elegance
- Thread starter doog
- Start date
Greg Hiller
BRS Moderator
>an SPS tank probably isn't ideal for growing something that lives in mud<
Agreed!
Agreed!
In a way I'd think that also does raise the question of how much average husbandry and tank conditions have changed over the years.
Heaven knows that average reef tank today is probably brighter lit, higher flow, and lower nutrient than the average reef tank 10 yrs ago (not that I had a reef tank 10 yrs ago, but I was drooling over the few I had the chance to see then).
Makes me wonder if it's really a combination of things that might explain the dismal survival rates described in the reccent past. Maybe there is a common pathogen that the elegances could battle off on their own given ideal conditions, but they may see those ideal conditions so rarely these days that almost none are winning that battle, or rather almost none have the chance to acclimate and thrive enough to overcome whatever has been going wrong.
? to Greg H;
Could you elaborate on that Borneman controversy, or would it be in bad taste to go into it?
BTW, sure is nice to see a thread go to flames but then recover and become a productive discussion.....
jk
Gee, why do I find myself contemplating a simple system with lower light, lower flow, undergravel filter, no skimmer, a bunch of marco/seagrass and a elegance as an "experiment"? I'm not going to do it, but I can't help but picture trying...
Heaven knows that average reef tank today is probably brighter lit, higher flow, and lower nutrient than the average reef tank 10 yrs ago (not that I had a reef tank 10 yrs ago, but I was drooling over the few I had the chance to see then).
Makes me wonder if it's really a combination of things that might explain the dismal survival rates described in the reccent past. Maybe there is a common pathogen that the elegances could battle off on their own given ideal conditions, but they may see those ideal conditions so rarely these days that almost none are winning that battle, or rather almost none have the chance to acclimate and thrive enough to overcome whatever has been going wrong.
? to Greg H;
Could you elaborate on that Borneman controversy, or would it be in bad taste to go into it?
BTW, sure is nice to see a thread go to flames but then recover and become a productive discussion.....
jk
Gee, why do I find myself contemplating a simple system with lower light, lower flow, undergravel filter, no skimmer, a bunch of marco/seagrass and a elegance as an "experiment"? I'm not going to do it, but I can't help but picture trying...
reefinghabit
Non-member
elegance are kinda like goniopora when will we figure out how to keep green and yellow ones alive long term? i have a red one thats slowly and i mean very slowly maturing. it took about 1 month just for the polyps to extend 1/2"
I posted;
"? to Greg H;
Could you elaborate on that Borneman controversy, or would it be in bad taste to go into it?"
Nevermind, please don't answer.
I've picked up on enough new to me info in the last hour to realize that this question could lead to a huge sidetrack/diversion of this thread, so please ignore this question if you read my post asking about it. If anyone is interested in it, just search for "borenman" or start a seperate thread or something...
thanks
jk
"? to Greg H;
Could you elaborate on that Borneman controversy, or would it be in bad taste to go into it?"
Nevermind, please don't answer.
I've picked up on enough new to me info in the last hour to realize that this question could lead to a huge sidetrack/diversion of this thread, so please ignore this question if you read my post asking about it. If anyone is interested in it, just search for "borenman" or start a seperate thread or something...
thanks
jk
reefinghabit
Non-member
i know its off track but do you have any thoughts on goniopora?
chew*
Murphy's Law
It's actually quite simple what you just suggested reminds me of this guys tank that i checked out after him talking it up a few times in conversation having told him about mine.
It's a 55gal fish only tank that hasn't seen a water change in ages, it has 2 clowns in it, an enourmous amount of algae growth but not a hair algae more of a macro type, dingy water and very poor lighting with a couple of hang on bio wheel filters.
Suffice to say when he finally came and checked out my 75gal reef when it was in its prime he never mentioned a word about his tank ever again.
I personally am inclined to give an elegance a shot and I think an aquapod could possibly be a candidate to duplicate these conditions......It might be possible to duplicate the conditions with my finnex m tank also but first things first I have to get my 65 gal in full swing.
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Greg Hiller
BRS Moderator
>? to Greg H;
Could you elaborate on that Borneman controversy, or would it be in bad taste to go into it?<
Not to worry, I'll just mention that if you search on the RC site for something like 'Elegance project' or some such thing you'll probably find it, it was a really long thread as I recall. I'm too cheap to get a premium membership, and after all the articles I've written for the on-line magazine they are still to cheap to give it to me....of course I could ask.
The only thing about the high nutrient thing is that's what I tried with my last one. I put it on a tank that had not had a really functional skimmer in several years, grew Xenia like mad (had a bit of a Bryopsis problem on and off too). I shoved the Elegance in into a sand bed that was practically mud, flow was pretty low.....still, it looked bad in just a few days. Maybe the pathogen is one factor, but the correct environment is the other as you mentioned.
I was just looking through Julian's corals book...you know, the picture book. In that book he was still listing Elegance as a 8 out of 10. 10 being the easiest to keep.
Could you elaborate on that Borneman controversy, or would it be in bad taste to go into it?<
Not to worry, I'll just mention that if you search on the RC site for something like 'Elegance project' or some such thing you'll probably find it, it was a really long thread as I recall. I'm too cheap to get a premium membership, and after all the articles I've written for the on-line magazine they are still to cheap to give it to me....of course I could ask.
