice Coral (Echinophyllia aspera)

Icon Written by Geoff on February 5, 2012 – 6:54 pm



Chalice Coral – Echinophyllia aspera

  • Date Added: 02-05-2012
  • Tank: Cardiff 24 gallon
  • Status: Active
  • Purchased at: Coral Corral
  • Cost: $20.00
  • Coloration: Neon green with orange eye
  • Lighting and Camera:
    • 250w MH 14000K Phoenix
    • Canon Rebel Xi
    • Aperture photo software editing used trying to adjust to viewable color

General Information

  • Description: Often seen in the shape of a cup, chalice corals grow thin and flat with many bumps, sometimes in a plating fashion, and sometimes encrusting. They prefer horizontal placement, typically a slow growing coral, the species is known to exhibit both an encrusting surface when placed near aquarium glass and a plating surface when housed in open areas. They are semi-aggressive and can produce sweeper tentacles that can harm more docile corals and invertebrates.
  • Care Level: Easy
  • Water Flow: Moderate to low intermittent water current within the aquarium.
  • Lighting: For optimum coloration, it should be given low to medium light.
  • Supplements: It will require maintaining stable levels of calcium, magnesium, pH, alkalinity, and other trace elements as you would with other types of LPS corals. It is essential for LPS health to keep nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates near low to undetectable levels.
  • Feeding: Chalice primarily feed at night. Though feeding is not necessary, they benefit from small pieces of meaty marine food, such as baby brine shrimp, Cyclops, or foods designed for filter feeding invertebrates.
  • Care:
  • Range: Indo-Pacific and the Red Sea, including the western, northern, and eastern coasts of Australia, to Tahiti, and north to southern Japan. Most of those that are imported into the industry originate from Tonga, Indonesia, Fiji, and Australia.
  • Other Names: Plate Coral, Scroll Coral
  • Other Colors: Various


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Torch Coral – Green (Euphyllia glabrescens)

Icon Written by Geoff on January 19, 2012 – 11:28 am



Torch Coral (Green) – Euphyllia glabrescens

  • Date Added: 01-18-2012
  • Tank: Cardiff 24 gallon
  • Status: Active
  • Purchased at: FAOIS
  • Cost: $12.00
  • Coloration: Green-Brown with Purple tips
  • Lighting and Camera:
    • 250w MH 14000K Phoenix
    • Canon Rebel Xi
    • Aperture photo software editing used trying to adjust to viewable color

General Information

  • Description: Euphyllia glabrescens is a Large Polyp Stony Coral (LPS) and has branched skeletal base which is covered by polyps. The polyps of Torch Coral are long and have single rounded tip. Torch Coral has sweeper tentacles tipped by the stinging cells, nematocysts.
  • Light & Flow: For optimum coloration, it should be given a medium light levels such as T5 or metal halide lighting combined with moderate to low intermittent water current within the aquarium.
  • Supplements: It will require maintaining stable levels of calcium, magnesium, pH, alkalinity, and other trace elements as you would with other types of LPS corals. It is essential for LPS health to keep nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates near low to undetectable levels.
  • Feeding: Euphyllia glabrescens derives its nutrition mainly through photosynthesis which is performed by zooxanthellae, a photosynthetic alga living symbiotically within the coral. While it does not require additional food to maintain its health in a mixed reef tank, it will feed on micro-plankton and foods designed for filter feeding invertebrates. It is Carnivorous in feeding habit and filter feeds weekly, when open and feeds upon acellular marine invertebrates, frozen meaty bits of raw shrimp, Silver Side, fish, squid and Mysis Shrimp, zooplankton and phytoplankton.
  • Care: It is susceptible to Brown Jelly Infection in which the parasite converts the coral into a jelly like substance and thus kills it. Treat immediately.
  • Range: Indo-Pacifc region including Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands and the Great Barrier Reef
  • Other Names: Trumpet Coral, Grape Coral, Pom-Pom Coral, Whisker Coral
  • Other Colors: Golden, green, brown, pink, yellow, tan
  • More Info: Another favorite of mine. The golden or what some call orange or yellow really only appears under correct lighting with a strong blue influence. I found my 6 x 18K T5s to be too bright for this one as faded out and had to move to a more indirect light location to bring out the colors. In correct lighting it has purplish/pink tips and brown or golden tentacles.
  • Previous Purchase(s):

    • Purchased 01/01/2009, Golden Torch Coral, $80.00, Coral Corral, Inactive

Other Pictures:

Green

Green

Green with Pink Tips

Pink with Green Tips

Pink

Green with Pink Tips

Yellow Tip

Yellow Tip


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Strawberry Shortcake Acropora (Acropora sp)

Icon Written by Geoff on October 22, 2010 – 7:08 pm

Strawberry Shortcake Acropora (Acropora sp)

  • Date Added: 10/22/2010
  • Tank: Cardiff
  • Status: Inactive 12/1/2011
  • Purchased at: FAOIS
  • Cost: $13.00
  • Coloration: Green body with purple/red growth tips
  • Lighting: 250w MH 14000K Phoenix
  • Description: The Strawberry Shortcake Acropora, a Small Polyp Stony (SPS) coral, has purple/red growth tips on a green body with minimal polyp extension.
  • More Info: Temporary picture from web until my frag gets large enough or I get a better lens to take a good picture.
  • Light and Flow: For optimum coloration, it should be given a medium to high light levels such as T5 or metal halide lighting combined with medium to strong intermittent water current within the aquarium.
  • Supplements: It will require maintaining stable levels of calcium, magnesium, pH, alkalinity, and other trace elements as you would with other types of SPS corals. It is essential for SPS health to keep nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates near undetectable levels.
  • Feeding: While it does not require additional food to maintain its health, it will feed on micro-plankton and foods designed for filter feeding invertebrates.

