ORA Bellina

[jnc914]

Anyone else have issues keeping a frag of this? I am on the verge of losing a second frag and I am wondering if my placement may be what is causing it. I keep it high in the tank, about 4-5" from surface and about 8-9" below T5 lighting. I have moderate to strong random flow throughout the tank. I have many of the other ORA acros and this is the only one giving me an issue. Typically the skin looks very hardened and rigid instead of smooth just prior to it STN'ing. Is this coral just very touchy?

 

[MammothReefer]

Yes it is. I lost my first one. I have no clue why. My second one is doing amazing, it's even growing where the light can't hit it. I did just move it though and I am keeping a close eye on it (may move it back). I have it high random flow, high light. It was about 6-8" infront of my mp10, and 2-3" off to the side. Directly under my halide.

 

[SPSEMPIRE]

You are right, it is very touchy. Hardest ORA coral to keep IMO, even harder than the hawkins. On top of that, as soon as the mini colony is snipped, you can bet your wallet on this coral browning out. Put it in really high flow and high lighting. I think it is an acropora horrida.

 

[Brian Chong]

I have great luck with mine. It's 15" directly under a 150w 20k bulb receiving tons of turbulent flow and it has hints of blue purple and cream color and I also fragged a teeny branch for a friend.
heres a pic for reference

 

[sedorusc]

I had one I lost overnight while everything else flourished

Sent from my DROID2 using Tapatalk

 

[SPSEMPIRE]

I have great luck with mine. It's 15" directly under a 150w 20k bulb receiving tons of turbulent flow and it has hints of blue purple and cream color and I also fragged a teeny branch for a friend.
heres a pic for reference

Great Picture and great info about the lighting. It goes to show exactly the importance of light vs flow. The only time mine gets any PE is when it is blasted along with being picky about water quality.

 

[MammothReefer]

lol now you guys got me all nervous i'm moving it back to where it's been for the past 2-3 months haha.

 

[SDguy]

Any guesses on what species it is?

 

[Brian Chong]

SPSEMPIRE, thanks for boosting my confidence in my photo skills but I dont even know how to lower the aperature to get more of the corals in focus let alone anything else for that matter. Maybe when I have time and when i get off reefcentral I'll begin reading my manual LOL

SDGuy~ My best guess is A. Delsalwii

 

[jnc914]

I am glad to see that I am not the only one having a challenging time with this coral( except for Brian). BTW Brian, great pics and beautiful coral coloration. Continued luck.
I was able to cut a piece of the dying frag that still had polyp extension and smooth purple skin. I am disappointed because this was one of the corals that had pretty significant growth in a short period of time. I'll see if I can nurse my now mini frag back to health.

 

[Brian Chong]

Thanks jnc914 but all my corals grow sloooooowwww. I had that Bellina for 6 months and all it has done is encrust.

 

[Brian Chong]

Double post

 

[MammothReefer]

Here is a photo of mine (just after I moved it back).

Mine is growing weird, it's encrusting down on the plug away from the light.. really strange. I didn't notice until I pulled the plug out and found it almost completely covered. It's also branching a tiiiny bit.

I really thought it would be darker, but it came in this colour and hasn't changed at all since I got it. (2months or so I believe maybe 3)

 

[twon8]

I've had mine about two months, It browned out at first but has since purpled up, though the polyps are more brown than green. It does have great PE and is growing well.

 

[Shiroi Kitsune]

I've personally never had an issue with this coral. Mine's been knocked down and around several times and been through a tank swap. That said since it's been more stabilized I have been rewarded with much more rapid growth. I keep it about six inches from the top of the tank and the lighting, 432w T5, is about two inches off the top of the tank. Random high flow.

 

[Brian Chong]

Nice looking Bellina Shiroi! Makes me wanna look at mine again from the top to see if it has that baby blue or if it has more to do with the lighting

 

[Alex T.]

This is odd. So many people having problems with this coral. Luckily, it's been one of my most hardy.

I have it about 20" down (in a 27" deep tank) directly under a 400 watt Radium bulb on Galaxy ballast. Its' polyps are extended 24/7. Growth has been a little slow in the 6 months that I've had it but coloration is excellent with purple body, green hairy polyps and hints of blue on the growth tips. It's my favorite, but most slow growing ORA frag with the Roscoe's Blue Acropora being my fastest grower/

 

[jammoye2]

i have had issues also. Lost one and the one I have in the tank now won't extend it's polyps.

 

[wdt2000]

Mine is a slow grower

 

[MammothReefer]

I'm glad to see my colour seems so simliar to all of yours I guess I was excepting a dark purple more a akin to a bonsai.