Unknown Orange Frag at LFS

[Tang_Man_Montreal]

I'm hoping someone can help me out without a pic.

I was at my LFS lastnight, and noticed a BEAUTIFUL small orange frag, which the LFS labelled simply as "Polyps" (lol)... I then noticed the price.. only $9.99 Cdn!!!

I immediately put it on hold so that I could attempt to find out what it is before purchasing it.

Heres the description to the best of my abilities:

- BRIGHT orange.
- Upon preliminary inspection it looked like a Capnella sp... Although I've never seen Orange Capnella.
- I looked closely at it, and it didn't seem to have pinules like dendronephtya. It looked more like extended polyps, which is why it led me to think it was Capnella...

So I've been searching since last night. And the closest thing I've seen that resembles, is Scleronephtya. But again, I'm not sure.

Aside from Scleronepthya, are there any other orange corals that look similar to Capnella? I'll pass by tonight with my camera and snap a pic of it for y'all... Then again, for $9.99 Cdn, should I just pick it up and take the chance?

 

[JohnRogan]

I think it may be worth a chance. That is only about $6.00 in real money so you don't have much to lose.

 

[Tang_Man_Montreal]

I think it may be worth a chance. That is only about $6.00 in real money so you don't have much to lose.

lol @ real money.

I think i may give it a try...

 

[Anonymous]

But bare in mind that it is almost certainly non-photosynthetic, and will require feeding for even a slim chance.

 

[Tang_Man_Montreal]

Yup,
That's why I'm here...
I didn't want to make an uneducated decision.

 

[Syris]

Make sure its not a dyed capnella either.
I've read some lfs store dye some corals. Look to see if it is evenly colored.

 

[AllenF]

Scleronepthya was my first guess before I even finished reading the first post.'

I dont have bright lights and have been considering getting some of this myself (so it was on my mind).

Aside from making sure food is available, there is a good chance that it will not do well under bright lights...

You will want to put it at a low point in your tank on one end if possible.

I could be wrong...

 

[Anonymous]

Most dyed corals aren't dyed at the LFS level - it's usually done far earlier than that i.e. at the collector/exporter level.

However it's likely a non-photosynthetic coral that has zero chance of survival. You won't be able to feed it properly (read this article) http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/ ... eature.htm

 

[AllenF]

Ive only read two books so far and Im a newb, but Tullock suggests the orange Scleronepthya a very good low light coral.

"Tubastraea is easy to care for. Provide a good, strong current, directed sideways across the coral colony, not pointed straight at it. When the tentacles are extended, whcih can be stimulated by the addition of a small amout of food juices, feed each member of the colony on frozen plankton, brine shrimp, or a small piece of shrimp or fish. Feeding should be done in the evenings, two or three times a week. Aquarists who take care to treat Tubastraea in this way will be rewarded with the growth of new polyps over several mohths' time. This coral has reached 6 inches in diamteter in careful hobbyists' tanks and larvae have successfully established themselves to form new colonies"


Natureal Reef Aquariums PG 225


Ok, some may not consider the feeding routine as "easy" but I think the rest speaks for itself.

 

[JeremyR]

Tubastrea and scleronepthya aren't even remotely the same corals.

I've seen some people have good luck with corals sold as sclero and some fail miserably. I'm pretty sure that there are a few different non-photos sold as sclero, and it's hard to tell what is what.

 

[AllenF]

Tubastrea and scleronepthya aren't even remotely the same corals.

I've seen some people have good luck with corals sold as sclero and some fail miserably. I'm pretty sure that there are a few different non-photos sold as sclero, and it's hard to tell what is what.

Correct,

Tubastrea are from the order scleractinia, and are also bright orange.

I wasnt reading very closely and got scleronepthya and scleractinia confused in my head.

Please accept my apologies.

 

[Tang_Man_Montreal]

I finally decided against purchasing this coral as it probably wouldn't have survived.

Oh well.

On another note, I did pick up my Yellow "coris" wrasse that's been on reserve for 2 weeks....