Anthelia Why

hrdneglcry · 02/17/2007, 10:16 AM

Being fairly new to coral I have a question for you about Anthelia Coral. It has been said that this coral is easy to take care of, and it has also been said that this requires expert care. I'd appreciate your opinions on this. How hard is this stuff to care for?

http://www.marinedepotlive.com/anthe...---polyps.html

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...pcatid=694&N=0

Chaotic Reefer4u · 02/17/2007, 10:27 AM

in my opinion they are very easy and are tolerable of less than pristine water quality, give them a try if your tank is nice and matured already, i say you'll have some good luck here with this specie's...

aninjaatemyshoe · 02/17/2007, 10:34 AM

I typically trust what Live Aquaria has to say over Marinedepotlive simply because Live Aquaria puts some effort into maintaining their website. Seriously, Marinedepotlive looks like they just slapped it all together in an afternoon. I've already found a number of mistakes throughout their livestock descriptions. Liveaquaria, on the other hand, updates daily and has pretty accurate descriptions.

teena · 02/17/2007, 10:59 AM

i have some in my tank, i keep it away from other LR because they spread & them it will be evey where, ill try to go get a pic & post it,

teena · 02/17/2007, 11:16 AM

hrdneglcry · 02/17/2007, 01:23 PM

ChAoTiCrEeFeR4U, or anybody else, do you add iodine to the water for the anthelia? If not what type (brand name) of salt are you using for your tank(s)?

Avi · 02/17/2007, 03:01 PM

Anthelia do best in a lot of strong water flow. You don't need to add any iodine for them and they'll do fine with the normal levels of iodine that any reputable salt mix will provide with normal frequency of water changes.

hrdneglcry · 02/17/2007, 04:38 PM

Anthelia do best in a lot of strong water flow.......

How strong is "strong" waterflow? Do I want them blown sideways where they do not stand back up? Or is my goal to make them flow like long grass in a field on a breezy day?
Question is for anybody who knows, or has an opinion.
OR MORE POINTEDLY IN THIS VIDEO IS THERE ENOUGH, OR TOO MUCH FLOW. CLICK PIC TO PLAY.

sunfish11 · 02/18/2007, 11:53 AM

Mine blow like crazy in strong flow and like it. They can be a PITA like zenia when they are happy. I have found this coral to be hard to kill. I put some that separated into a holding tank with no lighting (rather than throw it out) and it survived for a month until I got a new ballast. I then added new rock and cycled the tank and the stuff is still alive.

Lisa

hrdneglcry · 02/18/2007, 12:08 PM

Thanks Lisa. I hope I have as good of luck as you. Thanks a lot.

Frick-n-Frags · 02/18/2007, 01:17 PM

yeah, they are a lot like Xenia in that if they are happy they spread like wildfire, but if they don't like the water, they melt away.

hrdneglcry · 02/18/2007, 03:57 PM

It's been said that these ship roughly. I take that to mean that during shipment they get very ragged. It is said though that they recovery within 2-4 days, or up to 2 weeks. Does anybody have experience with this aspect? Do you have different recovery times?

Avi · 02/18/2007, 09:04 PM

I hope this gives an idea of the kind of flow that the green star polyps prefer and the anthelia prefers....I can tell you that the ones you see in this video are spreading very fast in the kind of flow you see......

hrdneglcry · 02/19/2007, 09:27 AM

Thanks. It's good to see, but where is the flow coming from. I have my jet blowing directly on the anthelia from about 5 -7 inches away. The Polyps get flow from this too, plus the power filter empties onto the side where they both are. Nice stuff BTW.

Avi · 02/19/2007, 11:02 AM

I've been relying on a succession of different powerheads to supplement the flow from my sump return. I find that from the time I first set up my reef some three years ago, I've just kept on adding and or changing the powerheads to increase the flow. I guess I did that in slow increments, thinking each time, that "a little more" would benefit the reef. But, it's been clear that each time I did increase the flow, more was, indeed, better. I've read quite a bit about flow and the "need" for it with this kind of coral, or the preference for "less" by that kind of coral...but, I've found that almost invariably, the more I added the better the response from just about every kind of coral I have. That includes soft coral, LPS and SPS.

