+KeeperOfTheZoo Posted February 23, 2010 Share Posted February 23, 2010 I traded a couple rocks with a fellow reefer and on the rocks were a couple patches of smooth, brown... something! I was told the rocks had SPS on them (removed before the trade) and some was still left but I didn't think to ask what type. My tank isn't set up for SPS so I figured it would die, type becoming a moot point. Well, what ever it is has grown tons of little tube looking 'bumps', started turning a really pretty burgundy color and sprouted green polyps from said tubes! I'm sure this is something obvious to those of you in the know, but I don't know what it is. The joys of being a newbie. Hope someone can recognize this in it's infancy and tell me what it'll grow up to be. Looking online isn't helping because I don't think how it looks now is how it'll look down the road. Liz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offroadodge Posted February 23, 2010 Share Posted February 23, 2010 need to let it grow up a little then we can give a better opinion. There is alot of thing that it could be at this point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reefman Posted February 23, 2010 Share Posted February 23, 2010 Is that from the rock I traded you? If so, I think its a Miami Orchird I got from Matt at Austin Aqua Farm back he he first started. Stephen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+KeeperOfTheZoo Posted February 23, 2010 Author Share Posted February 23, 2010 Yes Stephen! I was hoping you would see my post. I remembered your name but could not remember your screen name and didn't want to just say 'Hey, whoever traded those rocks with me....' LOL! Ok, Miami Orchid. So what is it going to do? Will it stay low and bumpy? I really like the color it's turning, is that what it's supposed to do? BTW, we have gotten all kinds of interesting hitchhikers of those two rocks. Liz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaJMasta Posted February 23, 2010 Share Posted February 23, 2010 If he means a Miami Orchid Staghorn, then it will get bigger and sprout arms for most of it's body where this is only the base.... but that doesn't look like it to me. Looks like some kind of encrusting SPS, which would spread around from that spot but would never get very tall. Dunno though, my experience with SPS is limited to looking at them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+KeeperOfTheZoo Posted February 23, 2010 Author Share Posted February 23, 2010 I searched and found a picture and I agree... hard to believe that what I have will turn into a branching coral! It's changed a lot just since I've had it though, so who knows. Stephen broke the mother colony off so what was left was just the base. I honestly am surprised it's living, let alone growing and turning pretty colors. I thought that SPS wouldn't grow under PC lights. Most SPS looks too stark for my tastes, pretty no doubt, but just, well...I guess I'm one of the weird ones who likes softies and LPS better (I love the flow and motion of the softer corals). What ever this coral on the rocks is it's neat. Pretty color and the contrast of the tiny green polyps is cool. Liz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimbo Posted February 23, 2010 Share Posted February 23, 2010 Looks kinda like a purple bonsai to me. Could be wrong, but in my limited experience, it does. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GKarshens Posted February 23, 2010 Share Posted February 23, 2010 Most SPS will encrust a base before growing arms. It very well could grow and live under PCs, it just won't grow as fast or have as brilliant colors. Some SPS are much hardier than others. Most people get hooked on SPS for the colors. Recently there has been a big explosion of colors in Acans and Chalices so now there are more options. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derekreefer Posted February 23, 2010 Share Posted February 23, 2010 per Live Aquaria it looks like it will grow under PC lights. I might have to go searching for one of these now....... The Miami Orchid Staghorn will thrive in a variety of lighting conditions, ranging from power compacts, VHO and T-5, up to the more intense metal halides. Alter their position in the aquarium depending on the lighting, and provide at least 3 watts per gallon using one of the lighting systems mentioned above. For continued good health, it will require the addition of supplemental calcium, strontium, and other trace elements to the water. http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=597+1492+2292+2008&pcatid=2008 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reefman Posted February 23, 2010 Share Posted February 23, 2010 Yes, as Gabriel said it will eventually grow branches. In fact if it does grow (as its looking like it will) I would appreciate a frag some day. The one I broke off was having issues when I broke it off the rock, and its still iffy, if it will ever come fully back. Sometimes it seems best to start over from a new frag. BTW, how are the blue palys doing? Stephen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+KeeperOfTheZoo Posted February 24, 2010 Author Share Posted February 24, 2010 Hey Stephen, of course you can have a frag if it grows! I'm really curious now to see what it does. Both rocks had base pieces left and both are growing. The palys are behaving themselves thus far. There were a bunch of little brittle stars in the rock which was really cool and a weird giant worm (not a bristle) of some sort. Very interesting rocks! LOL I'm not sure I'll ever get fully into SPS. I've seen some gorgeous SPS tanks, but like I said there is just something about the fluid motion of some of the soft corals that I love. Heck, I'll go ahead and admit my pulsing xenia is one of my favorites. Liz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reefman Posted February 24, 2010 Share Posted February 24, 2010 Glad to hear the palys are behaving themselves. Yes, I have a lot of those little brittle stars. I'm curious about the worm now, especially if it wasn't a bristle worm. That's why this is such a good hobby, there is something for almost everyone. Keep us updated on the SPS and how it grows. Stephen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+KeeperOfTheZoo Posted February 24, 2010 Author Share Posted February 24, 2010 From my research I *think* the worm is beneficial, just a scavenger of some sort. It startled me the first time I saw it though. It's about as big around as the inner ink part of a ball point pen, brown and has a white mouth. It only comes out at night. The base of it's body was in the rock and the rest of its body (about 1 1/2") was out of its hole eating stuff off the rock. When I hit it with the flashlight it zipped back in its hole. I saw a chiton the other night on one of the rocks as well. Can't trace that guy directly to your rocks but that's the first one I've seen in my tank and I haven't added much else to it. You have an amazingly diverse and beautiful tank and some of it came home with me! Yep, there's plenty to love about this hobby. I've yet to see a tank I don't like. The uniqueness of all the different set ups is so neat. Makes me want multiple tanks... Liz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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