Blue Ridge Coral Growth!!

MontanaRocknReefer · 01-04-2002, 10:53 PM

It is neat to see one of your corals showing growth in your tank. This one with all the new white spots are new growth. This coral is really unique as the skeleton is hard and when it dies the skeleton turns a pretty blue thus the name Blue Ridge Coral. Every 4-5 days the coral is covered with alot of little white polyps!

MontanaRocknReefer · 01-04-2002, 10:59 PM

This pic was taken today so it is updated and beginning to look more like a reef everyday!

sculpin · 01-05-2002, 10:55 AM

Blue Ridge's are even more interesting when you realize that they are actually octocorals (soft corals) and are probably one the oldest species alive and essentially unchanged on Earth. We're talking tens of millions of years as the same species (and the only species remaining of that genus, for that matter).

Doug1 · 01-05-2002, 11:50 AM

Lookin good Johnny. Appropriate coral choice,hehehe

vulkum · 01-05-2002, 07:23 PM

hey johnny nice peice!
i like the differant formation and hope mine starts doing that soon. this is a small peice i got from a freind but its one of my favorites, not because of the color, or rarity, but because of the way it grew in his tank was awesome. mine has finally started laying down and encrusting on the rock. i wonder how many color morpths there are as your is more tanish and mine a darker brown. anybody have an idea?

julieanne399 · 01-05-2002, 07:47 PM

Hi everyone. I was given a piece of blue ridge coral that is about 5 inches long. The lady at the reef store threw it in the curing live rock tank.

She gave it up for dead, they gave it to me to see if I could save it. It has some live parts on it but the dead stuff is creeping up. I dont know anything about it and dont know where to put it. Any ideas you guys? This was in the dark in the curing tank for several weeks. The tub had just gotten a new batch of rock and smelled of rotton eggs so the amonia level was very high. I am surprised it is still alive at all. Should I try to cut off the dead areas and try to save the live area or what??? Please help it if you can. Here is a pic. Thanks Julie

vulkum · 01-05-2002, 08:55 PM

hi jullie
from the pic it looks like its doing fine(most of it) the polyps on these corals opens irregularlly so don't freak thinking its not happy. my book Baensch vol 2 says these colors are found in lagoons and shallow reefs so medium water flow is best and they also say the stronger the lighting the better the growth. no other forms of feeding are required. the tips should be whiteish (means its growing) and the body should be a tanish to brown. like mine or johnnies. they say these are a hardy coral and are family helioporidae and of the order helioporacea. keep me posted on its health!
aaron

sculpin · 01-05-2002, 09:29 PM

Definitely give it some light. They like bright lights and possibly a touch of phytoplankton. Otherwise they are quite hardly (clearly from your example).

MontanaRocknReefer · 01-05-2002, 10:18 PM

Hi Julie! Like what was said above as mine is under medium lights and in medium current and feeding is not necessary as I do not feed mine.

julieanne399 · 01-05-2002, 10:26 PM

Well I have it pretty close to the top of the tank, off to the side, under 250 watt MH light. It is in medium to lower water flow area. I am concerned because the dead area is creaping up the sides as you can see from the picture, from the bottom up and it doesnt seem to be stopping. I wasnt sure if it should be flat like that or upright or ? I could not tell where it was broke off from or where the base was other than the bottom of it is dead. The brown areas are shiny, like it is covered with varnish and has little white spots but no growth anywhere. I was considering cutting it up but it is so big, thick and heavy I wasnt sure if I could. Thanks for your help, I hope it makes it through the terrible ordeal that is has been. Julie

vulkum · 01-05-2002, 10:33 PM

julie they do that all the time just like a leather. the slime is natural. and these guys are an encrusting coral that forms lobes and fingers. it is very hard to break that is why mine is so small. if the dead areas continue to advance then i would frag them off if possible. the little white spots are 8 tenticled polyps that will com out to make it fuzzy once the shiny coat comes off.
aaron

fredly · 01-06-2002, 12:36 AM

Hey Johnny,

Is that an Aiptasia stiking it's ugly head out from under your beautiful coral?????

MontanaRocknReefer · 01-06-2002, 02:23 AM

Yes fredly it sure is a aiptasia! I have been battling them for awhile now but I will eliminate them! Johnny