is Gonapora a flower pot?
- Thread starter DEADFISH1
- Start date
I believe that they are one in the same.
Goniapora (sp?) is a Flower Pot coral.
When I first started keeping a Saltwater tank 3 years ago, my LFS told me it was hardy and it didn't need alot of light to live so it was easy to start with. Well the flower pot did pretty well for weeks even a few months but for no apparent reason after approx. 6 months in my tank it just started to fade away. Within a week or two almost all the coral's skeleton was exposed, I couldn't do anything for it at that point.
Of course years later I get a computer and then find reef keeping boards like this one and read that not too many people are actually able to keep them alive in their tanks.
There isn't alot of facts behind why they are difficult to keep because no one really knows why they are dying in our tanks.
HTH,
Brian
[ June 22, 2001: Message edited by: bezzer ]
Goniapora (sp?) is a Flower Pot coral.
When I first started keeping a Saltwater tank 3 years ago, my LFS told me it was hardy and it didn't need alot of light to live so it was easy to start with. Well the flower pot did pretty well for weeks even a few months but for no apparent reason after approx. 6 months in my tank it just started to fade away. Within a week or two almost all the coral's skeleton was exposed, I couldn't do anything for it at that point.
Of course years later I get a computer and then find reef keeping boards like this one and read that not too many people are actually able to keep them alive in their tanks.
There isn't alot of facts behind why they are difficult to keep because no one really knows why they are dying in our tanks.
HTH,
Brian
[ June 22, 2001: Message edited by: bezzer ]
that's what I was afraid of, I too herd about the problems of flower pots, even before I bought this one, I just didn't realize that Gonapora & flower pots were of the same, and yes of course I was told the same, that the Gonapora was easy, but he did say to keep it in an area of high water flow, I wonder if he knew something, I hope anyway.
That's curious... when I had mine it did much better when I had it in an area of the tank with low water flow.
Hmm.
I think I even read somewhere that they might like "dirtier" water which most other corals would not be able to survive in.
Brian
[ June 22, 2001: Message edited by: bezzer ]
Hmm.
I think I even read somewhere that they might like "dirtier" water which most other corals would not be able to survive in.
Brian
[ June 22, 2001: Message edited by: bezzer ]
Hardiness of Goniopora seems to be related to specific type. There are many being sold, with the long tentacled light brown version being the most common and perhaps least likely to survive. The ones that I have seen doing well seem to be kept mostly in moderate water flow that waves the tentacles around, but doesn't beat them too badly.
The colored versions of Goniopora appear to be somewhat hardier. I have a purple one that is doing well and I have seen pink ones that seem to be pretty hardy as well. Here is my purple one just starting to open in the morning.
Another coral sometimes called Flowerpot is the Alveopora. These have 12 tentacles instead of the Gonioporas 24 tentacles and tend to grow in a more branching fashion. Alveopora seem to be a little more hardy than Goniopora and more people seem to have success with them. I have had this one for over a year and it is doing very well. This one did not do well under high current water conditions and has been much happier in a moderate light, moderate water location.
--- Ken
The colored versions of Goniopora appear to be somewhat hardier. I have a purple one that is doing well and I have seen pink ones that seem to be pretty hardy as well. Here is my purple one just starting to open in the morning.
Another coral sometimes called Flowerpot is the Alveopora. These have 12 tentacles instead of the Gonioporas 24 tentacles and tend to grow in a more branching fashion. Alveopora seem to be a little more hardy than Goniopora and more people seem to have success with them. I have had this one for over a year and it is doing very well. This one did not do well under high current water conditions and has been much happier in a moderate light, moderate water location.