To answer the question though, the flow that I have now in the tank is coming from the returns from the sump that are on each side of the back of the tank, two MJ1200 mods and a MJ12 with a Hydor Flow Deflector on it. That gives me a total of just about 34 times the 120 gallons of the tank. I have one Mod on each side of the tank and the MJ with the Hydor on one side next to the Mod there. Surprisingly, even though the MJ with the Hydor only generates maybe 250gph, it has the effect of creating a randomness in the water movement that's very natural and I think benefits the tank overall.

Loralie · 02/19/2007, 11:11 AM

I have found they will tolerate low light conditions, and less pure water. I have a large amount in my fuge

hrdneglcry · 02/21/2007, 12:21 PM

AVI, is Marinesalt by Seachem a reputable brand, and fit for the Anthelia? What about regular Instan Ocean? Will that provide the Anthelia with what it needs?
Frick-N-Frags.......When the Anthelia starts to melt is there any recovery possible at that point?

sunfish11 · 02/21/2007, 03:04 PM

hrdneglcry,

I know I am not who you asked but yes they may come back after they start to melt. Occassionally I will lose a small section but it always comes right back. I grew a huge amount from 2 polyps in a fairly short time. Crazy! I would worry if the whole colony starts to melt though. That isn't good news. Watch out, it also lets pieces go to colonize other spots in your tank. I don't like that part!

hrdneglcry · 02/21/2007, 05:07 PM

How fast can this stuff spread?

Avi · 02/21/2007, 05:39 PM

Just about any commercial brand of ocean/aquarium saltmix will be fine. I switch brands and I actually don't see any differences in them.

If they start to melt, put them up closer to the lights in a place where there is more water flow than they are in now. They may well come back and recover fully. Once a colony of anthelia becomes established, they are fast speaders. I have to keep mine "groomed" by scraping the encrustation off the rocks that they're on so they don't invade other coral. I really believe that when I do that it causes an even more rapid growth of new polyps so I have to tend to it fairly frequenty. I bring the fragged polyps which I glue to a rock and start a new colony that way to a fish store that I frequent where they gladly give me a credit for them because they sell as soon as I bring them there.

650-IS350 · 02/22/2007, 11:29 AM

Make sure that you have them segragated in a sandy bed by themselves... they grow like weeds and WILL take over rocks/tank easily... more than a xenia can.

hrdneglcry · 02/22/2007, 12:20 PM

When I bought the anthelia it was growing on a big rock. I fragged it off. Does it necessarily need sand beneath it? I can give it that.
I think mine is the Blue Waving Hand Coral type of Anthelia

hrdneglcry · 02/22/2007, 06:37 PM

Sunfish did your holding tank have the same salinty level as your tank that the Anrthelia came out of?

Avi · 02/22/2007, 10:12 PM

Anthelia will grow on just about anything...rock...sand...I recently removed some from the glass.

650-IS350 · 02/23/2007, 01:24 PM

Having them isolated especially on sand, makes it easier to remove/prune them.. once they get on your main rock display it will be hell to get them off.

02/17/2007, 10:16 AM	#1
hrdneglcry Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Michigan Posts: 733	Anthelia Why Being fairly new to coral I have a question for you about Anthelia Coral. It has been said that this coral is easy to take care of, and it has also been said that this requires expert care. I'd appreciate your opinions on this. How hard is this stuff to care for? http://www.marinedepotlive.com/anthe...---polyps.html http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...pcatid=694&N=0 __________________ Sunday morning, 9 AM, I saw fire in the sky, I felt my heart, pound in my chest, I HeaRrD aN EaGLe CRY. HRDNEGLCRY. S. Hagar "Eagles Fly"

