Carnation Coral Care

[GorillaSmack]

Friends ! Just got a beautiful carnation coral.. i admit i did a little research before my purchase.. and after purchasing and doing more research i realized that i may have been a bit ill advised.

I have her attached to a rock (from lfs) under low light. moderate/heavy flow
in the back of my 29g biocube. I am set up with a skimmer, refugium, carbon and i feed a blend of mysis, brine, clam every 2 days, i do have a weekly regime of dossing with Calcium, Magnesium, Iodine (every 2wk), strontium and molybdenum, Plankton, Coral Fuel..

i have upgraded my lighting system to a TrueLumen 12" Dual LED kit.
12k/453 nm & 453nm.. Stock Biocube Moon light..(really good shimmer)
I have my lighting set at 40/30% white too actinic for 8 hours during the day. 40/20% Actinic during evening. moonlight only for about 2 hours before lights out.

My sun Polyps are recovering after purchasing them a little wounded from my lfs. polyps extend most of the day due to nice current and under cliff placement away from direct light.. (mentioned this because i know these guys can be tricky to care for.. a little care comparison reference )

only other specimes that are atleast 6 inches away..
Montipora.. high above.. on cliff face.

and Green Finger Leather Coral.. small frag.. more than 6" away and placed were current pushes any possible threat away from carnation..

Ill have a pic of the Carnation in a few.. but heres a pic with a placement indicator.. Thoughts..?

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[ca1ore]

I think carnation coral purchases are always regretted because they are almost impossible to keep long-term (I have never seen it with my own eyes; internet claims require large grains of salt). Tubastrea and dendros have large polyps, so it's relatively easy to target feed them; carnations not so much.

From LA: 'It does not contain the symbiotic algae zooxanthellae. Therefore, its diet should include live, baby brine shrimp, micro-plankton, and other small foods designed for filter feeding invertebrates, in order to survive in the reef aquarium. These foods must be available almost constantly'. Bold is mine.

 

[GorillaSmack]

@CA1ORE- I read you. i just need to keep a a good eye.. all my specimens are doing well. hope this pretty little lady stays healthy.. i keep reading that as long as there is flow. and healthy bacteria in the water.. i should be good. only time will tell.

 

[GorillaSmack]

@Ca1ore-- have you had a bad experience..?

 

[shred5]

They wont survive in a regular reef tank. They need almost constant feeding and need to be in a nps tank. This is one of the harder to keep NPS corals too...

 

[GorillaSmack]

 

[GorillaSmack]

@Shred-- you think ?! id hate to think that.. my sun polyp seems to be doing well..
is it even fare to compare...?

 

[shred5]

@Shred-- you think ?! id hate to think that.. my sun polyp seems to be doing well..
is it even fare to compare...?

Suncorals and Dendrophyllia and there are a few others NPS/azoo corals that do good in a regular reef with a couple of feedings..

But corals like Dendronephthya and Nephthyigorgia plus others need lots of feedings.

 

[anthonys51]

my friend has one that is about 2 months old and it seems to be doing good, although 2 months isn't that long . he has his hung upside down in very high direct flow. i cant really see from your picture, but yours doesn't seem to be in a place with direct high flow. also the guy who sold it to him, a private coral guy, said it requires more of a mature/dirty tank, my friends tank is 14 years old, and from what i remember your tank is only a couple months old.

 

[GorillaSmack]

@shred5-- protein skimmer, ato, media changes. suplement dossing,, strong current , low light.. . think ill be ok ?

 

[anthonys51]

my friend moved his like 10 times. finally put it directly in front of his monster tunze jet and it seems to be happy. hope that helps

 

[GorillaSmack]

@Anthony-- helps.. i placed mine.. in fron tof my wave maker.. about 12" away.. still moves my carnation pretty well.. not violently.. but its moving. is your friends in complete darkness..? notice where i have mine..? think it will do well there..?

 

[laga77]

I have had a Carnation and Chili coral for a couple of months now. Both are doing well. They are in the shade and have good flow. The carnation has shown some growth. Both get target fed twice daily with powered coral food and NB BBS. I have several NPS corals in two tanks and have found the lighting makes little difference. Just because they are found in dark places on the reef doesn`t mean they prefer that. They just grow where other corals can`t. There have been post by divers who find Sun corals on the top of the reef in bright sun so it doesn`t matter. One of my Tubastrea is sitting at the top of my tank under full LED right next to some SPS and is doing great.

 

[anthonys51]

yes my friend has his high up, but don't think that makes a difference, so i agree with laga77. i don't think it matters where you have them placed as long as its very good flow. but true test will be after a year, 2 months is too short of a time. has anyone every kept one for over a year

 

[GorillaSmack]

@Laga- Thanks for the input. def eases a bit of concern . think some star polyps might hurt her..?

@Anthony- Thanks bro.. good question..

 

[ca1ore]

@Ca1ore-- have you had a bad experience..?

I have not attempted to keep one for many years because I could not keep them alive for more than a few months - even with heavy feeding. These are corals IMO that should not be collected for the trade. I have literally never seen one kept long term.

Comparing their care to sun corals is flawed.

 

[GorillaSmack]

@CA1ORE- annnnd your right.. she didnt make it . flesh started deteriorating, shriveled up..

 

[anthonys51]

Sorry for you loss

 

[GorillaSmack]

long sigh..

 

[ca1ore]

Trouble is, most specimens are probably already starved from their journey through the supply chain, so even hurculean efforts to feed them once in your tank are often fruitless.