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FAQs about Soft Corals of the Family Nephtheidae Identification
Related Articles: Soft Corals of the Family
Nephtheidae, The Soft Corals of
the genus Dendronephthya,
Soft Corals, Order Alcyonacea
Related FAQs: Nephtheids 1,
Nephtheids 2, Nephtheid Behavior,
Nephtheid Compatibility, Nephtheid
Selection, Nephtheid Systems,
Nephtheid Feeding, Nephtheid Disease,
Nephtheid Reproduction/Propagation,
Soft Coral Propagation, Alcyoniids,
Dendronephthya, Paralcyoniids,
Nidaliids, Xeniids,
Soft Corals/Order Alcyonacea | 
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Coral ID Please 10/10/09
Hi crew!
My name is Ariel from Johannesburg, South Africa.
<Hello Ariel>
First off let me say thank you very much to everyone involved in WWM for
providing all us reefers with an unbelievable wealth of information.
<You're welcome.>
Without further ado, onto my questions:
I recently received this frag and have been having trouble with the ID
.(pic attached)
The two possibilities that I think it could be are either Lemnalia or
Dendronephthya.
Please could you provide me with a positive ID on it?
What are the chances of this surviving in my tank if it is
Dendronephthya
<Appears to be a Tree Coral (Stereonephthya sp.), family Nephtheidae.>
System Specs: (All in metric)
My system has been running for 15 months now.
Display Tank 1200x600x650 (+/- 20KG of Liverock [combination of
Bio-Rock,
Kenyan and Fiji])
30Gal Sump
10Gal Refugium located above and gravity feeds into display (+/- 5KG
liverock)
Water Movement:
2 X Seio Prop (2500LP/H each)
1 X Hydor Koralia 4 (3500 LP/H)
1 X Return to Display (2500LP/H)
1 X Feed to Refugium (2500LP/H)
Skimmer:
Reeftek TS1
Lighting:
4 x 54W T5's (Display)
2 x Compact Florescent (Spiral Type) [Refugium]
Corals receive a daily photoperiod of 11 Hours
The refugium is run on reverse cycle lighting.
Heating:
2 x 250W heaters
Livestock:
Inhabitants of the tank are:
5 x Blue/Green Chromis
1 x Jumping Bean Angelfish
1 x Sailfin Tang
1 x Lawnmower Blenny
1 x Cleaner shrimp
Bubble Coral
Trumpet/Cancycane Coral
Zoanthids
Sinularias
Star Polyps
Plating Montipora
Protopalythoa's
Sarcophyton
Discosomas
Assorted CUC.
Water Parameters:
Nitrate: 0
Nitrite: 0
P04: 0
Ammonia: 0.25
<Hopefully reading residual of test kit.>
PH: 8.3
DKH: 14
<A little high here.>
Calcium: 390
Thanking you in advance and looking forward to your reply.
<You're welcome. James (Salty Dog)>
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Re Coral ID Please 10/10/09
Thank you very much James!
I really appreciate it,
Keep up the good work.
<You're welcome. James (Salty Dog)>
Ariel |
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Tree Coral identification 9/10/09
Hello again WWM crew.
I have another coral i need identified.
<See here: http://wetwebmedia.com/nephtheids.htm>
I`m finding this one deceptively hard to identify.
I've tried having forums identify this before and everyone says its
simply a Kenya tree and that
"everything" tends to look like a Kenya tree.
I am Reasonably Certain this is not what they are saying it is.
At best it is some other type of Capnella.
<Is this genus>
As you can see from the image its coloration is quite different, having
a Whitish pink coloration with
a strong green hue Present in the stolon.
The polyps are much smaller and much more densely arranged then my two
regular Kenyas.
The polyps also seem restricted exclusively to branches where as the
Kenya trees seem to have random polyps everywhere except at the base.
This corals polyps also don`t extend as far out, forming a cup shape
with the tentacles.
The polyp coloration has darkened considerably since i acquired it "it
was originally entirely white"
The tentacles now have a strong brown coloration while the bodies of the
polyps remain the same color as the stolon.
I am uncertain how useful this information will be in identifying this
coral but i thought i had better write down as much as i can about it.
Cheers.
<Color means little here. Bob Fenner>
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Hopefully Simple Soft Coral ID
6/11/09
Good Afternoon Crew;
<Hello Hans>
Thank you again for answering my lighting question a couple of days ago
regarding my PC lights, I feel much better about my tank setup as a result.
