Breathtaking Red Goni Balls

[thebanker]

No, really!

I didn't want to link to another blog, so I'm reposting this from ORA's site. Enjoy!

We’ve had Red Goniopora in the greenhouse for nearly a decade, but it was only in the last 3 years that we started fragging the broodstock. We were amazed to discover that it grew a lot faster than anticipated. The original pieces were about the size of a large grapefruit but we now have many larger broodstock pieces.

These pieces pictured above developed as little buds with only a few polyps that drop off naturally via asexual reproduction. After aproximately a year of growth, they form a sphere with no bare base or underlying dead spots. We kept the spheres in a basket to see if they would fuse together and form a larger mass that would be easier to frag, but instead they kept their shape! This LPS is quite remarkable and to see it grow from a tiny bud, no bigger then an eraser head, to golf ball size is fascinating.
Don’t expect to see these oddball specimens for sale since they are a rare phenomenon that we have no control over, resulting in a very limited amount of them.

 

[mscarpena]

Neat. Still not sure if I believe all of them are tank raised. Maybe these few are, but I think a lot of them are maricultured instead of tank raised.

 

[dogstar74]

so do these have a pedicle? Or do they get blown around the tank like a ball? Wouldn't smashing them all together in a bad like they said, bruise the tissues? I guess not, but they do look uber cool!

 

[scuba guy ron]

Neat. Still not sure if I believe all of them are tank raised. Maybe these few are, but I think a lot of them are maricultured instead of tank raised.

agreed. if they are tank raised, they have gotta take forever to raise.

 

[Texsun]

I'm awaiting the breathtaking blue balls to be released.

 

[thebanker]

so do these have a pedicle? Or do they get blown around the tank like a ball? Wouldn't smashing them all together in a bad like they said, bruise the tissues? I guess not, but they do look uber cool!

Apparently, they're completely spherical, with no bare spots. With enough tissue extension along the base of the goniopora, (i.e. How puffy it can get) they can support the entire skeletal weight of the colony.

 

[Zylski]

agreed. if they are tank raised, they have gotta take forever to raise.

Agreed again because these take forever to grow their skeleton.

 

[bunzaroo]

I'm awaiting the breathtaking blue balls to be released.

LOL!!!!! I don't like the blueballs.....

 

[rivoth]

We've had Red Goniopora in the greenhouse for nearly a decade

That quote came from their site. I can't see anybody putting a greenhouse up over the ocean so they are tank raised.

 

[jacksonpt]

I've got an ORA red goni that I love!

 

[thebanker]

Gorgeous specimen. I'm waiting for my LFS to get one so I can rejoin the goniopora club.

 

[Angel*Fish]

That is the coolest thing!! Thanks for posting that! What cool weird little goni's!

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

my ORA Goniopora

my ORA Goniopora

I've had this specimen for several months now. To add insult to injury, it's growing in an aquarium that also houses an Emperor Angelfish.

 

[mscarpena]

That quote came from their site. I can't see anybody putting a greenhouse up over the ocean so they are tank raised.

A lot of site dont tell the truth. Also you will read that very few are released from their site as well. I was referring to the goni's that are released for sale on a regular basis that they are not tank raised. I know gonis can be tank raised because I know of a hobbyist that was doing it. I just dont think if they were tank raising them that there would be so many on the market. I tried one of their tank raise green gonis and it died faster than the ocean raised ones that I have had. I had one for about 2.5 years. Who knows for sure though. No one will ever get a straight answer.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

jmo

jmo

based on what I know of this particular Goniopora species it's entirely plausible that ORA is truthful when stating they are 100% greenhouse raised.

 

[alebrun]

Is it true that red goniapora is pretty hardy then traditional goniapora...?.That it mostly relys on photosynthisis...?

 

[shred5]

Is it true that red goniapora is pretty hardy then traditional goniapora...?.That it mostly relys on photosynthisis...?

Some red goni's can easier but none are easy. The encrusting goni's and some reds are easier to keep but not close to a beginner’s coral. Goniopora stokesi is very hard to keep.

 

[Beaun]

My breath, it has been taken by these red balls.

 

[alebrun]

So whats the trick on keeping them alive and healthy....?

 

[fote03]

Very nice piece!

I've got an ORA red goni that I love!