--- Ken
DEADFISH,
it has been documented that Goniopora's prefer low water flow. it almost seems that lower is better. i have seen a few in medium surge which have been reproducing. so if i were you, i wouldnt experiement when there is the chance that it could survive in your tank. never give up hope when theres nothing left to do.
loosbrew
it has been documented that Goniopora's prefer low water flow. it almost seems that lower is better. i have seen a few in medium surge which have been reproducing. so if i were you, i wouldnt experiement when there is the chance that it could survive in your tank. never give up hope when theres nothing left to do.
loosbrew
hmmm, mine is turquoise when fully closed & light green with brown tips when open, the LFS said it was a green Gonapora, has anyone had success with green Gonapora's?
if so what would be advised for these to stay healthy?
and thanks for the reply's so for, I'm starting too feel a little more festive.
if so what would be advised for these to stay healthy?
and thanks for the reply's so for, I'm starting too feel a little more festive.
From Eric Borneman's Aquarium Corals book, " For currently unknown reasons Gorniopora have a long history of failing to survive in the aquarium" and "Because of their poor survival in captivity, Gorniopora cannot be reccomended for ongoing collection and sale. Despite their dismal track record, many suppliers continue to import them in large numbers."
Steve
Steve
Howdy,
Sounds like you have the "classic" flowerpot or Gonipora de Blainville.
Here is what Delbeek and Sprung say on page 449 of "The Reef Aquarium";
"In General, Gonipora species prefer strong currents at least for portions of the day, and bright light; Goniproa specimens that are purple, pink, or bluish come from extremely shallow water with high illumination and strong water motion, and should be placed accordingly in the aquarium."
From that you can guess that the green and brown specimens come from "deeper" waters and would prefer more moderate light and currents.
They also mention that these corals can be decieving becuase they can look healthy for over a year and then suddenly start to decay and die.
My guess is that the longer stalked versions like moderate flow. With tentacle that long, strong currents would more likely damage the coral. You might try feeding the coral with some microvert food to see if this helps.
Anyway, you definitely have a coralpot Gonipora coral. Try moderate water flow at first and see how it reacts.
Good luck,
Scott.
Sounds like you have the "classic" flowerpot or Gonipora de Blainville.
Here is what Delbeek and Sprung say on page 449 of "The Reef Aquarium";
"In General, Gonipora species prefer strong currents at least for portions of the day, and bright light; Goniproa specimens that are purple, pink, or bluish come from extremely shallow water with high illumination and strong water motion, and should be placed accordingly in the aquarium."
From that you can guess that the green and brown specimens come from "deeper" waters and would prefer more moderate light and currents.
They also mention that these corals can be decieving becuase they can look healthy for over a year and then suddenly start to decay and die.
My guess is that the longer stalked versions like moderate flow. With tentacle that long, strong currents would more likely damage the coral. You might try feeding the coral with some microvert food to see if this helps.
Anyway, you definitely have a coralpot Gonipora coral. Try moderate water flow at first and see how it reacts.
Good luck,
Scott.
I've had a lightly tinted green goniapora which I inherited from its owener of three years. Though he says that it has been slowly retracting, he had not fed his tank for two years... Yeah, that's right nothing, only water changes. He ran the tank with no skimmer, which I continue to do. So I wonder if perhaps the dirty water thing may not be too far off. Incidently all of the large polyped stonies that he sold me are doing very well with my DSB and no skimmer set up. And they eat... Oh how they eat.
About 20 months ago I made the same mistake of buying a goniopora. Then it had 3 full heads with nice extension.
I mounted it high in my aquarium, figuring more intense light would be good for it to produce energy from the zooxanthellae. It kept getting knocked down by hermits, though, and eventually closed up tight for a couple of months at least.
Then I read where they are typically sand dwellers in lagoons, where the water is higher in nutrients. So, when I moved my 30 gallon into the 46 bowfront, I placed it in the substrate in fairly light but noticeable current, away from everything else. This has been about 10 weeks or so. It now extends daily and has 23 polyps whereas when I first moved it, it only had 13.
BTW, this is a branched one, which are supposed to be easier to keep.
I mounted it high in my aquarium, figuring more intense light would be good for it to produce energy from the zooxanthellae. It kept getting knocked down by hermits, though, and eventually closed up tight for a couple of months at least.
Then I read where they are typically sand dwellers in lagoons, where the water is higher in nutrients. So, when I moved my 30 gallon into the 46 bowfront, I placed it in the substrate in fairly light but noticeable current, away from everything else. This has been about 10 weeks or so. It now extends daily and has 23 polyps whereas when I first moved it, it only had 13.