<You're welcome.>
I was hoping you could help me nail down the ID of a soft coral I recently
picked up, with photo attached. I believe it is a form of Neospongodes,
which I feel comfortable in keeping right now. However, I just really want
to make sure it's not Dendronephthya or some other near-impossible to keep
species which would necessitate returning it to the store. It is currently
mounted on a smallish conch shell of some sort, so I do plan on cutting up
the shell to separate it from the polyps that came along for the ride. I
can't imagine both species doing well long term in such close quarters.
<It appears to be a Kenya Tree Coral, family Nephtheidae, genus
Dendronephthya, and likely a Roxasia. Unfortunately, this is a most
difficult coral to care for and most will wither away in a matter of weeks.
This coral does not derive its energy from the byproducts of photosynthesis
but feeds almost exclusively on phytoplankton, and requires both a steady
supply of phytoplankton and sufficient flow to carry the food to its polyps.
Do look/read here.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/dendornephthyaart.htm>
Most Appreciative;
<You're welcome. James (Salty Dog)>
-Hans
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Capnella. RMF |
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Re Hopefully Simple Soft Coral ID
6/13/09
James;
Well, that's a bummer of a piece of news. I really had hoped I picked
something different and within my means to care for.
<Is why it's best to research before buying.>
Is there anything more specific that I can look at to confirm that it is a
Roxasia, before I haul it back to the store?
Would there be anything in the behavior to look for? Perhaps a closer photo
of the polyps could help?
<Have you looked here? http://www.wetwebmedia.com/nephtheids.htm
Googling will lead you to photos, etc. James (Salty Dog)>
-Hans
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Identify my picture,
Dendronephthya? 5/5/09
Coral ID
Hi,
<Hello Alex>
I have been searching high and low for a picture and supporting information
on this coral I picked up yesterday. Am I right in believing
<believing>
it is a species of Dendronephthya?
<You are correct.>
The only articles I have found so far are years old, has there been any
advances in keeping this beautiful coral in the home aquarium?
<Unfortunately, this is a most difficult coral to care for and most will
wither away in a matter of weeks. This coral does not derive its energy from
the byproducts of photosynthesis but feeds almost exclusively on
phytoplankton, and requires both a steady supply of phytoplankton and
sufficient flow to carry the food to its polyps. Do look/read here.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/dendornephthyaart.htm>
Thanks,
<You're welcome. James (Salty Dog)>
Alex.
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Carnation coral 4-13-09
Hello again.
<Evening>
Just bought what my LFS called a beautiful 6" carnation coral. Is
this what it is?
<I don't know, is it?><<? RMF>>
I have it slightly under an overhang as I read about low lighting
and the polyps are all open. I target fed it this morning with
concentrated phytoplankton.
<Sclero/Dendronepthea corals do not feed on phytoplankton...it's
anyone's guess as to what they actually feed upon. There is a 99%
chance that this coral is doomed to a slow starvation in your
aquarium, but this species continues to be imported because ignorant
aquarists continue to buy them without doing their research>
I also read about how difficult they are to keep because of feeding
and wondered if I should take it back.
<Yes, and give your LFS a good tongue lashing, and stick to online
vendors instead (in my opinion)>
I have 3 gorgonians that do very well in my established tank and
will diligently feed the new coral but is it to no avail and will it
eventually die?
<Almost certainly>
Thanks for your advice.
<You're welcome - next time please email *before* purchasing?>
Tammy
<Mike Maddox>
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Re: carnation coral 4-19-09
Thanks for the reply. I do a lot of research before I buy so I think
I buy "researching ahead" but this one had just came in and was very
nice looking so I bought and then did the research. Everywhere I
read said they feed on mass amounts of phytoplankton so that's what
I started feeding it. I will take it back but I'm sure they will
just turn around and sell it again without considering anything I
tell them but hopefully they will... they are a bigger localized
chain.
<One of the many reasons I detest LFS/pet stores><<Bears
self-examination. RMF>>
It's too bad that these cannot be kept in a closed system... it is
so pretty.
<Agreed. Even the Waikiki aquarium tried and failed to achieve above
a 50% success rate, even pumping NSW through their systems daily>
Thanks again.
<Anytime>
Tammy
<Mike Maddox>
Re: carnation coral 4-20-09
Hey Mike. I did take it back and talked with the manager about this
coral.
She had never heard of this and said she was going to talk with the
supplier about sending difficult corals to sell. Well, I went in
there yesterday and she told me that the supplier did tell her that
this was for "experts only" and he wouldn't send any that weren't
easy to keep so thanks for helping me help them not to sell these
delicate corals.
