Possible Acro

[johniii]

So My wife bought a Bright orange frag home about a month ago. It is attached to a plug with what i thought was a dead Acropora. Last week I upgrade my lights to the tek 48" 6 bulb fixture. Just look at my tank and noticed little polps coming out of the branches. The Branches are White on the ends now but it does have plenty of polyps extended.

I know it is bleached But can acros Lie dormant for an extended period of time and can it be revived. I posted A pic. Never had any sps before. Would be awesome if i could get this thing Growing.
<fieldset class="gc-fieldset">
<legend> Attached files </legend>

>

class="gc-images" title="acro01.jpg[/IMG] style="max-width:300px" /></a> </fieldset>

 

[ripped tide]

Looks a lot like a monti. probably an orange or purple digitata

 

[johniii]

Can It be saved???

 

[acroholic]

Looks like an acropora (or monti) to me. They can bleach, which just means they have lost their zooxanthellae. They can still feed via their polyps. I had a crash in my 300 gallon and lost most of my acroporas. I removed all the dead skeletons and (thought) I only had 1 or two SPS in the tank. After a couple months I have straightened the situation out, and just noticed about 5 small areas of SPS that must have been left over from the colonies I pulled off the rock. They are starting to color up and grow. I would have sworn they were all gone, but I guess they can cling on even if most of the colony has died and start again when favorable conditions return.

If yours lives it may recapture zooxanthellae and color back up.

 

[johniii]

Do I need to move it off the bottom for the best chance of survival???

Thanks for the help ahead of time.

 

[ripped tide]

I would place it closer to the top.

 

[johniii]

Done and Done. I love when i Acquire BONUS coral:yay:

Edit: Even if they are wounded.

 

[acroholic]

Ripped Tide;692507 wrote: I would place it closer to the top.

Think so with it already being bleached? Light intensity isn't a factor right now since it is bleached. Personally, I'd leave it on the bottom, making sure it gets light, and if/when it starts to color up, start moving it up in the tank. Montis are pretty flexible in their light requirements, IME.

 

[ripped tide]

Well I base the placement on the fact that he has had it at the bottom for a month. Maybe not right under the light, but i would start moving it up once I noticed stronger coloration. And with t-5s, maybe the top would be in the future for long term.

 

[johniii]

You guys are so helpful i just sent my $30 and officially joined the ARC.

 

[acroholic]

Ripped Tide;692510 wrote: Well I base the placement on the fact that he has had it at the bottom for a month. Maybe not right under the light, but i would start moving it up once I noticed stronger coloration. And with t-5s, maybe the top would be in the future for long term.

Probably doesn't matter either way now, but agreed, definitely move it up once it gets some more zooxanthellae. If it colors up place it midway to upper in the tank maybe?

 

[johniii]

I bought it as Bright orange mushroom not as sps who knows maybe it will grow.

 

[ripped tide]

Glad that you have joined us! When you start dabbling in SPS you'll find that you may need to supplement the tank with more calcium, alk, and magnesium than you did with softies and LPS. I like to keep my levels at: Ca 450ppm, Mg 1350-1400, and alk 3-4mg/l.

 

[johniii]

The Sps was bought on accident. I was thinking of trying some soon though. My wife bought the piece in question as a three mushroom frag 2 green and one orange thinking someone just re-purposed a dead sps frag. It was totally brown and Thought dead when i put it in.

I have only moved it up about 2 inches. Will wait and then move it slowly up.

And thanks for all the friendly advice.

 

[johniii]

aquaculture;692527 wrote:
I wish you great success in reefkeeping, just remember, when livestock in your system doesn't do well or expires, don't give up, stick with it and the reward will be great, just learn from your past mistakes with the tank. We are all trying to replicate what mother nature has perfected, so have patience.:thumbs:

I am a reef addict now. there is no turning back without RKA (Reef Keepers Anonymous) meetings. :doh: