Picking out healthy SPS from the fish store

[george1098]

So I'd like to start collecting SPS for my new 90 gal SPS tank. I've been doing my homework, but I thought I would ask the experienced pro's (you) what to look for when picking out healthy specimens. Lets say, acro for now, but if there are tell tale signs of unhealthy specimens from other species, I'd love to hear about them too.

Thanks

 

[JB NY]

Basically you are looking for obvious tissue loss. So here what I do.

Look for polyp extension. Sometimes the coral will not be extending it's polyps and everything is fine, but most times it is a sign that something is wrong. So expect to see some polyp extension with the exception of the coral just being added to the tank or recently handled.

Tissue loss. Look at the branches, especially in between and near the base where all the branches meet. There should be no tissue loss at all. Also pay careful attention to the base, there should be no tissue loss there either. Before purchasing the coral have the LFS employee take the coral and bring it close to the glass and turn it all the way around so you can inspect it from all sides for tissue loss.

Bleaching, the coral should not be bleached. But many times LFS coral are. If you see a super bright colored acro look at it closely, many times it is bleached. Now, I'm not going to say that I have never bought bleached corals, I've purchased many. But you need to be aware that if it is bleached, and you are going to take a chance on it, it will require more attention than a healthy acro.

Lastly visually check for red bugs and AEFW. They can be seen with the naked eye once you are familiar with what to look for.

Also please make sure you can tell the difference between tissue loss and bleaching. Many people confuse the two, but they look and are, two very different things.

HTH

 

[ClownReef®]

^^^^Excellent info.

 

[george1098]

Thanks Joe, that was great.
Can you explain what tissue loss and bleaching look like? or point me in the direction of some good pics or something? i'll try to find it myself, but if you couldmake it a little easier for me it would be awsome

thanks again!

 

[JB NY]

Bleaching the coral looks white with just a hint of some color, but sometimes completely white. But the tissue is still there and you can also see the polyps in the radial corallites.

Tissue loss is just that, all the tissue is gone from the area, the polyps are gone and the coenosteum (main part of the coral skeleton) is readily visible

 

[dvanacker]

What causes bleaching?? I bought what I thought was a nice whitish with blue tips MILLI but it has since brown out a bunch near the bottom. Im positive this was a bleached coral.

What are the chances of it coming back....

FYI all my other corals have fairly good color.

 

[duec22]

Actaully brown sound healthier than white. It probably was bleached and is just now starting to recover. Give it some time to color up. I've have a couple of corals that have take a month or two to finally color up, but I've also had one for almost 6 months now that I still can't get to color up.

 

[JB NY]

Bleaching is the results of stress to the coral. Normally too much light causes bleaching but other factors that can cause bleaching are too high of a tank temperature, as well as shipping and sometimes rapidly changing parameters, such as alk or pH.

 

[Big Boy69]

I'd say polyp extension and ask them to let you smell the coral.

 

[george1098]

smell? what am i smelling for?
having asked, i can venture a guess. I would assume a coral shouldn't smell roten or foul.
how long is it ok to keep the coral out of water for?

 

[Big Boy69]

I was told you can keep certain corals out for about an hour.

And yes, there is a certain smell.

 

[gulfcoastrfr]

And I thought I was the only coral-smeller out there..
The one time were smelling like fish is a good thing.

 

[duec22]

I constantly smell my tank..if I can smell anything then I've got a problem..

 

[gemxsps]

Polyp extension is the most important then have to see color.
Usually thick and solid color should be better than light color.
Indonesia is easier than figi. Thin one is easier than thick one.
Aquacultured one is much healthier than wild colony.
Finally choose rare and beautiful one even if it is expensive.. ^^

 

[LFS_worker]

Also put the coral on hold for the maximum ammount of time that they will let you and check it out ... alot of LFS_workers dont know what is going on ... terrible tragedy but true none the less.

B

 

[george1098]

I really like the hold idea. My LFS is usually pretty good about stuff like that. I'll do that, but I'll probably buy allot of frags off members of the local club.

thanks guys

 

[getwood65]

i highly recommend frags to someone new in sps-they only cost between 15 and 20 bucks for nice ones (not the LE ones)-larger colonies can be very unforgiving xpecially to improper flow.once you get more confident with the frags try the 3 and 4 inch aquacultered colonies,then while watching these grow and change color and growth patterns keep your eye out for that big centerpiece

 

[Frankysreef]

Start with cheap frags... It will take at least 6 mos for your system to stabilize with the correct alk and calc balance...

Go to reef a palooza....and learn

Wild colonies can and are DIFFICULT to keep, I used to scan the stores and pick up frags that were at the bottom of the tanks for like 8-10 bucks... and then grow them into colonies.

Sometimes sps need to grow into the flow of your tank to be truly happy.... Putting an aquacultured or wild colony that doesnt have the same flow/water parameters it is used to will quickly kill an acropora...

Montis are more forgiving, but if you start with a frag, it will get big TRUST ME.

And the colony that the frag grew into is what it wants and needs to thrive....

So in other words... BUY Frags

 

[Frankysreef]

sorry thought I was in the SOCAL forum, we are having an event frag swap next mo. sleepy today.. working too hard.