<That's awesome, I'm glad to hear the LFS listed to you! Thanks for
making the extra effort to reduce coral mortality, Tammy. Myself and
your fellow hobbyists all appreciate and can learn from your
gesture>
Tammy
<Mike Maddox>
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Coral ID help 2/18/09
<Hi Gabriel, Minh at your
service.>
Hello crew. Just need a little help with a coral I
can't identify. I got this piece from my LFS when I purchased a few
other things and they put this in there by mistake. I've been doing
a lot of reading and looking at pictures and still can't figure out
what this type of coral is. It has been in my tank for over a few
months and seems to be receding. The
branches on it where longer
and more defined at one time. This coral glows bright fluorescent
green under actinic lighting. Any help you could give me in
identifying this coral so I can research how to better care for it
would be a great help.
<Based on the picture you've sent, it
appears to be a Nephtheid. If you browse through this page, you can
identify which genus it best resembled when it was healthy:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/nephtheids.htm. Care and
husbandry
information is available in those pages as well.>
Thanks, Gabriel
<You're welcome. Cheers, Minh Huynh.> |
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Unknown algae growth and unknown coral 03/28/2008
Hello Guys and
Gals. Thank you once again for all of your help!
<<G'Morning, Andrew
today>>
I have an algae growth that none of my LFS can seem to tell
me what it is. It shows up on my sand bed after the lights come on and
seems to grow patches within the first couple hours and grows throughout
the day. After the lights go out, it seems to diminish a great deal over
night. I'm not sure if it's being eaten by my snails and hermits but it
is a lot less in the a.m. before the lights come back on. It looks black
in the tank on the sand, although I have removed some before and put in
a bag to take to my LFS and it sat in the bag for a couple days and
turned the water in the bag pink! Then the water turned clear
eventually. It has a very fine hair like look when stirred up.
<<Yes,
its a red hair algae, from what i can see in the picture. There is a
good possibility that your snails are keeping this under control. The
tufts on the substrate can easily be syphoned out>>
I have a 65
gallon tank. 3 1/2 month old, 75 lbs. live rock, 3 circulating
powerheads w/ a total 1000 gph circulation. (3) 96 watt lights equaling
50% blue and 50% daylight. Night light is a submergible LED blue strip
lights.
<<For a reef tank, you may want to up your flow a little,
get yourself into the region of 1600gph>>
Water parameters are 0
ammonia, 0 nitrites, calcium, 480-500, nitrates are questionable, I get
about 20-30, LFS test 0, PH 8.2, salinity 1022-1023. I use Oceans Blend
for Calcium, PH, Alkalinity. Had phosphate tested today and they said
very minimal.
<<Usually with plague algae, they have already
absorbed the phosphates from the water, so, a test showing up minimal is
common. Have you tested the water before it goes in the tank? If not,
give it a test, see what it shows>>
I have several small frag corals,
mostly soft coral, but some candy cane coral, one Bubble tip anemone and
a fair size frog spawn. I also bought a coral today that the LFS told me
was a Cotton Candy Coral.
<<I would concur on the carnation coral.
They are not the easiest to keep, however, with research and understand,
you should be fine>>
It has extended out at least two inches since I
put it in. Now that I am looking online, it looks like a carnation
coral! They say that they are difficult to keep. Mine seems very happy
in the few hours I have had him but now I am afraid that I won't be able
to keep him alive! Included is a pic of it as well. Can you identify
this coral?
<<As above>>
Fish include:
1 Dwarf Coral Beauty
1 Six Line Wrasse
1 Lawnmower Blenny
3 Blue Green Chromis
1
Midas Benny
2 Mated Percula Clowns
Inverts:
1 skunk cleaner
shrimp
20 Nassarius snails
2 large Mexican Turbo Snails
4 very
large stocky Cerith Snails? The ones that burrow under the sand I pulled
some of the algae out and put in a bowl for you to take a look at.
Please tell me what this is. I have been told may be hair algae, another
told me red slime. Another place said they don't know what it is, they
have never seen it. Will you please take a look at the pics attached and
tell me what YOU think. Also, what kind of coral in the other pic.
Thank you for all you do for us! Rachel
<<Thank you for the
questions, hope this helps. A Nixon>> |  
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Was: Urchin Hitchhiker: Pencil Urchin, Now Nephtheid ID - 2/3/08
Thanks, Lynn!
<Hi Andy! You’re most welcome!>
I believe you are
right on the money on both counts.