02/17/2007, 10:27 AM	#2
Chaotic Reefer4u ♥Acropora Aficionado♥ Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Hollister,Ca. Posts: 5,163	in my opinion they are very easy and are tolerable of less than pristine water quality, give them a try if your tank is nice and matured already, i say you'll have some good luck here with this specie's... __________________ Live everyday as if it was your last, take time to smell the flowers, enjoy all things living, never take anything for granted, you just never know when your number might be up... Current Tank Info: * 90g. Reef Ready TruVu tank with 30g. Platinum Filtration Series Sump SpS Acro enthusiast *

02/17/2007, 10:34 AM	#3
aninjaatemyshoe Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dallas, Texas Posts: 2,333	I typically trust what Live Aquaria has to say over Marinedepotlive simply because Live Aquaria puts some effort into maintaining their website. Seriously, Marinedepotlive looks like they just slapped it all together in an afternoon. I've already found a number of mistakes throughout their livestock descriptions. Liveaquaria, on the other hand, updates daily and has pretty accurate descriptions. __________________ You are not brought upon this world to "get it"

02/17/2007, 10:59 AM	#4
teena Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: memphis tn collierville Posts: 1,219	i have some in my tank, i keep it away from other LR because they spread & them it will be evey where, ill try to go get a pic & post it, __________________ im pouring all my rainey day money in my reef tank, Current Tank Info: 210 inwall w/soft corls

02/17/2007, 11:16 AM	#5
teena Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: memphis tn collierville Posts: 1,219	__________________ im pouring all my rainey day money in my reef tank, Current Tank Info: 210 inwall w/soft corls

02/17/2007, 01:23 PM	#6
hrdneglcry Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Michigan Posts: 733	Iodine ChAoTiCrEeFeR4U, or anybody else, do you add iodine to the water for the anthelia? If not what type (brand name) of salt are you using for your tank(s)? __________________ Sunday morning, 9 AM, I saw fire in the sky, I felt my heart, pound in my chest, I HeaRrD aN EaGLe CRY. HRDNEGLCRY. S. Hagar "Eagles Fly"

02/17/2007, 03:01 PM	#7
Avi Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Westchester County, NY Posts: 7,327	Anthelia do best in a lot of strong water flow. You don't need to add any iodine for them and they'll do fine with the normal levels of iodine that any reputable salt mix will provide with normal frequency of water changes. __________________ I'd keep the whole ocean if my den were big enough Current Tank Info: 120 gallon reef with 210 lbs. of live rock, Aqua-C EV180 Skimmer, Aquactinic double 250W MH with blue plus t5 support; 58 gallon freshwater planted tank using CO2 and T5s; 30-gallon cube with a few fancy goldfish; and a 110 gallon FOWLR

02/17/2007, 04:38 PM	#8
hrdneglcry Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Michigan Posts: 733	Anthelia do best in a lot of strong water flow....... How strong is "strong" waterflow? Do I want them blown sideways where they do not stand back up? Or is my goal to make them flow like long grass in a field on a breezy day? Question is for anybody who knows, or has an opinion. OR MORE POINTEDLY IN THIS VIDEO IS THERE ENOUGH, OR TOO MUCH FLOW. CLICK PIC TO PLAY. __________________ Sunday morning, 9 AM, I saw fire in the sky, I felt my heart, pound in my chest, I HeaRrD aN EaGLe CRY. HRDNEGLCRY. S. Hagar "Eagles Fly"

02/18/2007, 11:53 AM	#9
sunfish11 Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Weyauwega, WI Posts: 2,365	Mine blow like crazy in strong flow and like it. They can be a PITA like zenia when they are happy. I have found this coral to be hard to kill. I put some that separated into a holding tank with no lighting (rather than throw it out) and it survived for a month until I got a new ballast. I then added new rock and cycled the tank and the stuff is still alive. Lisa

02/18/2007, 12:08 PM	#10
hrdneglcry Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Michigan Posts: 733	Thanks Lisa. I hope I have as good of luck as you. Thanks a lot. __________________ Sunday morning, 9 AM, I saw fire in the sky, I felt my heart, pound in my chest, I HeaRrD aN EaGLe CRY. HRDNEGLCRY. S. Hagar "Eagles Fly"

