chili coral

bolt696

New member
Hello,

I got a chili coral a few weeks ago, and it can came to me with very very little rock attached to it. I have read thet they like to be out of light and upside down. In any event I cant seem to attach it to anything. Every morning it is in the sand bed. It acctually looks like it has been getting bigger, but can anyone suggest anything. I was told super glue would damage it. Now the little rock that you see in the picture is mainly gone.

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Is there enough rock to hold a rubber band without damaging the coral base? If so, cement the base to a larger rock with either super glue or epoxy and hold them together with rubber band until it is set. I've never had a problem with super glue.
 
No I tried to rubberband it, but it ripped off the little rock that was attached. there is maybe a quarter size piece of rock on it
 
You can easily superglue the rock that it is attached to. As long as the superglue does not come in contact with tissue it cannot damage it. If the rubberband method does not work, try some fishing line. It can be tied to size and strength so as to not damage the coral but securely hold it in place.

Good luck with your chili, they aren't exactly easy :)
 
Thanks for the fishing line tip. I heard they are difficult. To bad the site I got it on said it was easy to care for. I hear that it is rare they live over 1 year. What a shame.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6827315#post6827315 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by clown2be
Why not just let it stay in the sand? lower light and won't keep getting damanged moving it around.

I can't becouse it opens up like a gorgoinia and feeds that way. I hear it is hard enough to keep them. I would want it exposed on all sides?

I think
 
Its almost impossible to recreate the exact conditions for each and every corals. try leaving the coral in a spot it like's and it will adjust to conditions over time.
 
I have read that for long term success they must be placed upside down. However, this requirement has been placed on other azooxanthellate corals such as Dendronepthya and Scleronepthya but has been said to be unnecessary. It is true that they will naturally grow in an upside down form. But, whether you place it upside down, right side up, sideways, inside out, or facing towards Mecca, there is still a very minimal chane of longterm success. I would say that maintaining an abundant food source and strong, turbulent flow are more important factors.
 
Keckles I was wondering where you got your information on the Chili coral. I want to learn more about them but info is scarce. thanks.
 
Well, for my posts I kind of pulled it out of my head. I haven't found much information online other than searching ReefCentral. The majority of information is available in books, such as Eric's.

Here is one thing I found on wetwebmedia. I hope I am within the UserAgreement for posting this. If not, feel free to delete.

"I have a Chili coral in my 60G LR/LS reef tank that won't open up.

this most always occurs from lack of water flow: not enough or not enough of the right kind. Also... the animal must be kept upside down to survive naturally long term

I have had it since May of '04. Tank Parameters are: Ph: 8.2 Salinity 1.0225/1.023 Temp 77-78 Calcium 350-400ppm all others (nitrate, nitrite, ammonia) minimal/barely readable. Feed PhytoPlex and zooplankton 2x per week.

hoping for a fishless refugium too... this would be a great benefit for many reasons

The coral used to open up every night, until it ejected the spicules from one branch. As per advice from I don't remember where, I cut off that piece. This was in August. it didn't open after that for a few days only, but after that it was business as usual. Then I moved. I put all the livestock in buckets one day, then set up the tanks next day or the day after. When I took "chili guy" (as I call it) out of the bucket, it was open, and remained open for several days after being put in the tank again, I figure it was hungry, yes? Anyway, then it closed up and hasn't opened up again since. I moved Thanksgiving weekend. I have it in a cave, with a powerhead directed at it and attached to a rock with rubber bands so it hangs upside down in the cave.

do be careful about laminar flow like this... its unnatural for most corals and can be fatal in time. Turbulent flow would be better

(The rubber bands only touch the rock it came with so as not to split it) Is there anything I can do to save it?

manipulate the powerheads to create a better flow pattern around the coral. Do a keyword search here on our website for an article called "goodbye powerheads" for a better long term solution

even though it is just a red lump, it has yet to eject
any more spicules, so I think I stopped that from spreading. My Fiancé's cousin gave us a book and said that there is something in the book that we could try-something about dipping chili guy in freshwater for 30 seconds, then in a strong iodine solution.


little or no purpose for doing this... no pathogen is indicated, and frankly... the brief dip would do little to help it if there were

I think this is supposed to shock it into "resetting" itself (like
it's a computer?!)


ahhh... no.

If anyone knows that exact formula, that would be great, as I cannot find it in the book, "Reef Secrets." Thanks for all your help!

trust me, mate... its all about finding the right kind of flow. Do try feeding thawed frozen (or dry in slurry) Cyclop-eeze as a better zooplankton offering. Anthony>" - wetwebmedia.com" - wetwebmedia.com

You can also do a search on ReefCentral or a search engine for "Chili Coral" or "Nepthygorgia." Perhaps you will have better luck than I have had. :)
 
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