<Woohoo!>
After reviewing the
pictures you sent me, I can now see the rings around my urchin's spines,
so I believe it is indeed a E. metularia. Also, I agree on the Capnella
ID. Since you're 2 for 2, I thought I would also send you two pictures
of what was sold to me as a Lemnalia tree coral.
<Okay, neat.>
When I was looking at the Capnella link you sent me, I noticed the WWM
picture of the Dendronephthya (attached for reference). The lines in the
stalks of the Dendro
<Calcareous spicules called “sclerites”.>
makes me worry that I actually have one rather than a Lemnalia, as my
tree coral also has these lines running through its stalks (the picture
of the Lemnalia on WWM is not very clear and an internet search revealed
a ton of different looking pictures).
<That can be frustrating, I
know. Unfortunately, softies aren’t exactly one of my strengths, but
after doing some research, I'm inclined to think that your coral is
indeed a Lemnalia. I'll need for you to take a close look around the
polyps to confirm, though. Regarding the visible lines/sclerites in the
stalk, apparently Lemnalia has those as well. Where it differs from
Dendronephthya is that the sclerites are not as apparent (if even
present) around the polyps. Dendronephthya, on the other hand, has them
surrounding the polyps, sometimes even extending beyond them - giving
them an almost cactus-like appearance. That's what you'll need to look
for in your coral. One other issue is the muted color of your coral.
This is more typical of a Lemnalia. I’m hoping Bob will correct me if
I’m wrong, but I’m thinking that what you have is very likely a
Lemnalia.>
Thanks! (I promise that I'm done bugging you . . . for
now!)
<Heheee! Not too worry, we're always happy to help.>
Andy
<Take care. -Lynn>Re:.. Now
Nephtheid ID - 2/3/08
Lynn,
<Hi Andy!>
The sclerites are
definitely not evident at the polyps.
<Whew, good. I really don’t
think it’s a Dendronephthya.><<RMF does>>
This, and the fact that my
coral has survived for a long time, leads me to believe you are right
yet again.
<Well, we both learned something with this query! I'm just
glad that it's not a Dendronephthya sp.. They're beautiful, but so very
difficult to keep.>
Thanks for all your help. I really appreciate
your time.
Andy
<You’re very welcome, Andy. Take care. –Lynn> |  .JPG)
Re: Urchin Hitchhiker 2/4/08
Lynn,
<BobF here following
on>
The sclerites are definitely not evident at the polyps. This,
and the fact that my coral has survived for a long time, leads me to
believe you are right yet again. Thanks for all your help. I really
appreciate your time.
Andy
<Actually, the white "squiggly"
things in the translucent tissue are sclerites. See a referent on
the Net, books... BobF>
Re: Dendro ID 2-4-08
Dear Bob,
<Andrew>
Thanks for following up--I appreciate the
input. I see from the recent WWM posting that you believe I indeed
have a Dendronephthya. Ugg! I purchased this specimen about 7 months
ago
<You've done well to keep this specimen this long, I assure
you... and encourage you to write up your experience here... What is
it about your set-up, feeding, maintenance... that allowed this
organism to live? Is it oriented "upside down", in a darkened area?>
from That Fish Place in Lancaster, PA, which is reputed to be a fine
and trustworthy LFS.
<It is IMO. I have visited there, talked
directly with the owner>
It was labeled as "Lemnalia sp." My
display is a 110g (48" x 30" x 18").
Lighting is by 2x250W HQI
(20,000K) and 4x65W actinic PCs. This coral sits in the bottom third
of my tank, and the HQIs are about 7" off the surface of the water.
I have target fed this coral Cyclop-Eeze as I do with my Capnella.
This coral has grown since I purchased it, both in size and in
polyps (albeit slowly) and otherwise "appears" very healthy.
<Great>
I take this is a good sign, but I am now very worried
that I may not be doing all I can/should be doing for this creature.
<... I assure you... far less than 1% of specimens live a month in
captivity... You are doing most "things right">
I employ an
in-line 30g refugium that is teaming with pods. At night, I can see
many pods swimming around my display. I will now go back to the
drawing board and do some research on this animal's needs, but is
there any food product in particular that is well-suited for this
coral?
<Mmm, there were some experiments that Charles Delbeek and
co. did out at the Waikiki Aquarium years ago, but I don't recall
off-hand where the results were posted, and if memory serves, they
were pretty inconclusive... As stated, your situation, the make up
of the refugium... something/s are going very well for this specimen
in your system.>
As always, thanks for your time.
