What The Heck Is My Elegance Doing ?

[Patti]

I have had my elegance for 2 weeks now, I have been experimenting with finding the best place for it to reside. The first place I put it was in the substrate with low flow, it opened nicely for a couple days then retracted, then I researched some more and raised it a little higher, it opened for a bit then retracted. Now I am at a loss, it is now midway and semi shaded from 4-110 VHO's.
This morning when I looked at it before the lights came on, it was expanded but it was a brownish transparent bubbly thing, now an hour later the brownish bubbly tissue is gone back into the base and it is completely retracted, Does anyone know what just happened and why and if this brown, transparent tissue is harmful to other inhabitants ?
Thank You In Advance

Patti

 

[jdeets]

Patti--Unfortunately, elegance corals in recent years have been considered difficult to keep. I had the same experience you're having. Mine opened well for a week or so, then declined and died shortly thereafter. The condition and course of events with yours sound like a lot what I went through.

I've never kept one successfully, and hopefully someone else on the board can give you some more advice.

Also, check this link for FAQs on the Elegance coral. The second entry is a post that I sent to Fenner for his comments. If your elegance doesn't seem to be turning around, then you might consider doing what that guy did to get his to revive.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/elegfaqs.htm

Good luck.

 

[Mouse]

The problem with elegance corals of late is the manner in which they are collected. As im sure you can appreceate these are a rare and highly attractive coral. And due to over collecting the boats are having to go out even further to get them. This unfortunately means that they are having to endure quite an arduous journey (sometimes days) back to the holding facility before shipment. Most of which perish before they even reach shore, the rest are delivered to LFS and are usually terminally damaged by the ordeal. CITES has banned the sale and collection of these corals in an effort to bring back a sustainable colony but unfortunately the USA and Japan have failed to recognise this and are continuing in the trade of these corals.Its up to you what you do but i would give the elegance a break. We cant even propogate them yet and untill someone does (with any sort of regular success) i think they are best left for the divers.

and Butch

[ August 31, 2001: Message edited by: Mouse ]

 

[DK]

I have mine at the top of my tank under 175 Watt 10K halides. I have had it for over 4 years so Mouse's comments may be more appropriate. Perhaps moving it to the top of the tank with just a little current will save it.

Good luck

 

[jmeader]

I've had mine in a low flow area 18 inches below VHOs for over 3 years. It is not only doing well but has reproduced 3 times.

 

[Patti]

Thanks for all the advice !
Since this morning when all the brown jelly retracted, I moved it to a shady spot at the bottom of the tank, the tank itself is 18 inches high. Just an hour ago, the brown jelly started to protrude again, Is that a good sign or a bad sign ? I will give it another hour or so there, and if there is no improvement I will try right up at the top in a low current area until morning, and if that doesnt work, I will try what Fenner suggested in jdeets advice,
I also agree with Mouse, this was my first purchase, and if I can't revive ths one, I will wait for further research and propogation to make an appearance.
Well here's hoping

Thanks A Bunch !
Patti

 

[jamesw]

Mouse is partially correct. Almost ALL elegance corals are collected from 2 sites in Indonesia. There is a deep site and a shallow site. Corals from the shallow site were taken first (in the 80's and 90's) and fared quite well. But now they are gone. The deepwater corals just don't seem to fare well in aquaria.

It's kinda amazing that ONE site in Indonesia supplied all of the catalaphyllia for the hobby isn't it? That pretty much tells me that while our hobby is having an impact, it's not "wiping out the reefs" worldwide. Some countries in the EU have stopped the import of Euphyllia and Catalaphyllia because they think they are overcollected. It will be interesting to see the data from the recent NOAA facilitated conference in Jakarta on coral collection. Eric Borneman was there and has written an article about it which should be out soon.

Cheers
James

 

[Mouse]

Butch, three times - man do have a hyperaquaria or something.

 

[jmeader]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Mouse:
<STRONG>Butch, three times - man do have a hyperaquaria or something.</STRONG><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
It just started reproducing about 8 months after I moved it into my 2000 gal system. The 1st time I thought it was some kind of parasite and destroyed it. The 2nd and 3rd times something got them on me. I've made special preparations for the next time.

 

[davelin315]

brown jelly = dead coral. Take it out, it's gone.

 

[desktopsilver]

my green elegance is easy to care for kinda uniqe coral ,i see he usualy filteres for his food but the few times a pice of silver side landed on him he eats it its amazing slow but he eats it,

 

[rotorh60]

Purchased a bright green, with purple tip elegance in May. Beautiful coral, and I knew from others that they could be difficult to keep. I found out that mine is extremly sensitive to changes in the water chemistry. Specfically, the addition of buffer. It would close up for 2-3 days after adding the buffer, then it would not fully expand for nearly a week, and it lost almost all of the purple in its tips. So I now dose buffer every day, and now that the water parameters are stable, he has made a full recovery, and has almost regained his original coloration. He is placed mid tank on a ledge, with a slow current of water flow over him. So far so good, I was worried that he might be up too far in the tank, and was ready to relocate if needed. It was easy for me to determine that the buffer was the cause, I drip Kalkwasser with make up water, and I have a reactor on my system. HTH, and hopefully yours will make a comeback for ya.

 

[Patti]

Hi everybody,
I went ahead and removed the elegance 2 days ago, I'm sure it's a losing battle, but I placed it in a bucket with fresh seawater, provided light aeration, and am crossing my fingers in hopes of a recovery, I hear it may take a week or two, but it's worth a try since I think it was a gonner anyway, If I can't revive this one, I don't think I will purchase another, unless I set up another tank specifically for an elegances needs. My tanks must be too clean,too bright, and with too much motion.
Thanks Again

Patti

 

[slojmn1]

I keep my elegance in the substrate under 2x400w MH and 4x110 VHO. I doubt the lighting was too much. I would bet it was/is the stress from collection to your aquarium. I feel really lucky that mine acclimated, appears to love the spot I picked for it, and is growing. Mine is open and expanded by day and retracted by night. I hope you can save it.