02/18/2007, 01:17 PM	#11
Frick-n-Frags Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: north central OH Posts: 10,740	yeah, they are a lot like Xenia in that if they are happy they spread like wildfire, but if they don't like the water, they melt away. __________________ Only Dead fish swim with the current. Current Tank Info: 2 50 gal tanks, sump, still BB

02/18/2007, 03:57 PM	#12
hrdneglcry Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Michigan Posts: 733	Recovery time It's been said that these ship roughly. I take that to mean that during shipment they get very ragged. It is said though that they recovery within 2-4 days, or up to 2 weeks. Does anybody have experience with this aspect? Do you have different recovery times? __________________ Sunday morning, 9 AM, I saw fire in the sky, I felt my heart, pound in my chest, I HeaRrD aN EaGLe CRY. HRDNEGLCRY. S. Hagar "Eagles Fly"

02/18/2007, 09:04 PM	#13
Avi Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Westchester County, NY Posts: 7,327	I hope this gives an idea of the kind of flow that the green star polyps prefer and the anthelia prefers....I can tell you that the ones you see in this video are spreading very fast in the kind of flow you see...... __________________ I'd keep the whole ocean if my den were big enough Current Tank Info: 120 gallon reef with 210 lbs. of live rock, Aqua-C EV180 Skimmer, Aquactinic double 250W MH with blue plus t5 support; 58 gallon freshwater planted tank using CO2 and T5s; 30-gallon cube with a few fancy goldfish; and a 110 gallon FOWLR

02/19/2007, 09:27 AM	#14
hrdneglcry Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Michigan Posts: 733	Thanks. It's good to see, but where is the flow coming from. I have my jet blowing directly on the anthelia from about 5 -7 inches away. The Polyps get flow from this too, plus the power filter empties onto the side where they both are. Nice stuff BTW. __________________ Sunday morning, 9 AM, I saw fire in the sky, I felt my heart, pound in my chest, I HeaRrD aN EaGLe CRY. HRDNEGLCRY. S. Hagar "Eagles Fly"

02/19/2007, 11:02 AM	#15
Avi Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Westchester County, NY Posts: 7,327	I've been relying on a succession of different powerheads to supplement the flow from my sump return. I find that from the time I first set up my reef some three years ago, I've just kept on adding and or changing the powerheads to increase the flow. I guess I did that in slow increments, thinking each time, that "a little more" would benefit the reef. But, it's been clear that each time I did increase the flow, more was, indeed, better. I've read quite a bit about flow and the "need" for it with this kind of coral, or the preference for "less" by that kind of coral...but, I've found that almost invariably, the more I added the better the response from just about every kind of coral I have. That includes soft coral, LPS and SPS. To answer the question though, the flow that I have now in the tank is coming from the returns from the sump that are on each side of the back of the tank, two MJ1200 mods and a MJ12 with a Hydor Flow Deflector on it. That gives me a total of just about 34 times the 120 gallons of the tank. I have one Mod on each side of the tank and the MJ with the Hydor on one side next to the Mod there. Surprisingly, even though the MJ with the Hydor only generates maybe 250gph, it has the effect of creating a randomness in the water movement that's very natural and I think benefits the tank overall. __________________ I'd keep the whole ocean if my den were big enough Current Tank Info: 120 gallon reef with 210 lbs. of live rock, Aqua-C EV180 Skimmer, Aquactinic double 250W MH with blue plus t5 support; 58 gallon freshwater planted tank using CO2 and T5s; 30-gallon cube with a few fancy goldfish; and a 110 gallon FOWLR

02/19/2007, 11:11 AM	#16
Loralie Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: minnesota Posts: 568	I have found they will tolerate low light conditions, and less pure water. I have a large amount in my fuge

02/21/2007, 12:21 PM	#17
hrdneglcry Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Michigan Posts: 733	Anthelia-good salt, and recovery AVI, is Marinesalt by Seachem a reputable brand, and fit for the Anthelia? What about regular Instan Ocean? Will that provide the Anthelia with what it needs? Frick-N-Frags.......When the Anthelia starts to melt is there any recovery possible at that point? __________________ Sunday morning, 9 AM, I saw fire in the sky, I felt my heart, pound in my chest, I HeaRrD aN EaGLe CRY. HRDNEGLCRY. S. Hagar "Eagles Fly"

02/21/2007, 03:04 PM	#18
sunfish11 Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Weyauwega, WI Posts: 2,365	hrdneglcry, I know I am not who you asked but yes they may come back after they start to melt. Occassionally I will lose a small section but it always comes right back. I grew a huge amount from 2 polyps in a fairly short time. Crazy! I would worry if the whole colony starts to melt though. That isn't good news. Watch out, it also lets pieces go to colonize other spots in your tank. I don't like that part!

