M. setosa not encrusting?

[graveyardworm]

Is it normal? My frag started as a tiny pin about 1/4 inch long, and has put out a strange bubble looking growth but not encrusting.

 

[seminolecpa]

Yes. Mine grew all kinds of wierd and would arch in odd shapes. Actually was a blessing long ago because it made it really easy to frag. It eventuall encrusted away.

You can see some of the same type growth here

 

[mutateddogbone]

seminolecpa how big was your frag to start with and how long did it take to get that big? I just recently picked up a piece of setosa and was wanting to get an idea on growth rate

 

[seminolecpa]

It grows very quickly. I got my frag several years ago from Tyree at a coral farmers market. That pic is probably 7 months old. That said, I have probably made close to 30 or so frags of it possibly more and lots were good sized frags. I actually removed a golfball sized frag recently to give away because it was getting close to the my icefire echinata.

Here is a little more recent pic (from mid November). The white like is from a big hunk I fragged off.

and a better shot for scale in a mid shot of my tank (the Desarjini is about 7 or 8" long)

 

[redfishsc]

Where do you keep the kenya trees? :bum: Dude that's a sweet tank.


I've been eyeballing M. setosa for a while. Saw some frags for it locally for sale but at the time didn't want to cough up the cash for them. Kinda regretting it now.

 

[graveyardworm]

I just checked, and I got that frag in mid November. It was in pretty rough shape when I got it. You can see where the base had receded. The new growth since I got it is the doohickey growing off to the left which is about 1/2 inch long. It took 4 months for that. I've had it placed low and off to the side, but now that it seems healthy I moved it to what I hope will be its final place in the middle of tank about 2/3 of the way down. Hopefully growth will speed up a bit.

 

[rkb]

Great setosa pics guys, what lighting do you have yours under. Mine is pertially shaded under 2 X 150w 14K Phoenix HQIs and 4 X 39w T5s. When mine was placed higher it started to fade, now that it is more shaded it's color is returning.

 

[graveyardworm]

Mines now 2/3 down in a 180 with 250 MH XM10k. Just placed it there yesterday though. The pic was taken tonight. Mine has better color than what the pic shows.

 

[seminolecpa]

Mine is halfway down under 400W Radiums but fairly shaded by the acros above it.