Andy
<Welcome. Bob Fenner>
Re: A nice piece on a successful keeping of Dendronephthya, maybe
Neospongodes 3/3/08
Dear Bob,
<Andy>
I posted
pictures of my Dendro on a Reef Central thread specific to Dendros,
and the guys/gals on that message board believe that my coral
is
not a Deodronephthya sp., but a Neospongodes sp. Just thought you
might be interested in remaining in the loop on this.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=11999623#post
11999623
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1292781
Andy
<Is a possibility... Nephtheids raised in captivity... gross
morphology can be hard to discern to genus... Again, dissolving a
bit of the proximal body, measuring sclerites, their preponderance
in shape, size... BobF> |
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Re: Urchin Hitchhiker: Pencil Urchin - 1/31/08
Hey Lynn,
thanks for the quick reply. Your response was very
helpful/reassuring.
<You’re very welcome. I’m glad I could
help.>
And . . . You were right--a check on the tank this morning
before the lights came on revealed that the urchin was indeed
roaming out of his safe haven. I found him attached to the back of
my tank (presumably munching on some algae/coralline). I was able to
take
a picture of him, although it's not great because I was
trying t balance a flashlight and manually focus and zoom my Nikon
at the same time.
<Heeeheee! What fun that must have been! I do
appreciate your efforts though. Let’s see if we can’t figure out
what you've got!>
What's your best guess?
<Hmmm, well I can
certainly understand your thinking that this is either a Eucidaris
tribuloides or a Heterocentrotus mammillatus. There are certain
characteristics it shares with each. My best guess is that it’s
something in the genus Eucidaris, possibly E. metularia (an
Indo-Pacific species). Take a look at this photo for comparison:
http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/basch/uhnpscesu/htms/kalainvr/fish_pops/cidarid/urchin01.htm
Your urchin has the same shape to the tapering spines and basic look
to the body, with the obvious lines/lighter areas between the
spines. In comparison, Heterocentrotus spp. bodies can have an
almost shingled, or armored appearance. This is due to a covering of
flat(ish) short spines.
Now that we’re pretty sure it’s in the
genus Eucidaris, I can tell you that these urchins are omnivores. I
would offer it seaweed sheets/Nori as mentioned before, sinking
pellets, and the occasional clam/mussel “on the half shell”. The
idea is that if you keep it well fed, it will hopefully leave your
other livestock alone!>
I have also attached a picture of my
yet-to-be-identified tree coral that I mentioned in my previous
mail. Any ID information on this coral would be much appreciated as
well.
<It looks like a Capnella sp./Kenya Tree Coral to me. Nice
looking coral! Please see these links for comparison:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/nephtheids.htm
See the photos within
the first continuing query here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/nephdisfaqs.htm >
Andy
<Have a
great weekend! Take care. –Lynn> |  
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Kenya Soft Coral ID 12/28/07
Hi WWM Crew! Please help me
correctly ID this coral sold to me as a Kenya Tree Coral. Kind Regards
K.
<Tis. A Capnella sp...
http://wetwebmedia.com/nephtheids.htm
RMF> |  
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Numerous Cnid. Q's to look up 12/26/07
Merry Christmas! Thanks
in advance for your assistance and my apologies for the long email
(questions accumulated over some time)… Firstly I’d like to thank all of
the crew for aiding fellow aquarists in many matters to which most of us
are oblivious to. I’m forever browsing through your site trying to soak
up as much as possible and one particular thing besides the usual
content which kept popping up was the infamous name of a book. Eric
Bornemann's Aquarium Corals. Well with such a good reputation, I had to
purchase it! I’m in the process of reading it and I’m truly mesmerized!
What a book indeed. A true must for anyone keeping a reef aquarium. I’ve
already learnt more than I could have imagined within a few chapters
(and some very long scientific words!) So I’d like to thank your site
for suggesting it (you’d think I was a critic or doing this for money
but it really is that good!)
<Okay>
Anyways, let me cut to the
chase. I’ve had this coral in my tank for around 5 months and was sold
it as a pussey coral but after all my research the closest thing I could
relate it to was on your site on this link
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/softcrlidfaqs.htm
Perhaps it’s in my book
but I haven’t even got the correct name to look it up. I’ve attached two
pictures of it one of which shows it shrunk down to around a third of
its size with white colouration around the top section. I have observed
that this coral does close up for long periods of time and opens up at
unpredictable times. I recall it going white like this before but it
recovers and opens again a few days if not a week or so later. Since
I’ve had it in the tank it has asexually produced around half a dozen
“babies” underneath itself which all seem to be doing fine and their
polyps are generally extended. Any help would be appreciated in
identifying this coral so I may do further research into its needs to
increase the chances of survival of the “babies”, especially the Latin
name and common name if not a tall order.