02/21/2007, 05:07 PM	#19
hrdneglcry Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Michigan Posts: 733	How fast can this stuff spread? __________________ Sunday morning, 9 AM, I saw fire in the sky, I felt my heart, pound in my chest, I HeaRrD aN EaGLe CRY. HRDNEGLCRY. S. Hagar "Eagles Fly"

02/21/2007, 05:39 PM	#20
Avi Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Westchester County, NY Posts: 7,327	Just about any commercial brand of ocean/aquarium saltmix will be fine. I switch brands and I actually don't see any differences in them. If they start to melt, put them up closer to the lights in a place where there is more water flow than they are in now. They may well come back and recover fully. Once a colony of anthelia becomes established, they are fast speaders. I have to keep mine "groomed" by scraping the encrustation off the rocks that they're on so they don't invade other coral. I really believe that when I do that it causes an even more rapid growth of new polyps so I have to tend to it fairly frequenty. I bring the fragged polyps which I glue to a rock and start a new colony that way to a fish store that I frequent where they gladly give me a credit for them because they sell as soon as I bring them there. __________________ I'd keep the whole ocean if my den were big enough Current Tank Info: 120 gallon reef with 210 lbs. of live rock, Aqua-C EV180 Skimmer, Aquactinic double 250W MH with blue plus t5 support; 58 gallon freshwater planted tank using CO2 and T5s; 30-gallon cube with a few fancy goldfish; and a 110 gallon FOWLR

02/22/2007, 11:29 AM	#21
650-IS350 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Bay Area Posts: 14,555	Make sure that you have them segragated in a sandy bed by themselves... they grow like weeds and WILL take over rocks/tank easily... more than a xenia can. __________________ * RETIRED FROM REEFING * Just enjoying the box of water from afar

02/22/2007, 12:20 PM	#22
hrdneglcry Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Michigan Posts: 733	Anthelia When I bought the anthelia it was growing on a big rock. I fragged it off. Does it necessarily need sand beneath it? I can give it that. I think mine is the Blue Waving Hand Coral type of Anthelia __________________ Sunday morning, 9 AM, I saw fire in the sky, I felt my heart, pound in my chest, I HeaRrD aN EaGLe CRY. HRDNEGLCRY. S. Hagar "Eagles Fly"

02/22/2007, 06:37 PM	#23
hrdneglcry Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Michigan Posts: 733	Sunfish did your holding tank have the same salinty level as your tank that the Anrthelia came out of? __________________ Sunday morning, 9 AM, I saw fire in the sky, I felt my heart, pound in my chest, I HeaRrD aN EaGLe CRY. HRDNEGLCRY. S. Hagar "Eagles Fly"

02/22/2007, 10:12 PM	#24
Avi Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Westchester County, NY Posts: 7,327	Anthelia will grow on just about anything...rock...sand...I recently removed some from the glass. __________________ I'd keep the whole ocean if my den were big enough Current Tank Info: 120 gallon reef with 210 lbs. of live rock, Aqua-C EV180 Skimmer, Aquactinic double 250W MH with blue plus t5 support; 58 gallon freshwater planted tank using CO2 and T5s; 30-gallon cube with a few fancy goldfish; and a 110 gallon FOWLR

02/23/2007, 01:24 PM	#25
650-IS350 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Bay Area Posts: 14,555	Having them isolated especially on sand, makes it easier to remove/prune them.. once they get on your main rock display it will be hell to get them off. __________________ * RETIRED FROM REEFING * Just enjoying the box of water from afar