Can I trim the cone/stalk of my Elegance?

[Paradiddle7]

I just picked up the elegance coral. Can I trim the stalk/cone and if so, how much?

I want to mount it on a LR shelf I have, but it won't stick too well behing that high. I'd like to trim it so the base is only 1-2" tall, so the epoxy will hold it on the rock better.

 

[DougBushBC]

Thats a HUGE base for that sized elegance. Mine has a base about 1/8th the size of the coral, but its pointed. Not sure what to do about that one.

 

[elegance coral]

If you look at the skeleton from the fragged ends you will see a V shape that the polyp sits in. If you stay at least an inch below the bottom of that V you should be okay. When you glue it to the rock, you may want to seal up the bottom where you cut it. Elegance corals lay down horizontal skeletal material every so often which seals their innards off from the outside world. If you cut it to short it may leave the coral exposed.

I wouldn't do anything with the coral right now. I would let it get acclimated to your tank and recover from shipping, before you cause it any more stress. It's not real happy in the pic.

 

[k.tran]

shouldnt you just put the elegance on the floor, thats how they live in the natural habitat

 

[Paradiddle7]

That was only 5 minutes after I turned my lights on. I had to turn them on for the shot before my timers activated them on. It looks great already. I'll wait at least 2-4 weeks before I start cutting on it though, as I want to observe it and make sure it's in the proper spot in my tank before I stress it again and remount it.

You can put them on the floor or glue them to a rock.

 

[redFishblue]

Be careful about cutting too close to the flesh.
The skeleton is surprisingly brittle and you could accidently frag the elegance if you cut too
vigorously.

 

[Paradiddle7]

Thanks. I'll probably leave 2 inches of the skeleton. It's about 4 inches now and it will just fall over, even in the low flow if I try to epoxy it down.

It will be at least 2 weeks before I cut it, but I'll try to take pictures of the process I use.

 

[erichatesmice]

My stalk is 5 inches high. I thought I was the only one with an elegance with a super high base. He's super-glued to a big piece of live rock and the length of the base has keep him far enough away from my other corals so far.