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ORA Frogskin Acro (Acropora sp.)

Icon Written by Geoff on October 22, 2010 – 3:31 pm



Frogskin Acro Coral – Aquacultured, ORA™ (Acropora sp. )
  • Date Added: 10/22/2010
  • Tank: Cardiff
  • Status: Inactive 12/1/2011
  • Purchased at: FAOIS
  • Cost: $13.00
  • Coloration: Yellowish green coloration with some polyps showing a blue hue under certain lighting conditions
  • Lighting: 250w MH 14000K Phoenix
  • Description: The ORA Frogskin Acropora has yellowish green coloration and has a bumpy texture. The ORA Frogskin Acro has shown some polyps with a blue hue under certain lighting conditions.
    This ORA coral has a similar growth pattern to the Oregon Tortuosa, but as the colony grows, multiple branches will merge together to form a large plate shape.
  • Light and Flow: For optimum coloration, it should be given a medium to high light levels such as T5 or metal halide lighting combined with medium to strong intermittent water current within the aquarium.
  • Supplements: It will require maintaining stable levels of calcium, magnesium, pH, alkalinity, and other trace elements as you would with other types of SPS corals. It is essential for SPS health to keep nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates near undetectable levels.
  • Feeding: While it does not require additional food to maintain its health, it will feed on micro-plankton and foods designed for filter feeding invertebrates.
  • More Information: ORA has taken the time to collect, identify and culture some of the fastest growing and finest strains of various stony coral genera. They culture the most colorful examples of these genera, and have developed some of the most popular corals ever available. The advanced quality control methods used at ORA ensure only problem-free specimens are sold.

    ORA corals are grown in their greenhouse culture facilities in Florida and the Marshall Islands. They are under shaded sunlight, complemented by 250 Watt, 10,000K double-ended HQI Metal Halide lights. They are fully ready to be acclimated to aquarium light, water and flow conditions. They are grown in natural seawater so proper acclimation to artificial saltwater is recommended.

    ORA frags grown on plastic plugs can be mounted in a number of different ways. Many hobbyists just place the plug between pieces of live rock. Another method is to drill a 1/2″ diameter hole in the rock and simply place the plug in the hole. This method can be used to mount the coral at different angles. Some aquarists simply snap the coral off the plug and use epoxy to mount it to the rock.



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ORA Plum Crazy Acro (Acropora sp.)

Icon Written by Geoff on October 22, 2010 – 5:46 am



Plum Crazy Acro Coral – Aquacultured, ORA™ (Acropora sp. )
  • Date Added: 10/22/2010
  • Tank: Cardiff
  • Status: Inactive 12/1/2011
  • Purchased at: FAOIS
  • Cost: $13.00
  • Coloration: Deep rich purple with emerald green polyps with tips slightly lighter than the base
  • Lighting: 250w MH 14000K Phoenix
  • Description: The ORA Plum Crazy Acropora has deep rich purple with emerald green polyps with tips slightly lighter than the base.
  • Light and Flow: For optimum coloration, it should be given a medium to high light levels such as T5 or metal halide lighting combined with medium to strong intermittent water current within the aquarium.
  • Supplements: It will require maintaining stable levels of calcium, magnesium, pH, alkalinity, and other trace elements as you would with other types of SPS corals. It is essential for SPS health to keep nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates near undetectable levels.
  • Feeding: While it does not require additional food to maintain its health, it will feed on micro-plankton and foods designed for filter feeding invertebrates.
  • More Information: ORA has taken the time to collect, identify and culture some of the fastest growing and finest strains of various stony coral genera. They culture the most colorful examples of these genera, and have developed some of the most popular corals ever available. The advanced quality control methods used at ORA ensure only problem-free specimens are sold.

    ORA corals are grown in their greenhouse culture facilities in Florida and the Marshall Islands. They are under shaded sunlight, complemented by 250 Watt, 10,000K double-ended HQI Metal Halide lights. They are fully ready to be acclimated to aquarium light, water and flow conditions. They are grown in natural seawater so proper acclimation to artificial saltwater is recommended.

    ORA frags grown on plastic plugs can be mounted in a number of different ways. Many hobbyists just place the plug between pieces of live rock. Another method is to drill a 1/2″ diameter hole in the rock and simply place the plug in the hole. This method can be used to mount the coral at different angles. Some aquarists simply snap the coral off the plug and use epoxy to mount it to the rock.



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