crazy cajun
Reefing newb
anyone have any good success with these corals there is a really nice one at my LFS that is fairly cheap $15.00 and it is about 8" in dia when fully open looks pretty cool
Flower pot corals
- Thread starter crazy cajun
- Start date
Bifferwine
I am a girl
They are very difficult to keep. Most live less than 6 months in our tanks. A couple people have had long-term success with them (I think reeffreak has), but they are in the minority. They are a very attractive coral, but I pass on them because they are so hard to keep. If you do buy one, usually the darker colored ones (dark reds, browns, etc) are easier to keep than the light green or yellow ones.
yote
In Memoriam
+1 Biff
I dont try em no more either.
I dont try em no more either.
parrotchute
DUSTOFF MEDEVAC
If you're going to try them, shoot for aquacultured varieties - they've been selected more for their hardiness... I've got a yellow aquacultured one and it's done pretty well.
reeffreak
Reef pro
+1 Parrot and Biff
I'm seeing more and more aquacultured gonioporas(especially the reds) which are absolutely stunning and relatively hardy.I have two variety of reds that have been with me for over a year.The green ones are harder to keep and must be fed several times a week.I recently lost a green one from the switch over to a new tank.That one was with me for over a year and half.They are slow eaters so powerheads need to be turned off and don't let clowns harass them.some of the best foods are cyclops,Reef Roids and even mysis for some of the green long tentacle ones.
I'm seeing more and more aquacultured gonioporas(especially the reds) which are absolutely stunning and relatively hardy.I have two variety of reds that have been with me for over a year.The green ones are harder to keep and must be fed several times a week.I recently lost a green one from the switch over to a new tank.That one was with me for over a year and half.They are slow eaters so powerheads need to be turned off and don't let clowns harass them.some of the best foods are cyclops,Reef Roids and even mysis for some of the green long tentacle ones.
ggNoRe
Reefing newb
Believe it or not but I got about 10 polyps of Purple Goniopora that hitchiked on a rock of mushrooms that I bought online. It's been about a 2 weeks since I got them and they seem to be growing even though I do absolutely 0 target feeding for them. I almost want them to die as I think they are pretty ugly (I do like the better colored ones like the reds) and they are in the mushroom section of my tank lol. Nevertheless they are seemingly thriving so in my experience they aren't as difficult as portrayed (since I said this they will prob be dead tomorrow). Here is a link giving more info on them from an expert:
The Care and Propagation of Goniopora by Justin Credabel - Reefkeeping.com
The Care and Propagation of Goniopora by Justin Credabel - Reefkeeping.com
Bifferwine
I am a girl
Hmmmm I wonder if people would take me more seriously if my last name was "Credabel"...
parrotchute
DUSTOFF MEDEVAC
i think the best thing we can do for flowerpot corals is not buy them and leave them in the lfs. if they die in the lfs ( witch they will :( :p ) then the store will slow down or not buy them anymore. if the stores stop buying them because people dont buy them then they dont get imported from the reef where they can actually live. flowerpots are just kinda screwed up to buy in my mind, just like morish idold and certan sponges, there just gona die, they dont even have a chance, no one has ever had them for over 2 years and the avrage life span in an aquarium is like 5 or six months. idk y this stuff bothers me so much, i guess its just plane coral murder or sumthing, they do fine on reefs and die in aquariums.
ggNoRe
Reefing newb
That's not true. Did you even read the article? I do understand what you are trying to say but IMO if you are that addemant about giving corals and fish there best shot at survival and happiness and so on and so forth you really shouldn't have a tank period.
no never read the artical, just going off advice, other articals i have read in the past and advice from people who have tried keeping them. i do know though that if the water quality is a little below the standayd they do better because they absorbe the nutrients or sumthing close to that. but all i know is i have never seen someone with success with them :( :p
reeffreak
Reef pro
Kwater,what you said was true at one time.Today,we hobbyist know alot more on the care(especially the food) that gonioporas need for survival.It's the aquarist that needs to get educated and research the needs of gonis and that pretty much goes for any living organism they add to the their tank.IME,and I had over 10 years experience as long as people understand they need specific target feeding with the proper foods many do/will survive long term.
Bifferwine
I am a girl
Maybe... That's what we're saying. It's hit or miss. Sometimes they can be very hard to keep, but some people have had success with them. Either way, they need frequent feedings just like a sun coral would. The dark red varieties are easier to keep than other color morphs.
reeffreak
Reef pro
Live,grow,even reproduce is becoming common.People just need to put in the effort and research.Your chances are good with the reds.I can't gaurantee success,no one can.
One other thing,don't buy into the term they need a nutrient rich environment.In the ocean,nutrient rich is the goni being swath with plankton.In our closed system,nutrient rich is high nitrates and phosphates.Not what you have on reef fringes where hundreds of goni even different species co-exist.John Kelly(Goniopora.org) once had some awesome shots of them in the ocean but sadly,his website was shut down.
One other thing,don't buy into the term they need a nutrient rich environment.In the ocean,nutrient rich is the goni being swath with plankton.In our closed system,nutrient rich is high nitrates and phosphates.Not what you have on reef fringes where hundreds of goni even different species co-exist.John Kelly(Goniopora.org) once had some awesome shots of them in the ocean but sadly,his website was shut down.
ANDREA
Reefing newb
reeffreak or any one also know about any good food for gonioporas???
Bifferwine
I am a girl
Frozen Cyclopeeze.
reeffreak
Reef pro
H20 mini mysis,frozen and freeze dried cyclopeeze,zooplankton,oyster eggs,prawn eggs and Reef Roids are good choices to feed gonioporas.I even heard of people using the juice leftover from frozen cubed food(seafood).
Piratefish
SPS Freak
After reading that article I think I am going to give one a try. I am using a algae scrubber as my only filter and no skimmer. I don't mind target feeding.
Wildheart
Reefing newb
I do have a flowerpot coral,it is brown-metalic green(hard to describe).I have also read a lot of articles discouraging people to buy these corals.IMHO,they aren't that bad(SO FAR).Mine has been eating a lot,it grows steadily and looks awesome.My tank insn't the best either(around 1 year since starting it),but the Goniopora doesn't show signs of dying.
There are 2 methods of preventing them from dying(personal discoveries):
1)When they start looking more like a rubber-long tentacle-made in China-ball,
it means it's time to feed them(and FAST).
2)They do well at the top of the aquarium,as high as you can place them.They love medium currents and strong light!
First week:
Today:
Hope this helps!
There are 2 methods of preventing them from dying(personal discoveries):
1)When they start looking more like a rubber-long tentacle-made in China-ball,
it means it's time to feed them(and FAST).
2)They do well at the top of the aquarium,as high as you can place them.They love medium currents and strong light!
First week:
Today:
Hope this helps!
