Need help with my nano tank

[FishieLover87]

I have a 10 gallon tank that so far I am very proud of. This is my very first tank and it's awesome to look at. So far I have 4 blue legged hermits, 4 nassarius snails and 2 throcheus snails and I just bought this coral yesterday. It was amazing at the store and had some tentacles or polyps all over it like little hands but since the guy had put it in a bag its looked like this picture. I was just wondering if anyone who has had coral before and has experience with them when they return to the way they were at the store? I was told it is a mushroom coral but thats all he knew so that's all I can tell you. Anyways any input would be amazing.

 

[petere1989]

i've got one like that. not that color though. mines a toadstool mushroom. newayz, just give it time. those are very finiky when it comes to new enviroments. mine looks like ur does half the time. make sure ur water paremeters are good too.

 

[FishieLover87]

Ok thanks. When it was at the store it was also a lighter pink color or closer to skin color. I know its only been 36 hours since I brought it home but I guess since this is my first saltwater tank I'm a little more paranoid. Lol. And in terms of water parameters my temp is 81 F, Nitrite and Nitrates are 0 and the Specific Gravity is 1.023. If any of that is wrong I'd love to know. According to my books thats what it is suppose to be but experience always beats books.

 

[tommer725]

Give it time. I got some green star polyps. They came from a healthy tank. My tank is healthy too. But it took them 3 or 4 days to fully open.

 

[EllieSuz]

Since seawater is a tad over 1.026, your current specific gravity is a little low. This works for fish only systems, but corals are more picky about this. Over the next few days, add saltwater instead of fresh water to top-off your tank. Check it after each refill and stop it at around 1.025. I suggest this number because in a small tank, it's a good idea to leave yourself a little "wiggle room". Color variations between your LFS and your tank are very likely to be light related. It's surprising how a different selection of bulbs can affect coral color.

 

[FishieLover87]

Thanks so much. That's very helpful. I will add some saltwater over the next few days and see how that affects things. I guess I was more trying to get it all ready for fish and wasn't thinking that the coral might like a different gravity. I'll definitely post some pictures once the coral fully opens. I see a few more right now that have popped out so hopefully over the next few days it will open.
Thanks so much for the advice.

 

[FishieLover87]

Thanks for all the help. The coral did come out of "hiding", lol, and is doing great. I fed it today as recommended and here are a few pictures. A couple without flash and one with flash.

 

[EllieSuz]

Very pretty.

 

[tommer725]

Nice