Green Bubble at LFS

[falconut]

Hi,

I tried this in the Reef Discussion forum, without much luck. Could somebody here perhaps info me?

My LFS has had a small Green Bubble Coral for at least a week. I haven't seen it opened up fully (like the usual pictures I find on the net), but I wonder if it is just in too much light and/or too much flow.

I will try to decribe how it looks. It is about 3" - 4" across the top (where the polyps come out). The polyps are usually about 1/4" bubbles and the sweepers (if that's what you call them) are also out and about 1/4" too.

Now here are my questions:

1. Does this sound normal?
2. What does it mean if the sweepers are out with the bubbles?
3. The bubbles (if you look really close) have a lined texture, is this normal?
4. Are they fairly hardy corals?
5. Is $45 too much for one of these?

Thanks in advance for your help. I've been trying to decide whether it's worth it.

 

[firebirdbandit]

If the sweepers are out then the coral is hungry. Usually there is still some bubbles present when the sweepers are out. This is one of the hardiest corals. They really strong light and can be placed at the bottom of a tank even with pc lighting. I have a huge green one that has grown about 4 times that size the I had when I got him. I just bought a really small white bubble coral the other day for $15. I suggest you buy small because they can grow pretty good with the right conditions.

 

[firebirdbandit]

I meant to say they don't need strong light. They are a great coral but eventually need a lot of space when they get big.

 

[Afishianado]

sounds like it could be a pearl bubble

 

[falconut]

Do Pearl Corals come in green?

 

[Afishianado]

yes

check out this page...the 33rd row down there are some great photos of green pearl bubble corals, click on the thumbnail to get a high res pic

http://images.google.com/imgres?img...num=10&hl=en&lr=lang_en|lang_de&safe=off&sa=G

 

[falconut]

I Don't think it's a Green Pearl Coral, I think it's a bubble coral. It's Polyps look like small grapes, not the odd shapes in the photo (from Afishianado). Is that the correct way to tell between the two.

 

[Afishianado]

Shape and size are different. your description reminded of the pearl bubble withthe smallish polyps.

The best way to determine the health of a bubble coral is to llok at the septa, which is the skeletal structure. Can you see it, it would like vertically oriented blades. If you can see them not covered with flesh then the coral has died back if they are brown or dark green or something then the die off was some time ago, it could be bouncing back. If the septa are white or anything close to white and they are not covered in flesh then the coral is receding and is not in good shape.

 

[falconut]

So look at the skeleton, then. White no good, brown or green good. Thanks, I'll have to look at it again.

 

[firebirdbandit]

Are they large or small bubble? My large one has bubbles the size of an almond but the small one I just got are smaller about the size of a large blueberry. Its most likely the regular bubble coral if they look like grapes.

 

[falconut]

firebidbandit - It could be the small bubble, since the polyps I've seen are no larger than peanuts. Thought it may have been the flow or light. I wasn't aware there were two different kinds.

 

[Afishianado]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8766392#post8766392 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by falconut
So look at the skeleton, then. White no good, brown or green good. Thanks, I'll have to look at it again.

Really, you shouldn't see any skeleton that is not covered with flesh.

but... if there is skeleton not covered by flesh then the coral either suffered damage in the past, or is suffering damage currently. So if the damage is old and the coral has recovered and healed then exposed skeleton will look like live rock basically. If there is exposed skeleton that is white then the coral is currently suffering damage as the flesh recedes, avoid this one.

have you been watching this one overtime, that is always the best way to tell first hand.


or to get a photo and post it.

 

[falconut]

I have seen this coral for a week at the LFS. At first it didn't look open at all, but the last two visits it was as I described above.

I took a photo with my cell phone, only it is terrible.