melev
Well-known member
Somehow I become far too attached to each and every coral in my tank. I don't ever look at them as replaceable or disposable, but at the same time I'm not so far gone that I name them. 
Here's the main character of this story (picture: Jan '06).
I've documented this particular blue stick for the past year or more. It was a single twig standing straight upright and did nothing for a solid year. Then my Diadema Urchin decided one day that it looked delicious, and mowed through it diagonally, reducing it by 50% in mass. This action prompted the coral to make a decision to grow now, or soon be extinct.
Over the past few months, it has done beautifully, becoming a pretty little colony. Here it is, one month ago (June 13 '06) under actinics:
As you can see, there was quite a bit of tissue all around the base. Healthy and happy.
Two nights ago, I saw it bleaching/RTNing at the periphery. I figured it wasn't something to worry about yet. Still, it moved toward the colony over the next 24 hours.
Last night, it was all the way against the base of the colony, but the coral looked good at 2am.
Today, there was no doubt in my mind that I had to do something before I could even have my morning coffee. I fragged it, glued the frags to new rock and placed them in different locations. Here is what is left of the spot where the coral was for so long. :sad2:
These are the frags. They look like something you'd buy from a vendor. It's pretty sad when someone asks me "Where did you get that frag?" and my reply has to be "from my tank."
There are three separate rocks with frags on them. I hope they all do well, but at the very least I hope one survives.
Here's the main character of this story (picture: Jan '06).
I've documented this particular blue stick for the past year or more. It was a single twig standing straight upright and did nothing for a solid year. Then my Diadema Urchin decided one day that it looked delicious, and mowed through it diagonally, reducing it by 50% in mass. This action prompted the coral to make a decision to grow now, or soon be extinct.
Over the past few months, it has done beautifully, becoming a pretty little colony. Here it is, one month ago (June 13 '06) under actinics:
As you can see, there was quite a bit of tissue all around the base. Healthy and happy.
Two nights ago, I saw it bleaching/RTNing at the periphery. I figured it wasn't something to worry about yet. Still, it moved toward the colony over the next 24 hours.
Last night, it was all the way against the base of the colony, but the coral looked good at 2am.
Today, there was no doubt in my mind that I had to do something before I could even have my morning coffee. I fragged it, glued the frags to new rock and placed them in different locations. Here is what is left of the spot where the coral was for so long. :sad2:
These are the frags. They look like something you'd buy from a vendor. It's pretty sad when someone asks me "Where did you get that frag?" and my reply has to be "from my tank."
There are three separate rocks with frags on them. I hope they all do well, but at the very least I hope one survives.
