Trachy info

[Gagonzalez]

I just got a new 4" Neon Green and Red Trachy and wanted to ask about anything I should know about it's care. I placed it at the bottom of my 28g Nano between some Paly's and an Acan. It's a few inches away from both but I have seen what appears to be some messenterial filaments when I feed it some Selcon soaked Mysis. The current seems to keep the messenterial filaments in check so that it doesn't get near anything but I just wanted to ask for suggestions from anyone who has had them before. Just in case.

 

[cloak]

Fairly undemanding coral IME. Low to moderate lighting & flow and they seem to appreciate a meal every now & then. (mysis, live black worms etc)

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=597+321+432&pcatid=432

On a side note, are you sure your not getting the feeding tentacles mixed up with the Mesenterial Filaments? Unless the coral is extremely stressed or trying to defend itself you really shouldn't see these.

 

[Gagonzalez]

I'm sure.

Being that it is in a new environment, I am assuming it's making sure no one is around to defend against. I know my frogspawn (2+ years ago) let out a feeler or two and messenterial filaments for about 2 weeks and I have never seen it since.

I am assuming the same since it looks really good. Nice color, puffed out, blows up when eating and it's tentacles are nice and active at night or when feeding in the day.

These are definitely very thin (almost invisible) small filaments coming from under the coral between it's flesh and skeleton. And it only happens during and after feeding it.

 

[Gagonzalez]

Here's a pic of the filaments I'm talking about. He now has them out at about 4" long in the current and this is first thing this morning now.

 

[cloak]

Those look more like Comb Jellies or Digitate Hydroids IMO. Something along those lines as opposed to the Mesenterial Filaments.

http://www.lionfishlair.com/hitchhiker/hitchhiker.shtml

 

[Gagonzalez]

Definitely not those.

Has anyone seen anything like this?

 

[cloak]

Definitely not those.

Are you sure? We've already ruled out Mesenterial Filaments...

 

[cloak]

Woops... Got caught up in an edit.

 

[Gagonzalez]

Yes. I can see it coming off the skin of the trachy.

 

[scooter31707]

Maybe possible dinos.

 

[Gagonzalez]

Definitely mesenterial filaments. Here's another pic that I found of the same stringy stuff from a trachy (it is very thin and to the left side of the coral). There are also several pics on google that show the same stuff from hydnophora to acro's.

Read a little more on it and they may be set off by a feeding response, new environment and/or protecting themselves.

Also found out they can reel it in and out when feeding which is exactly what this trachy was doing. I tried touching the filaments with my finger and they retracted back into the trachy. 1 minute later, I see it drifting back in the current. Freaked me out. Thought I was going crazy.

Either way, it seems to have gotten a lot better in the last few days. I am seeing less and less of the strings and they aren't going out as far as they were. I believe it is because I am feeding it well and it's not so hungry now (just a theory). It may also have felt around and realized it's in no immediate danger of attack from another coral.

We'll see how this progresses for the next week.

Thanks everyone.

 

[cloak]

Read a little more on it and they may be set off by a feeding response, new environment and/or protecting themselves.

Pardon me? It sounds like you might know a little bit more about this subject than I do... If so, then there's really no point to this encounter, no? GL.

Just a singular or a double type of "filament" like that sounds kind of odd to me... It's usually all or nothing IME.

 

[Gagonzalez]

Sorry Cloak.......I meant it as ....."I" read a little more on it......I wasn't telling you to read up on it more. I value your opinion.

I didn't know until I started researching the subject. Just sharing the info. If I'm wrong, please let me know.

Seems there are differing types of filaments. Some are thrown into the water column for space/protection and fire off nenatocysts when touched. Others are literally targeted and harpooned into an enemy(per se) and some are thrown into the water column with sticky stuff on thin filaments to catch food.

I think this is the latter case since it happened mostly during feeding.

PS - On Sat, I had several strings coming from around the entire coral (approx. 20 or so I think). Yesterday, I had maybe 6-7? Just fyi.

Thanks.

 

[cloak]

No worries main... I hope everything works out ok for you... :thumbsup:

 

[scooter31707]

This happened to me last night when I brought a new aliens eye chalice. I saw the same white strings come out. So I researched and I saw alot of things saying that the coral is spitting out mucus due to different temp of a new environment or being stressed of a new environment like new lighting. So I move mines under a rock in my observation tank and it stopped. So don't know if it's fairly new in your tank or not. Good luck, but I don't think it's not much to worry about.

 

[Gagonzalez]

Sounds good. I'll monitor it then. Thank You

 

[tbacon]

Is that a wellsophillia open brain coral?

 

[Gagonzalez]

No. Not a Wellso (formerly Wellsophyllia and now sometimes called Trachyphyllia Radiata) . It is a Trachy (Trachyphyllia Geoffroyi).

 

[Tweaked]

This^^. Somewhere along the lines the names were changed from what I understand. A bit confusing at times.

 

[Gagonzalez]

Definitely Confusing! I still refer to each as a Wellso and a Trachy. Wellso's are usually round and have more folds (usually). Trachy's are usually elongated and look more like a figure 8. I like both equally but got a good deal on this one. He has great color (neon green and red with sporadic yellow flakes) and is about 5" long.

Since I only have a nano right now, I'll probably only have this one for a while but plan on more when I upgrade to a bigger tank. I Love these guys!