Acropora Colony bases

[saltygeek]

Can anyone post pictures of the bases of acropora colonies? I've read that they would start to recede when they got larger because there was less light and flow to the base as they get larger. I was at a LFS with a large display tank and noticed how much actually was receding. Im assuming their water is good because the colonies all looked good unless you looked under and in some cases right from the bottom portion of the side view. Only other thought I had was maybe they have AEFW in there. Colonies look healthy otherwise though and growing because they frag them constantly to sell.

 

[waxy]

They shouldn't recede, even if they do it turns brown due to lack of lighting.

Take for example a 10" colony, the top will look perfectly fine, but the bottom would be the inverse of perfect.

The colonies will eventually grow over the dead area and continue to thrive, under pristine conditions.

 

[mark54321]

here is mine. as you can see the base is not receding but is brown from the lack of light

 

[saltygeek]

I'll have to ask them whats going on in the tank next time im there. It did look like the recession was old as the skeletons weren't white in most cases. Maybe they had an issue a little while back.

 

[Rickyrooz1]

I have a Tri-Color that has a receding base. You can see it above the montipora's.

 

[waxy]

You may want to check the LFS's water params for any conclusions.

Maybe it was just bleeching? RTN is really distinct, you can see the flesh contintue to peel off.

Only thing I can think of is if it's a really huge colony, and there is absolutely no lighting, then it would probably STN, but just minimal.
In the areas that lack light and flow. Dead zones.

Not sure what else comes to mind.

 

[Reefer577]

A lot of my experience with acropora bases receding has later on involved aefl and I just didn't realize I had them at the time. Sometimes they can recede if you're having ph problems.

 

[saltygeek]

Yes, the colonies are pretty big, 12 inches or more. Its not RTN but some sort of STN. Flow and lighting is probably lacking under the colonies but wasn't sure what large colonies normally look like. Looks similar to ricky's but colonies are much larger and skeleton is not that white. You can see some are regrowing a bit.

 

[saltygeek]

Rickyrooz1- Does it continue to recede or is that about it?

 

[Stanley-Reefer]

I have some that have/are doing the same thing. Montis do it to themselves too if they get big enough.

 

[Rickyrooz1]

Rickyrooz1- Does it continue to recede or is that about it?

It continues slowly. This is what it looked like a month earlier.

 

[saltygeek]

Thats pretty quick. Are all the areas of recession in shadowed areas? Looks like it in the picture but hard to tell.
Thanks
Ed

 

[saltygeek]

I have some that have/are doing the same thing. Montis do it to themselves too if they get big enough.

Do you have any pictures? What do you attribute yours to?
Its weird how some are more tolerant than others.