Cali Tort

[bizzleb01]

I purchased a Cali Tort last week and it is my first SPS that I have purchased. I have a green pacilapora that was given to me and doing great. My question is about polyp extension. The first couple days I saw polyp extension on the tort, not all over but still some extension. Now I haven't seen any extension the past couple days and in wondering if that is normal. It's keeping the color and not bleaching. I've got it on my sand bed to acclimate to my lighting and planned to move it mid way up the tank in a higher light and flow area.

 

[oblio]

If it was happy it would still be extending. Something is off, water params? Flow? Always better to have too little light than too much. The hunt begins.......

 

[bizzleb01]

It might not have enough flow right now on the sand but I didn't want to bleach it right away. I might move it up tomorrow. I'll check all water parameters tomorrow too.

 

[oblio]

Again too little light the coral would extend to get closer to the light. I wouldn't move it up, it's likely something in the water that the coral is not liking.

 

[bizzleb01]

I noticed last night when just my blues were on that there was polyp extension on about 75-80% of the coral. I think it was a fairly new frag. I can see where it had been cut once I got home. I didn't see it in the fish store.

 

[MrHarvard]

What type of lighting was it under when you purchased it and what type lighting do you have? Most Cali Torts can take all the light you an give them. Did the LFS cut it from an aquacultured piece they grow out? When you say 75-80% had PE where at on the coral, top, bottom, middle?

 

[bizzleb01]

It was under radions at the LFS and I was told that they were under LEDS at the place they got them. I'm running a photon 32 LED running at around 42% right now. The extension was from the bottom up to the middle. No extension at the top.

 

[MrHarvard]

I would move it up a bit and get it more flow and light. This is a light loving acro and it definitely needs flow. I don't get crazy PE from my tort the majority of the time either so if you are seeing PE at night you should be fine. If you are keeping your water levels stable you shouldn't have any issues the coral was probably just getting acclimated to your tank.

 

[robthorn]

Polyps are for feeding. They are not normally full out on the wild during the day time.

 

[bizzleb01]

Thanks everyone. I'll try moving it up. I just got some coral frenzy and I plan to spot feed at least once a week

 

[bizzleb01]

Alright, here are water parameters. PH-8.2, Nitrite-0, Nitrate-2, Ammonia-0, KH-10, CA-380, MG-1380. I moved it higher up in the tank where there is more light and flow. My KH seems pretty high though doesn't it?

 

[BryanS4]

I have a Cali Tort as well that gets very little polyp extension. It's been in my tank for about 2 months and I've gotten decent growth so I just stopped worrying about it.

Everything else I have, even frags 6" away have polyps extended, so I couldn't figure it out. As long as it keeps growing I'm happy I guess.