The only thing about the high nutrient thing is that's what I tried with my last one. I put it on a tank that had not had a really functional skimmer in several years, grew Xenia like mad (had a bit of a Bryopsis problem on and off too). I shoved the Elegance in into a sand bed that was practically mud, flow was pretty low.....still, it looked bad in just a few days. Maybe the pathogen is one factor, but the correct environment is the other as you mentioned.
I was just looking through Julian's corals book...you know, the picture book. In that book he was still listing Elegance as a 8 out of 10. 10 being the easiest to keep.
Thks Greg. I just didn't want to stir up a whole unrelated story in a productive thread....
Isn't that book you mentioned quite a few yrs old? IIRC, if I'm thinking of the same book, I bought it about 6 yrs ago. Again, IIRC the elegances not doing well seems to have started roughly about that long ago. I was also wondering how old the posted qoute from Bob Fenner's article is? The references are all pre 2000.
It seems to me like the big questions about elegances are;
-what are the ideal parameters/conditions for them?
-is there a pathogen or other reason why imports don't seem to have been having a deccent survival rate in the reccent past?
-is there a way to have success with them now?
-what has actually changed about the handling or collection methods if anything?
-is there another variable that no one has figured out yet?
-given all of the above thoughts, what is a good strategy for attempting to keep elegances given all that we know or think based on the above questions?
-What is the responsible thing to do now considering that these corals have a very bad track record in captivity in reccent yrs?
Did I miss anything? Anyone have more/new answers?
Isn't that book you mentioned quite a few yrs old? IIRC, if I'm thinking of the same book, I bought it about 6 yrs ago. Again, IIRC the elegances not doing well seems to have started roughly about that long ago. I was also wondering how old the posted qoute from Bob Fenner's article is? The references are all pre 2000.
It seems to me like the big questions about elegances are;
-what are the ideal parameters/conditions for them?
-is there a pathogen or other reason why imports don't seem to have been having a deccent survival rate in the reccent past?
-is there a way to have success with them now?
-what has actually changed about the handling or collection methods if anything?
-is there another variable that no one has figured out yet?
-given all of the above thoughts, what is a good strategy for attempting to keep elegances given all that we know or think based on the above questions?
-What is the responsible thing to do now considering that these corals have a very bad track record in captivity in reccent yrs?
Did I miss anything? Anyone have more/new answers?
reverendmaynard
Non-member
You know what this thread needs?
Some pics!
So, here are some of my elegance...
This was right after purchasing, in July of last year. It was at the LFS for several weeks at least, and I didn't see any sign of deterioration, so I decided to give it a shot.
It did really well for about 6 months, in the middle of the tank, on the sand, under 4x160w vhos...
Then I upgraded my lights to t5s with individual reflectors on the same ice cap ballasts, and it really didn't like it at all, never fully extending and retracting more and more after about half through the daily light cycle. At the same time, my maroon clowns decided to move in, causing it more stress. !So, I moved it to the corner of the tank, out from under the lights. It's almost back to the same condition it was before I switched lights, and the clowns don't seem to bother it any more. Basically, I lost about 4 months of growth due to the light change and subsequent move, but hopefully it'll stay on the right track now...
I feed mine every other day with small pieces of krill, silversides, squid, clam, whatever chunky stuff is in the homemade fish goo that day.
Some pics!
So, here are some of my elegance...
This was right after purchasing, in July of last year. It was at the LFS for several weeks at least, and I didn't see any sign of deterioration, so I decided to give it a shot.
It did really well for about 6 months, in the middle of the tank, on the sand, under 4x160w vhos...
Then I upgraded my lights to t5s with individual reflectors on the same ice cap ballasts, and it really didn't like it at all, never fully extending and retracting more and more after about half through the daily light cycle. At the same time, my maroon clowns decided to move in, causing it more stress. !So, I moved it to the corner of the tank, out from under the lights. It's almost back to the same condition it was before I switched lights, and the clowns don't seem to bother it any more. Basically, I lost about 4 months of growth due to the light change and subsequent move, but hopefully it'll stay on the right track now...
I feed mine every other day with small pieces of krill, silversides, squid, clam, whatever chunky stuff is in the homemade fish goo that day.
Greg Hiller
BRS Moderator
That's really beautiful, and reminds us all of why we'd like to keep one.
reefinghabit
Non-member
i love the blue tips
ReeferMedic
Non-member
Just found this on RC. Anyone know if this has any validity to it?
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1158213
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1158213
kwizatz-haderah
Non-member
Just found this thread. I've had Elegance in my tank for two weeks now. It's doing fine, except for the fact that mine came with to very colorful (light blue body & orange legs) and small crabs that seem to live in it. The crabs are so small sometimes I can't even see them. They to retreat completely into the Elegance at times. Very Wierd! I tried to pick the crabs out with a tweezer once (I'm a noob) the Elegance didn't like that at all and the crabs just retreated within it. Anywho I greatly appreciate all the info in this thread!
dz6t
Acro Garden, BRS Sponsor
How is the coral doing now?
fanaglethebagle
Not-so-old Sea Dog
They are probably commensial and will not harm the coral as much as you trying to remove them will.
