Green Bubble Coral (Plerogyra sinuosa)- Nov 05 Coral of the Month

[My2heartboys]

Originally Posted by billrwilson

i just got a big bubble coral from my lfs where it was open real big. when he bagged it it closed up. it has been in my tank now 24 hours and has not opened yet. will it take a couple of days or whats wrong.

To tell you the truth--I have no clue. I do know that an unstable tank temp will make it stay closed. I have mine in a two gallon aquarium for a quaranteen tank. It was a tank that I set up on Thurs night and put the bubble in it on Fri evening. Figured since I used sand, half of the new aquarium water came from my tank and I put a little bio matter in it from my other tank it would not have to cycle---WRONG

I think I finally got the temp stable, did a w/c last night as ammonia was high. Currently have a couple of lights on it and will see what develops today. Already have a couple of poofy type bubbles also in the middle of slowly adding some supplements to it (by the eyedropper).

Anne

[My2heartboys]

Originally Posted by billrwilson

i just got a big bubble coral from my lfs where it was open real big. when he bagged it it closed up. it has been in my tank now 24 hours and has not opened yet. will it take a couple of days or whats wrong.

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I would start investigating what is going on immediately. Always keep your mind open to the fact that it could just be transfer shock--but rule out all other causes first.

Mine has spent the weekend feeling kind of peeked and did not start to perk up until late last night after the water change. Continued to perk up this morning even when I started adding supplements (cal, mag,stront,..etc). The calcium I have added in the form of kalkwasser--again by the eyedropperful and mostly into the filter first so that it would not get a sudden jolt.

I did try to feed it this morning as that is when the LFS said they were feeding it. I put just a little on it and did not see much reaction. After a bit there seemed to be a little less food-so I put a little more on. Again not much of a reaction--it does seem to have swollen up some. I did not see any tentacle action-so went and did a 50% w/c which took most of the food out of the system. There is still a little food left and I will try to feed it a very little bit again tonight and see where we are.

I figure that since it spent most of the weekend looking like it wanted to curl up and die (at least if I looked like it did then--that would be what I would be wanting to do) little offerings of food for a few days is better than trying to feed it a whole bunch at a time and it will be more likely to feed. Otherwise continue intesive care and observation.

Anne

[FraggleRocker]

My bubble coral is doing very well. I got it at around 3 to 4 inches across and it has grown substantially.

They do very well under T5HO lighting and now I have added some CF 50/50 as well, but it would not come out for days when I did this, and I believe it was angry at the added light spectrum. Now, however it is fine, growing, happy...

I feed her Krill, WHOLE, 6 to 8 pieces and her mouth (which is approximately 6" across) opens and she eats them down. I may feed 3 krill 2x weekly or 6 once a week depending on her tentacles. When her sweepers come out, and get longer than a 1/2" or so, and her bubbles change from pure round to pointed, I know she is hungry.

My bubble is now approximately 8" across, before it falls over the sides, and then if you included that part, probably a lot larger.

She loves her krill. She does not disturb surrounding corals, but that is because she is kept fed.

My maroon clown fish have taken residency up inside her.

Here she is.

PS- I am terrified of fragging her. Don't know how, and if I did, it would have to be a "sure thing" that it would not kill her, as I am very attached to this coral.


A photo of her eating a silverside when she was a bit smaller


Recent image of her semi-open, after a tank upgrade with a friend about 2 weeks ago (she is much plumper but this is the only pic I really have right now that is new)


Closing up for the night with her two maroon clown hosts.