<Is a Nephtheid... looks
to me to be a Nephthea sp.>
+ About 2 months ago, I noticed a tiny
white mushroom growing on a small piece of rock near the back glass and
after much rummaging around managed to get to it. At this time I didn’t
have any mushrooms in the tank. I placed it on a rock high up in the
tank as close to the lights as possible in a bid to give it a fighting
chance. To much delight it has grown and is now semi-transparent and has
a green glow! The picture I took when I first moved it shows it white
with brown spots halfway over but in the second picture taken recently
you can see that it’s taking on a green colour. Might be a long shot but
I don’t suppose you can tell me anything about it? I’m hoping it’ll grow
larger and colonise. Is this likely and what sort of time scale should I
be looking at if so.
<Looks like a Corallimorph... Have you read
here?: http://wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/index.htm >
Also please
help confirm the ID of these corals as the pictures in the book aren’t
quite the same or absent altogether. The pictures I’ve found on your
site have certainly helped but are also not as closely matched enough to
satisfy my curiosity and reassurance is required. Again the Latin name
and common name if possible please.
Many thanks and kind regards, K.
<Can't do any better than you with the organisms in front of you, what
is posted on WWM, EricB's book... Bob Fenner> |   |  |
Q from GrahamT & Rick O. on Nephthea. 1/28/07
Has
anyone seen the green Nephthea available as of late? Here in Maine, we
used to have a local propagator that supplied very colorful soft corals
before they went off the map. Rick says he has had huge problems trying
to get these coral in the past ten years, but I am unsure of the
dedication he put forth into the search. Anyone with info will gain my
gratitude. TIA -GT
<Mmm... I haven't seen such except on the Net on
any regular basis... But will post this query for others hopeful
input... and want to tell you the nature of this field is that new
collecting areas (like getting a new outboard...) open up surprisingly
new varieties, species to collection... as does new aquaculture
techniques, promises of income... BobF>
Re: Q from GrahamT &
Rick O. on Nephthea. Can crew members follow their own
instructions...Heeeheheheheeeeee... No! 1/28/07
<Hi
Graham, Mich here, lets see how we can bust on fellow crew members
today.>
Has anyone seen the green Nephthea available as of late?
Here in <M>maine, <Hehehehehe!!!! Please use proper capitalization when
writing into WWM!!!! We are busy and it is time consuming to correct
your mistakes!> we used to have a local propagator that supplied very
colorful soft corals before they went off the map. <Have you tried a
new map???> Rick says he has had huge problems trying to get these coral
in the past ten years, but I am unsure of the dedication he put forth
into the search. <Heeheeee!!! Did you do a google search like the
directions say before writing into WWM????> Anyone with info will gain
my gratitude. TIA -GT
<Have you checked www.reefcentral.com ? I
don't know that you will find a wholesale propagator, but you should be
able to find individuals with relative ease. A search for green Nepthea
over the past 6 months gave the following results: Please read the
following links... just kidding... but there are some which may be
useful to you...>
Thread Starter Forum Replies Views Last Post
FMAS Frag Swap Meet Sponsored by Eco Reef Aquarium chrisaggie Florida
Marine Aquarium Society (FMAS) - Miami/Ft. Lauderdale 148 2502
01/27/2007 09:45 AM
by A.T.T.R
Show me your ... Green Nepthea
reefnewbie54321 Soft Coral Keepers 94 5601
01/24/2007 11:27 PM
by drummereef
anybody using the current SunPod??? brett7768
Lighting, Filtration & Other Equipment 8 154
11/28/2006 10:00 PM
by xraydoc
~Lets see your nano aquascaping~ Wooden Nickel Nano Reefs
694 68894
11/15/2006 01:55 AM
by Riona
Can Someone ID This
For Me? Reefdrumz Soft Coral Keepers 21 540
11/07/2006 12:15 AM
by ChAoTiCrEeFeR4U
Thanks for hosting, Mimi gflat65 Middle Tennessee
Reef Club (MTRC) 12 119
11/01/2006 09:20 AM
by coral_reefer_25
"Frag" of the Month - September '06 Skipper™ "Frag" of the Month 19 2502
09/22/2006 11:27 AM
by Randall_James
any1 got any leaters for
sale ??? reefer5060 Middle Tennessee Reef Club (MTRC) 4 116
09/12/2006 05:23 PM
by greystreet41
diverrad spotted! LCGoldman
Long Island Reef Association (LIRA) 284 2918
09/10/2006 12:38 AM
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I think my tanks ready Aquarist Guru Northern Valley
Reefers (NVR) 9 175
09/01/2006 10:59 PM
by Aquarist Guru
New
to Buffalo nilo Upstate Reef Society 23 203
