Featured Tank June 2011 "reefermadness"

[reefermadness]

Thanks guys...

Originally Posted by lastlight

This is semi-hijack territory but your meteor does indeed look amazing so I'd like to couple a compliment with a question.

I just received a frag of it and the polyps are maybe about half as pink as they could be and the base itself is VERY pale with barely a hint of blue. I have had it on the sandbed for 2 weeks or so and in that time it hasn't really changed. Should it be moved up / into more light?

250w radiums, 27" tank.

Well first question I gotta ask is what did the mother colony look like? There are a few different cyphastrea that get called meteor shower. And although it's rare they do come in wild from time to time and from what I hear the wild ones do not grow as fast and have slightly different coloration. Mine has been grown captively for generations....I believe its a frag of the original but I can't say for certain on this one.

Mine has never had a blue base......only creamy green and green.

Assuming your frag has the genetics to become brighter (which it very well may) than they are really a med-low/ light/flow coral. They don't need a ton of light....I have mine on the sandbed as well. Although Im not sure but my tank might be brighter as I have 400w MH. By your description of a light base and polyp I would say to leave it on the sand bed and it should colour up....if it gets too dark and on its way to brown...well thats when you need to move it up.