Need help with slimy tree sclero(?) requirements

[dendro982RC]

Sorry to bother you, folks, but I stuck again:
the new coral, sold as the scleronephthya, doesn't feel good in the same conditions, that the other scleros find acceptable. Didn't open to feed for a week. The trunk is inflated, but polyps are closed.
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g78/dendro982/Soft%20corals/Slero/uspread.jpg

May be someone already has it or read about it, and can tell about its requirements.

Side by side with a bushy orange scleronephthya:
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g78/dendro982/Soft%20corals/Slero/u1.jpg
slimy, like squid, no visible sclerites in the body (or on touch):
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g78/dendro982/Soft%20corals/Slero/upolyps.jpg
unlike the bushy scleros:
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g78/dendro982/Soft%20corals/Slero/sotrunk.jpg
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g78/dendro982/Soft%20corals/Slero/spaleo.jpg

Doesn't shrink to the blob - continue to be tree like. Doesn't like the high flow, when lights (PC) come on, when the particles of food or detritus are in the water. It came unattached, usual methods doesn't work.

Thanks.

[kirrkebailey]

hi i took my book to see if i could help u, so scleronephthya , the tree coral, prefers dim lighting, and can be negatively affected by algae
must be fed microplankton, although rotifers may be accepted.
as what it says for aquarium suitability ; essentially impossible to keep,
captive care: unfortunately, the food and current requirements for these often spectacular corals are not known with certainty. they probably benefit from broad and wide water flow, with most of the wter in the tank moving at the same rate, avoid powerheads.
so thats about it, i hope it will help a little:o

[dendro982RC]

:thanks: The good will counts :)

You see, I already have and has some sclero, and this one resents the same conditions.
Have hope, that maybe somebody already had this kind or had read about their differences.

Keep it coming.

[Jens Kallmeyer]

HI

Take a close look at the stem, perhaps you have some unwanted guests in that colony, some worms perhaps. I've had this with one Dendro, just stopped inflating, upon closer inspection I found out that half of its interior was hollow, eaten by some bloody worm....lost the colony

Jens

[dendro982RC]

Checked, no parasites. But I had very bad infestation of the yellow microworms on Diodogorgia, and now inspecting every new coral.
This came unattached - was possible to see even bottom.

Still not opened for a feeding. I was told, that, possibly, this is an unusual colt coral. If so, I shouldn't worry too much, but if it is non-photosynthetic - I have to find the suitable conditions.

So far, what was different from bushy scleros:
- it doesn't attach itself within one day to substrate, in relativery high flow. More of this, it tries to float away, like mushroom.
- it detaches after being superglued or rubberbanded. The only thing, that kept it - wedging between rocks, not too tight - practically hanging on own branches.
- the moderate-high flow, moving branches, bothers it - moved next to LPS, moderate flow.
- feeding particles and detritus during cleaning make it contract - I don't see, what can be done about that.

It had a lot of handling first 2 days, when I tried to catch it, floating in the tank, and attach to the rock.
Fragged the dangling branch, the only way to keep from floating away was this:
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g78/dendro982/feb1808fragshelf.jpg
The main coral now:
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g78/dendro982/feb1808big.jpg

Any thoughts on what else can be done?
Thank you.

[dannyfromholland]

Hi Dendro

I've kept this type off sclereonephthya. Its a lot bigger than the regular ones and always orange color the come in regularly in Holland. I've had tree off them and only one survived and did actually very well.

The problem with this type is that the shade skin very difficult and need proper flow. If the are unable to shade it they will start rotting very fast.

If this coral is not attached or damaged it will be very hard for it to recover (mines did not) If they were damaged or without a rock they died.

Be sure to buy fresh undamaged specimens off this coral.



http://www.marineaquarium.nl/images/Danny/Den02.jpg

[dendro982RC]

Thank you, Danny! I'll place it back, in a high flow, together with usual scleronephthya.
Now it is the the flow, that moves branches, as octopus tentacles. Is this enough? The other sclero is in the flow, that will keep this big sclero swept away - as a flag on the wind. Sorry for being descriptive, but which flow will be better?

About buying corals in a good health - trying to do that, but they available rarely in LFS, that are close to me (within 1.5 hrs one way). This one was the first sclero, different from the others, during 1 yr.

And so far most corals, even half-dead, restored - bushy scleros, swiftia, guaiagorgia/menella?, yellow tubastrea, and LPS.
Not good were only this sclero, dendros and blueberry gorgonian. I see the trend :D
:thanks:

[dannyfromholland]

Hi Dendro as long as the coral isn't damaged by the flow they can handle a lot.
I think that they need the same kind off flow as the ''regular'' sclero's. At this point its very important for this coral to stay clean.


Cheers and good luck!

Danny

[dendro982RC]

Thanks, Danny! Appreciate this.

[KeithM]

I have two of these sclerons (pink and orange) but I have not seen them open up since I bought them. Danny is right, buying healthy specimens that have not been in transit for long is very important. My orange scleron has shunken significantly but in the past few days it has actually started to show about 30% of its polyps. I don't know what has prompted...maybe its because I've been keeping my hands out of the tank!!