Can chalice survive with no mouth in frag?

[slojmn]

I received a chalice, unknown type, this weekend and it was in fairly sad shape. I have been unable to clearly identify a "mouth" on the frag, even with my mesoscope, but the flesh in the frag is still fine. There may be a partial mouth but it is really hard to tell. I had always thought you needed a mouth for a chalice frag to survive...am I right??

I figure it may waste away over the next month or so if this is the case. I am hoping there is a mouth but it is impossible to tell. I was told the frag was "healthy" when I questioned its condition upon arrival. I feel otherwise but I am hoping for the best.

 

[All Delight]

Thats a good question. I've always wanted to know too!

 

[musty baby]

I had a very small mouthless chunk of an Echinophyllia grow, though eventually I did manage to kill it It was the product of a severe sunburn event when I first bought the coral.

 

[nmprisons]

did it eventually grow a mouth?

 

[wantsalotta]

I am speaking for echinophyllia:

Yes, it can.

did it eventually grow a mouth?

Yes, they will.

 

[slojmn]

Brian, What was your experience, detail, etc??

 

[wantsalotta]

I have fragged several echinophyllia. Even a tiny tiny little piece will survive given optimum conditions. After a setlling in period, I think the smaller pieces grow faster until they hit that 1.5-2" range.

 

[neyugn0w01]

It is actually more important to get a piece of the rock that it is attach to on the little frag.

 

[tacocat]

Re: Can chalice survive with no mouth in frag?

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9231525#post9231525 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by slojmn
I received a chalice, unknown type, this weekend and it was in fairly sad shape. I have been unable to clearly identify a "mouth" on the frag, even with my mesoscope, but the flesh in the frag is still fine. There may be a partial mouth but it is really hard to tell. I had always thought you needed a mouth for a chalice frag to survive...am I right??

I figure it may waste away over the next month or so if this is the case. I am hoping there is a mouth but it is impossible to tell. I was told the frag was "healthy" when I questioned its condition upon arrival. I feel otherwise but I am hoping for the best.

Absolutletly, I smashed them, kicked them dropped them, etc. I even have one of type with a central mouth form new mouths on a frags.

I think the key is keeping the frag an inch or larger. When they are smaller than this, you run into problems.

 

[jessp]

as long as they have zoozanthallae i don't see why the mouth would be important.

 

[slojmn]

Re: Re: Can chalice survive with no mouth in frag?

Re: Re: Can chalice survive with no mouth in frag?

Absolutletly, I smashed them, kicked them dropped them, etc. I even have one of type with a central mouth form new mouths on a frags.

I think the key is keeping the frag an inch or larger. When they are smaller than this, you run into problems.

Good point, well this little frag came in at 1/4" by 1/2"...it looked nice and big through the bag but then I opened it and most of what I was seeing was dead green skeleton, all colonized by algae over time in the sellers prop tank . I got the ruler out and did a measurement. I was not happy wiht the size. I then dipped and found red planaria flatworms, ARGHHHH. I ended up cutting the dead skeleton off, re-dipping, and re-mounted it on a fresh disc. I ended up with a small chunck of flesh along with skeleton and a bit of rock, I think, hard to tell. The flesh still looks like it did three days ago, no worse . This could be a good sign, maybe?

This is the worst frag I have received in the year and 8 months that I have been working with this current tank and from a seller who seems pretty respected... I paid a fortune for it and I am not really happy about things but my main goal at this point is to will it into good health and excellent growth . You have all given me a bit of hope, Thanks.

 

[HOC]

I had a piece of the original Watermelon from Reeftecdesigns that was 1/4" and mouthless that sat beside a 1" piece of other watermelon from rarefrags that had a mouth. Both were recieved within a week of each other.The true WM never grew, but lived for several months before it finally wasted away. The other is still growing strong. Really made me wonder how small these things can/should be cut.

 

[jessp]

i think a problem could be when a frag is "hot" meaning going for a lot of money people will frag too soon and send out frags before they are healthy enough to ship.

 

[slojmn]

HOC, That is my fear, that it will languish in my tank for months doing nothing but eventually fading away, no way to re-coup my monetary losses for that .

I don't know how "hot" this coral is...it is super sweet and the pic of the mother colony is fantastic and looks to be good size. Hence the shock at what I received both color wise and health. I think the frag certainly lost some flesh over time in the sellers prop tank and may have been really good at one point. It is really hard to know for sure, only the seller really knows. I am hoping that it will pull through and slowly increase in size. Both of my watermelon frags were 1/2" by 1/2" and have survived and grown, albeit slowly. They both had multiple mouths on them but it seems this is not neccessary for survival so I am still hopeful .

 

[SPStoner]

FWIW, I got a frag of the original WM from RandyO about a month ago that was 3/8". It has doubled in size in that time. However, it did have a single mouth.

 

[slojmn]

You got double growth on the watermelon in one month, WOW...awesome for you .

 

[Fliger]

Alicia, do these look familiar?

BTW Toni, all my corals that I got from you last year are doing amazingly well. Thanks. BTW, I think the Cavs should hire Tanya Harding for the next time you play the Suns.

 

[slojmn]

David, Very nice growth on those Aquascene Golden eyes .

 

[jimmy007]

I got a tiny piece (less than 1/4 inch) of the original WM with no mouth from a friend. The coral grew to a size of a quarter. It took a long time but I was amaze that it didn't die.

 

[Vamp1975]

All you need is a piece of tissue and given proper conditions they will flourish