Do Blastomussa Merletti Encrust?

[falconut]

I tried this post on the Reef Discussion board, but got no answer. So, I'll try it hear.

I have a loose frag sitting on my rockwork. Will it encrust onto the rocks as it produces new heads or will the base just increase in size and remain separate from the rockwork.

Also, how do they generate new heads? Do they split like Frogspawn or just grow out of the

Thanks.

 

[David Grigor]

Yes, split like a branching LPS does. Welsi will encrust. Merletti will not.

 

[lemonhead]

i have a merletti that i put in as as small frag (about 6 heads) in between a v shaped spot in my rocks. it has encrusted up each side of the v into well over 50 heads. also have some frags at the store that are encrusting more than branching.

 

[porky]

Yes Merletti will encrust!

 

[gflat65]

I have a merletti (or a very small polyped wellsi...) that looks like an encruster. The other merletti's I have are more of the branching type, but this one in particular is a flat plate.

 

[falconut]

Thanks. Mine is wedged in a hole in the LR. It is the common Green center w/Reddish Brown Rim.

 

[David Grigor]

Only way possible I can think of that a merletti would encrust is if the flesh is actually touching something. I have never tried it that way. No way the dead skeletal part is going to encrust.

 

[gflat65]

I've got one (mentioned above) that is more submassive than branching, which to me is encrusting...

 

[David Grigor]

I highly suspect it's not a merletti then. At least none that I've seen look like you describe.

 

[gflat65]

I'll try to get a pic up tonight or tomorrow night.

 

[CoralNutz]

I have never seen any merlettis that where encrusting, just branching. Not saying there aren't any, or that it's impossible for them to encrust, I just haven't seen it.

 

[stevedola]

2 of my merletti colonies have "encrusted" to its rock base. both were grown from a 4 head frag that I superglued to my live rock after acclimation. each now have over 50 heads that are attached to the rock. when you look at the colonies with polyps retracted it appears to be a white mass of coral .