08/23/2006 10:41 AM
by stupac21
Paly's, leather, green tree in Wi will ship kass03
Propagated Corals & Tank Raised Livestock Selling 30 965
08/22/2006
06:14 PM
by kass03
*** Colt Coral Frags *** For Trade
castorpollux Colorado Rocky Mountain Reef Club 15 194
08/17/2006
08:35 PM
by Ebmorri
HTH I'll stop being a PITA now -Mich>
R3?: Q from GrahamT & Rick O. on Nephthea 1/30/07
Has
anyone seen the green Nephthea available as of late? Here in Maine, we
used to have a local propagator that supplied very colorful soft corals
before they went off the map. Rick says he has had huge problems trying
to get these coral in the past ten years, but I am unsure of the
dedication he put forth into the search. Anyone with info will gain my
gratitude. TIA -GT
<<Graham...I have a friend in the trade who has a
couple parent colonies of a very nice fluorescent green Neptheid (http://www.aquariumspecialty.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=68). Check
it out and see what you think. Eric>>
Sun Coral fdg. and Hitchhiker Soft Coral ID 1/25/07
Hi Bob,
<Debra>
Regarding that red macroalgae that you thought might be
a Galaxaura and a possible cold water macroalgae, since I paid $30
for it I took it back for credit and ended up getting a sun coral
that came in on their Tuesday shipment. I asked about it and was
told, "Easy to care for, just put it in a cave."
<?...>
After getting it home I started reading all about it and thought,
"What have I gotten myself into now!" Anyway, I've been doing lots
of research and reading forums.
<Better to do ahead of time my
friend>
I've had the coral for about a week now. It actually
came on a piece of shell as opposed to a piece of rock, which had
made handling and placement very difficult. Last night I finally
used a mix of Marineland Hold Fast (which by itself doesn't work
well) and Loctite Super Glue Gel to place it on a small Tonga
branch. This will keep the babies near the edge out of the sand and
give it a more stable base. During this process a small corner of
the shell broke and a small brownish fuzzy slime was
attached. Could I possibly have damaged the coral there?
<Mmm,
maybe... but not likely>
None of the coral was detached, just
a small corner of shell underneath. The all appear to be healthy...
for now. There is no discoloration at the base, so far it's all a
peachy/pink color with no gray or black spots.
I tried counting
how many there are in this colony but stopped at 35. For feeding I
basically took the recipe from your book using frozen shrimp, a
small piece of red snapper filet I had in the freezer, oysters (not
frozen), and a couple cubes of mysis shrimp and brine shrimp all
blended in a processor; placed in egg crate to form cubes and then
frozen. At feeding time I grate a cube into a small cup and mix in
some Cyclop-Eeze or Sweetwater Zooplankton and Selcon. Last Friday
(1/19) I just started adding Kent Coral-Vite and Live Farms
BioPlankton, which I plan to continue once weekly. I also plan to
purchase this weekend some DT Phytoplankton.
<Mmm... don't eat
phytoplankton...>
Because this is a 10-gallon tank I'm
concerned about waste in the tank
<Me too... very easy to
pollute>
so I currently have rigged a plastic cereal container
cut to a depth of 5 inches with suction cups that I place the coral
in (keeping all in the tank-nothing exits the water) and then attach
the container to the inside of the tank glass so the edge of the
container is just above the tank water level. Then I feed them
inside the container. My confusion comes in with all the different
things I've read. I see feeding requirements varying anywhere
between twice daily to once weekly.
<Mmm, 2-3 times/week is
likely about right... can get by on once>
Based on what I read I
also thought they ate pretty fast.
<Not really... once each
polyp is open... a few tens of minutes likely>
A really
helpful site with pictures was at
http://www.melevsreef.com/suncoral.html.
<Thank you for
this>
But he said his corals ate a cube of food in 10 minutes
and he feeds them once a week. Another site mentioned something
about 'slimed the food so they could eat'. And most everything I
read gave the impression that these guys eat fairly fast. So until
yesterday I've been letting them sit there for 30 minutes, didn't
think they were eating and then put them back in the tank;
<Mmm... you will/would actually witness the feeding...>
thinking
they might still be getting adjusted and wouldn't eat. After seeing
that bit about slime, I watched them more closely last night. They
were in the container last night from lights out at 6:30 to 9:00
p.m. and they were still eating. These guys are super slow eaters.
