Flower Pot and Cup coral issues!!

[naesco]

Originally Posted by daniella3d

Are you feeding them? Goniopora especialy need feeding and alveopora as well. Try feeding the tank some ReefRoid as this food was developed for goniopora. Also some cyclopeeze might be good. Mine never really accepted this food so I keep putting the ReefRoid every day, just a little bit to feed them.

I stop the skimmer for an hour and feed it to the tank.

Also I have read that Zeovit amino acid is a good product to prevent goniopora and alveopora from shrinking to nothing. Mine have been going well for 7 months now, even growing. They really extend a few inches when the metal halide goes on.

Gonioporas and alveoporas cannot really thrive in a low nutriment system.

Phytoplankton? who said they eat phyto? Reefroid is zooplankton and I read pretty much everywhere they eat zooplankton from the water.

I have red that Fauna Marin is now developing a specialized food for them, not sure if that is ready or not. ReefRoid is the way to go but also Faune Marin Ultraseafan and UltraMIn could be helpful.

#Phytoplankton? who said they eat phyto?#

just Eric Borneman

There are no recent developments in understanding the needs of Goniopora although certainly one day an expert who is studying their needs will find something that can give them a fighting chance at survival. And certainly a few coral food manufacturers will make dishonest claims about their product.
But in the meantime, IMO, they should not be imported, should not be sold(reputable fish stores do not bring them in) or purchased.

[The Grizz]

Originally Posted by naesco

reputable fish stores do not bring them in

I have seen them at many of our LFS here and ALL the shop I go to are very reputable.

When mine were doing well I was using Coral Snow and Amino Acids as well as Phytoplankton and Phytoplankton Concentrate on alternate days but had to stop due to the old mighty dollar. Might have to try and swing it and get some more to see if they improve. If not it wont hurt any thing else in the tank.

[daniella3d]

I don't know if those are "dishonest" claims but mine has even grown a few new heads. Extention is great with MH light and it's not shrinking.

Time will tell if it will continue to do well, if I can keep it healthy for more than a year.

There must have been at least some studies done on them since Reefroid was developed for these corals.

http://polyplab.com/reefroids.html

"Reef-roids is a mixture of naturally occurring marine planktons including a specific species of zooplankton that is unique to our product."

In any case, if one has such coral, it is best to give it all the chances and give it proper food, what ever this is that we have available.

I have started zeovit amino acid 2 weeks ago for better color in my sps, but it's too soon to juge the effect on the flower pot.



And this is interesting:

John Kelly on Goniopora
Founder of Goniopora.org discusses this little understood animal

"Unfortunately, Eric Borneman, in his book Aquarium Corals, tended to emphasize the possibility of phytoplankton over zooplankton as a potential food source for Goniopora. Since then, hobbyists have been purchasing and dumping phytoplankton into their reefs only to have their Goniopora end up slowly starving to death."

"The best feeding regimen is to mix and mash a number of small foods together in an attempt to replicate a zooplankton-like meal. There are plenty of commercially available foods that can be used to create a mix such as Cyclopeeze, DT’s Oyster Eggs, Coral Frenzy, GP Diets, raw sea foods, frozen brine and mysis shrimp, frozen rotifers, and many more."

http://www.bluezooaquatics.com/resources.asp?show=353

Originally Posted by naesco

#Phytoplankton? who said they eat phyto?#

just Eric Borneman

There are no recent developments in understanding the needs of Goniopora although certainly one day an expert who is studying their needs will find something that can give them a fighting chance at survival. And certainly a few coral food manufacturers will make dishonest claims about their product.
But in the meantime, IMO, they should not be imported, should not be sold(reputable fish stores do not bring them in) or purchased.

[naesco]

Daniella many suppliers to our hobby make unsubstantiated claims to sell theri products to unsuspecting new reefers. Take a look at all the anti-ich and anti-bacterial medications on the shelves and perhaps one or two may work.

Mr. Kelly is a hobbyist like you and I. He set up goniopora.org which is no longer in existance.
Dr. Eric Borneman is THE guru on coral. He has written tonnes of articles and books for our reef hobby. He has speaking engagements throughout the world at reef-oriented conventions.

I wish you well with your flowerpot but the reality is experience is against your chance of keeping her alive.

[daniella3d]

I feed both zooplankton and DT's live phytoplankton (for my pods).

I know many manufacturer could lie about their product but I seriously doubt that a responsible company would develop a product for a specific specie without doing the appropriate research and flopping so much money.

At least mine have been doing well for 8 months and growing new heads, so I will see. One thing I am sure about is that they really need hight light. Mine thrive and fully extend only when the MH turn on.

Originally Posted by naesco

Daniella many suppliers to our hobby make unsubstantiated claims to sell theri products to unsuspecting new reefers. Take a look at all the anti-ich and anti-bacterial medications on the shelves and perhaps one or two may work.

Mr. Kelly is a hobbyist like you and I. He set up goniopora.org which is no longer in existance.
Dr. Eric Borneman is THE guru on coral. He has written tonnes of articles and books for our reef hobby. He has speaking engagements throughout the world at reef-oriented conventions.

I wish you well with your flowerpot but the reality is experience is against your chance of keeping her alive.

[ponokareefer]

I was wondering how everyone's goniopora are doing from this thread? I tried a couple when I first started a tank that didn't make it and was considering giving another one a shot after reading on how people are keeping them alive.

I actually had one that produced a baby frag, but my "reef safe" chocolate chip starfish ate it. I love the advise you can get from an LFS!

[The Grizz]

Originally Posted by ponokareefer

I was wondering how everyone's goniopora are doing from this thread? I tried a couple when I first started a tank that didn't make it and was considering giving another one a shot after reading on how people are keeping them alive.

I actually had one that produced a baby frag, but my "reef safe" chocolate chip starfish ate it. I love the advise you can get from an LFS!

I am zero for 2 somewhat on my gonipora. There are still some polyp that come out around the bottom but that is it. My cup coral on the other hand that I thought was totally dead as polyps out about 1/2" today, they have been coming out more and more every week.

What dumb a$$ told you that a choc chip star was reef safe, they need a kick in the......

[ponokareefer]

Originally Posted by The Grizz

What dumb a$$ told you that a choc chip star was reef safe, they need a kick in the......

This place also gave me a free aiptasia when I inquired what it was and if it would work in my tank. It was my first free item given to me from a pet store!

[daniella3d]

Juging from the photo, they have way too much current. Mine are doing very well and I have them from about a year but they are in a gently flow.

I also feed them reefroid and coral frenzy as well as live phyto.

Originally Posted by The Grizz

I am zero for 2 somewhat on my gonipora. There are still some polyp that come out around the bottom but that is it. My cup coral on the other hand that I thought was totally dead as polyps out about 1/2" today, they have been coming out more and more every week.

What dumb a$$ told you that a choc chip star was reef safe, they need a kick in the......

[globaldesigns]

I have also had differnet varieties and also lost them. Most reef tanks do not have enough food/nutrients to feed them. And in my case I never spot fed them either.

I have some left and they are surviving, but not really flourishing.

Personally I wouldn't buy them anymore.