Need help mounting a Taro Tree Coral

[Hitch08]

I bought a pack of corals from LA. This particular one was not connected to it's mount when I received it (actually, two were no longer mounted).

https://www.liveaquaria.com/product/2360/taro-tree-coral-aquacultured?pcatid=2360&c=597+2790+2360

It's tiny. I've tried to glue it down three different times now. At first, it seems to be well connected. However, it expands a lot and breaks lose.

Any suggestions?

 

[AlSimmons]

You could try placing it in a small glass bowl full of rubble. Put this in an area of low flow and within a few days or so it should attach to one of the rocks. After that you can place it wherever you want in the tank. GL.

 

[mcgyvr]

^^ yep.. or loosely rubberband it to a rock/plug and it will take hold in a few days..

 

[ReefkeeperZ]

You could try placing it in a small glass bowl full of rubble. Put this in an area of low flow and within a few days or so it should attach to one of the rocks. After that you can place it wherever you want in the tank. GL.

usually the easiest solution right there, I use plastic dishes with a layer of sand or crushed coral on the bottom and some rubble, then rubber band a bit of bridal veil over the top to keep it from drifting loose.

 

[Hitch08]

Thanks!

 

[wrott]

You can use a needle and thread to gently secure it to small piece of rock.
With a small frag, I may not actually puncture the coral.

 

[billdogg]

IME, soft corals don't glue very well due to their, well, softness. Do as the others have suggested.

Be forewarned, however, that once established it will grow like a weed and then start shedding branches that will find a place to attach all on their own. It can quickly become a problem coral, especially if the tank has less than pristine nutrient levels.

 

[D-Nak]

You can use a needle and thread to gently secure it to small piece of rock.
With a small frag, I may not actually puncture the coral.

This is my go-to method as well, but I simply pierce the widest part of the stalk and go through several times to get a secure bond to the rock. Once it's attached you can even remove the string (it pulls through the tissue cleanly). The last thing you want to have happen is for the frag to become dislodged and end up in the back of the tank.

As billdogg mentioned, unless you really like this coral, pick something else that's less invasive.

 

[jayball]

This is my go-to method as well, but I simply pierce the widest part of the stalk and go through several times to get a secure bond to the rock. Once it's attached you can even remove the string (it pulls through the tissue cleanly). The last thing you want to have happen is for the frag to become dislodged and end up in the back of the tank.

X3, and I super glue the string to the edge of the rubble or plug so I do not have to worry about tieing it too tight. I do not like the rubber band because I either get it too tight and cut through it or too loose and it floats away.

 

[jayball]

... double post

 

[Hitch08]

Thanks all!

Well, it sounds like I screwed up. I bought this as a pack and although I did a search for "Taro tree," I didn't pick up that it was also called Kenyan tree. Seems pretty obvious now. I'm generally optimistic that I can manage some of these more aggressively growing things, but not something that breaks off branches so that they can float around and "set up shop" elsewhere.

Here is that pack that I bought:
https://www.liveaquaria.com/product...aquacultured?pcatid=2614&c=597+2341+2605+2614

Is there anything else that spreads like that?

Thanks again!

 

[billdogg]

All of them! Especially the clove polyps. IMHO, they are the PLAGUE. Unless you keep them isolated on a rock surrounded by rubble they will take over the entire tank. Isolated, as they start to spread you can just harvest the rubble rock to keep them in check.

 

[D-Nak]

Oh wow... ALL of those spread like weeds.

I suggest looking for your local reef club and ask around for beginner corals. Members who have things like Kenya tree, Xenia, etc. will oftentimes give them away for free.

Others to avoid*: GSP (green star polyps), clove polyps, and many zoas and palys (especially the ugly ones!).

*These can be kept under control but it oftentimes requires a lot of care. For example, some people use GSP to cover the back wall of their tanks, and if barebottom, they use it to cover the bottom as well.

 

[Hitch08]

Uh oh! Do they spread horizontally - from the main trunk or do they break-off branches like the taro/kenyan?

I think they must have switched up the pack, as the invoice that I received lists the following as actually being sent:


Blue Cespitularia

Heteroxenia Polyp:

This one (below) was the other one that came off of the mount. I tried to glue it down, but it floated away the first day. I can't find it anywhere. Something tells me that I will someday...

Since the top two were still connected to their mounts, I just have them sitting in/on the crushed coral on the bottom of the tank. I actually like the top two and hope to leave them there. If I can't manage them, or, if they break off branches to float around the tank, I'll take them to the LFS.

I hope they don't break off branches too. Does anyone know?

 

[earwicker7]

Use a plastic toothpick and spear it into your live rock. It comes out easily once the coral has attached.