BTW, this is a branched one, which are supposed to be easier to keep.
Please take the flower pot coral back to the LFS and tell him that you were misled.
Speak to the owner or manager. Demand you money back not a credit.
If all reefers agreed to do this when then have been conned, than perhaps the LFS would stop importing flower pot corals and corals and fish that should never be removed from the sea.
Thank you
Speak to the owner or manager. Demand you money back not a credit.
If all reefers agreed to do this when then have been conned, than perhaps the LFS would stop importing flower pot corals and corals and fish that should never be removed from the sea.
Thank you
Howdy,
I am relatively sure that the unskimmmed tanks have more particulate matter that the gonipora can feed on.
As Sprung and Delbeek mention in thier book, some specimens inhabit shallow water areas, which I believe tend to have "dirtier" water which allow the gonipora to feed.
No matter whether your tank has a skimmer or not, I would not recommend these corals. There are definitely reefers out there who have succesfully kept these corals, but he majority of specimens eventualy whither away and die.
There are plenty of beautiful corals available out there that have better track records.
Scott.
I am relatively sure that the unskimmmed tanks have more particulate matter that the gonipora can feed on.
As Sprung and Delbeek mention in thier book, some specimens inhabit shallow water areas, which I believe tend to have "dirtier" water which allow the gonipora to feed.
No matter whether your tank has a skimmer or not, I would not recommend these corals. There are definitely reefers out there who have succesfully kept these corals, but he majority of specimens eventualy whither away and die.
There are plenty of beautiful corals available out there that have better track records.
Scott.
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by naesco:
<STRONG>Please take the flower pot coral back to the LFS and tell him that you were misled.
Speak to the owner or manager. Demand you money back not a credit.
If all reefers agreed to do this when then have been conned, than perhaps the LFS would stop importing flower pot corals and corals and fish that should never be removed from the sea.
Thank you</STRONG><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
I'm not sure that I agree, if everyone did that in the beginning, the only thing we would probably be keeping would be Fish and maybe live rock, there has to be a few adventurers out there, the whole reefing world has been built on trial & error, that's my opinion, and not entended to flame anyone.
<STRONG>Please take the flower pot coral back to the LFS and tell him that you were misled.
Speak to the owner or manager. Demand you money back not a credit.
If all reefers agreed to do this when then have been conned, than perhaps the LFS would stop importing flower pot corals and corals and fish that should never be removed from the sea.
Thank you</STRONG><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
I'm not sure that I agree, if everyone did that in the beginning, the only thing we would probably be keeping would be Fish and maybe live rock, there has to be a few adventurers out there, the whole reefing world has been built on trial & error, that's my opinion, and not entended to flame anyone.
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by DEADFISH:
<STRONG>...there has to be a few adventurers out there, the whole reefing world has been built on trial & error, ...</STRONG><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
While I agree to a certain extent I think that the ones experimenting should be those with the most experience. Unless one is able to recognize what differences are keeping the coral alive in a scientific manner there is no real knowledge gained. I think if you are having to ask what you have it is a good indicator you shouldn't be experimenting.
[ June 25, 2001: Message edited by: Green Lantern ]
<STRONG>...there has to be a few adventurers out there, the whole reefing world has been built on trial & error, ...</STRONG><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
While I agree to a certain extent I think that the ones experimenting should be those with the most experience. Unless one is able to recognize what differences are keeping the coral alive in a scientific manner there is no real knowledge gained. I think if you are having to ask what you have it is a good indicator you shouldn't be experimenting.
[ June 25, 2001: Message edited by: Green Lantern ]
I just wonder whether theres anything to the unskimmed tanks / success with Goni's connection. Maybe we should be exploring that connection a bit further. Asking the few who've had success to tell us how their tanks are set up and see if there is a linkage.
Theres a piece to the puzzle that hasn't been found yet....
Theres a piece to the puzzle that hasn't been found yet....
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