Is that normal?
<Depending on "circumstances", yes>
I did
notice that the water around them seemed to change and food seemed
to float around them. I previously thought it was something in the
food I mixed up that caused the sliminess and that I was polluting
the water around them. So consequently I was using a turkey baster
to blow it off them. (Duh) What exactly is their feeding process?
<Polypoid... filter out suspended zooplankters mostly>
How does
this slime aid them in eating?
<Helps them to glom onto with
their tentacles>
Around the middle of their feeding time I begin
stirring up the food that has settled on the container bottom and
siphon some of it out with a turkey baster, replacing lost water
with water from the tank. This stirred food gets circulated around
the colony and trapped within so they continue feeding. I notice
that they swell up a lot like a balloon being blown up. Do you know
why that is?
<Activity... food stimulation>
Is this normal
as well?
<Yes>
Especially after feeding and they're placed
back on the substrate. I have not yet seen their polyps fully
extended, just little bits here and there poking out. I'm also
concerned about this nightly moving them about.
<Not to be>
Once I know they're eating well and seem to be settled in I would
like to try using the 'hat' method for feeding. Do you think that
might cause a nutrient issue in my small tank?
<Oh yes. Easily>
A staff person at the LFS said he has Sun Coral in a 3-1/2 gallon
and that I'm too paranoid.
<... I disagree>
That I should
use a product by Seachem in a filter bag that absorbs nutrients from
the water, which will turn to brown (possibly Purigen). The product
is then soaked in bleach for cleaning and then soaked in Seachem
Prime to remove the chlorine. Do you recommend that?
<Is worth
trying here>
Or am I right at being concerned about excess
nutrients in the tank?
<Yes>
My only other tank inhabitants
are a cleaner shrimp L. amboinensis, and typical clean up crew. I'm
still considering what fish to get and I'm considering a
Cardinalfish, either Pajama or Orange striped, and maybe a blenny.
I'm still researching. Your advice on this would be very welcome.
<Is posted... this tank is too small for any but a very small
species that doesn't move around much>
The Yellow Clown Goby I
had even though I upped his feeding to hourly and he was eating kept
losing weight.
<Gobiodon are SPS, mainly Acropora spp. obligate
corallivores...>
I had a lot of copepods and he was snacking on
them too, but he didn't make it. So as much as I'd love to have a
clown goby I'm afraid to try again.
<Not suitable here...>
Today I went to the LFS to see if I could find a small piece of live
rock I could use to make a longer ledge over the sun coral (although
they don't seem to be bothered by the lighting- 40W PC 50/50) I did
find the perfect size rock for that, but also found a small rock
with soft coral on it at the bottom of the bin and purchased both
for $3. The coral was laying/flopped on its side. I set up a 1-1/2
gallon tank with some PVC pipe and egg crate shelf to place them on
and used a mix of water from my 10-gallon tank and premixed change
water. I placed the rocks in there. no, I did not acclimate the
coral. started the nano filter put in some Live Farms BioPlankton
and put a 13W 50/50 light over the tank. Within a minute they both
raised up. Is this Capnella?
<Might well be>
Is this
(hopefully) a photosynthetic coral?
<Is>
I also had them
place on hold green star polyps and eventually plan to get some
zoanthids. If it is Capnella, is it a peaceful type? For a small
tank I'd prefer not to have WWIII in there.
<Is peaceful
enough... given care in assembling small colonies, good husbandry...
you should be fine here>
Thank you again for all your help.
Regards, Debra P.
<Thank you for sharing your adventure,
odyssey. Bob Fenner> |  
|
Non-photosynthetic Neptheid 2/27/05
I acquired this soft coral a
couple days ago. I'm hoping it's not Dendronephthya, maybe
Scleronephthya. Can you ID it?
<it sadly is a non-photosynthetic
Neptheid. Dismal survival in captivity>
Then I can look up its
requirements here. If it needs to hang upside down, how important is
this, and what is the advantage? Thanks for the help. Darren
<do
look up info (little as there is) on the successful keeping of
Dendronephthya and like kin. It's really an awful group... most we do
not know how to keep or what they eat. Those that we do know we still
can't feed well if at all (bacteria, floc, specific plankton species). I
strongly encourage you to keep a large fishless refugium with a DSB, and
feed live plankton (phyto and zoo-). Anthony> |
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