Blastomussa

[Der_Iron_Chef]

I've been researching the care of Blastomussa and seem to be getting conflicting reports. Some say it does best under subdued lighting and a low-moderate current, while other sources say it will do best under intense lighting and a moderate current.

Could someone with personal experience caring for this beautiful coral please simplify things a bit for me?!

Oh, BTW, it's a Purple Blastomussa Wellsi

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

Low light & low flow. Otherwise they bleach out & shrivel up. They are like most red corals. Just talked to TomR & Chin about blastos & how they did poorly under high light & Chin's only thrived once it was in a cave.

I had those other types of blastos that grow on long stalks but they were green in colour & did fine under MH. Perhaps its the colour & species variety that is creating the confusion. (just like how green open brains like light & red ones don't).

Anthony

[Richard_Dicosimo]

thats odd because i have just the opposite reaction with my blasto that is exactly like yours but pinkish red. i have it mid tank on an 18" deep tank dirrectly under a 250mh with moderate flow and its always inflated and seems to be growing.

Richard

could just be a freak coral tho.

[Chad]

I have all my blastos at the bottom of my tank in very low flow.

Reds, green and brown ones

Tank is, with 2x 250w 10k - 50 gal

[AndyL]

Easy answer - there isn't one...

Blasto wellsi is highly variable - and each frag seems to be particular about it's flow/light preferences.

I've got a gorgeous pink/purple/green one that literally thinks my seahorse tank is too much flow & light (single 65w pc and a whisper 60 hang on filter), it's done really well in my 3g (18w 50/50 with a seio skimmer and one of those tiny pico sized hang ons for flow) One of my reds now that it's about 10" under a 175w halide, inches away from the intake for the seio 1500 and FINALLY showing signs of growth...

There are some generalities - the brighter the color, the more likely it's going to like light... Darker needs more shade. Flow can go either way... Thats a trial / error discovery.

[Richard_Dicosimo]

Good to know thanks, i deffinately learned something.

Richard

[Der_Iron_Chef]

Likewise. Thanks guys (and gals?) for all the help!

[danny zubot]

(just like how green open brains like light & red ones don't).

Good info, that might explain why the red brain I got hasn't done well in my tank under more intense lightng than it's previous home.

[Der_Iron_Chef]

So you're wanting to sell that red brain, then? lol

[danny zubot]

I don't think you want it right now.