LPS & SPS questions

tankedchemist

Reef enthusiast
LPS q's: So, my LPSs have been acting somewhat strange lately. My plate coral used to put it's little tentacles out during the day, but for the past several weeks has only been doing so at night. Is that normal?

My chalice seems to be becoming ligther in color. when I got it, it had green eyes and dark purple-red-brownish background. now the background appears much redder and much lighter. Is that ok, or is it bleaching?

my dendros are also only coming out late at night now, after lights out. Is that normal? I know they're non photosynthetic, but...

Finally, my clowns have sort of been making attempts to host my frogspawn. It's a pretty big one. Will them hosting damage it?

SPS:

my digitata has never really extended its polyps in my tank, despite being in there for about 2 months now. However, it's encrusting over more of its plug, and it's developed a 2nd branch so I'm pretty sure it's still alive. I've tried moving it to different places inthe tank to see if it was a flow and/or light problem, but still no result. suggestions?

my purple encrusting monti seems to not like much light, which is weird for an SPS. I put it up about midway in the tank, and the center of it looks like it's bleaching. It's growing (rapidly) anyway, but I feel like if it's lower down in the tank it won't grow as much... anyone got experience with that?

thanks in advance. :)
 
Hmmmmmmmmm....is it you Captain Janeway?

janeway1252592975.jpg


So not related to your problem,I know.
 
omg you're right freak. :shock: but her eyes are brown and mine aren't.... and I'd never be caught dead in a red shirt

no, had these same lights since this tank was set up. Been on here since Dec. why?
 
Well you said some of your corals are only coming out at night when they used to open during the day and one is bleaching, etc. Just seems to be some kind of lighting issue thats all, but I don't know. I remembered you had some new lighting (I thought). Maybe it has affected them over the last 3 months and you're just seeing it. Just guessing. :dunno:
 
Most corals normally feed at night.Thats when the zooplankton comes up from the deeper waters.So yeah,its normal for the feeders to only come out at night.
 
Your digi sounds like its ok. As long as it's not bleached white, it's fine. Some have better polyp extension than others, also.
The encrusting monti might like it a bit lower down, IME. I seem to have better overall health with encrusting ones in the lower section of the tank.
 
I think Jag is right about the monti liking it lower down. I almost totally destroyed a monti by putting it at the tip top right under a 150 MH. When I moved it lower in the tank it stopped bleaching and came back. It also started bleaching in the center first which made no sense to me.
 
I try to answer some of your questions

Plate coral-Like Yote,I can see this as normal behavior.Many LPS extend the feeding tentacles at night.Sun bathe by day,catch prey by night.It's also normal for dendros,they can be trained to stay open during the day like sun corals.Feeding the fish at a regular schedule,dendros smell the food and open.They get use to the time schedule and open,waiting for food.

The frogspawn should be fine as a host.They are tough cookies.

Corals change color/adjust to different peoples lighting.Maybe that is what the chalice it's doing.If it is losing the brown in the tissue than it's bleaching.I would lower it down to the bottom or near to it.

I don't much about montis.
 
the digi had good extension at the LFS....

ok I'll go ahead and leave the encrusting monti lower down. just figured it's unusual for an SPS to want so little light.

VA, that's what the encrusting monti is doing. weird.All my other montis like to be real close to the top of the tank-- 2 of my plating monti's are within 2-3" of the surface of water and they grow like crazy. :shrug:

ok, more consistent feeding schedule... that'll be tough for me but I'll try! should I quit feeding it after lights out entirely in order to coax it to be on when lights are on?

The chalice is pretty low in the tank. I'll move it to a shadowy bit and see what happens. Now it's paler looking and the tissue isn't as inflated, so something is clearly wrong...
 
Last edited:
VA, that's what the encrusting monti is doing. weird.All my other montis like to be real close to the top of the tank-- 2 of my plating monti's are within 2-3" of the surface of water and they grow like crazy. :shrug:.

I know. The guy I got that monti from told me to lower it down or else I woulda prolly killed it on my own. I initially placed it prolly 4" ish from the top water line. He just told me since it was bleaching I was giving it to much light and to lower it down. He may have just gotten lucky in that lowering it down actually worked.
 
ok, more consistent feeding schedule... that'll be tough for me but I'll try! should I quit feeding it after lights out entirely in order to coax it to be on when lights are on?

Do the dendros open when you feed the fish now?It's weird that they don't at least open up a little just from the smell of food.Try feeding the fish right before the daylights goes out and see what the how the dendros react to the just the actinics on.
 
I know. The guy I got that monti from told me to lower it down or else I woulda prolly killed it on my own. I initially placed it prolly 4" ish from the top water line. He just told me since it was bleaching I was giving it to much light and to lower it down. He may have just gotten lucky in that lowering it down actually worked.

Almost every LFS I've gone to always makes mention that with MH to always start ANY coral on the sand and slowly move up closer to the top...guess the same would go for SPS?

Tanked, you are not the captain...BUT and this is REALLY creeping me on a deep level.....you look almost exactly like my mom did in her 20s...wish I had a pic...same hair color, style, eyes...facial structure...wierding me out...Sorry a man comparing a woman to their mom in looks is generally a bad idea...you look great and that worrys me even more because you look like my mom...

I'm going to go talk to a headshrink I think...
 
Last edited:
Do the dendros open when you feed the fish now?It's weird that they don't at least open up a little just from the smell of food.Try feeding the fish right before the daylights goes out and see what the how the dendros react to the just the actinics on.

no, they don't open at all with the lights on anymore. I just fed (the MH is out but actinics on) and nothing. if I hadn't seen the tentacles out this morning I'd assume it was dead.

Almost every LFS I've gone to always makes mention that with MH to always start ANY coral on the sand and slowly move up closer to the top...guess the same would go for SPS?

Tanked, you are not the captain...BUT and this is REALLY creeping me on a deep level.....you look almost exactly like my mom did in her 20s...wish I had a pic...same hair color, style, eyes...facial structure...wierding me out...Sorry a man comparing a woman to their mom in looks is generally a bad idea...you look great and that worrys me even more because you look like my mom...

I'm going to go talk to a headshrink I think...

I left all the SPS on the sand for several weeks. all the others have done fine. I moved it up thikning maybe there's not enough light.... it's mid-tank now.

And I'm sorry for causing you so much distress :( maybe I'm your mom's clone....
 
Back
Top