Jump to content
Pod Your Reef

question about torch coral


new-b-reefer

Recommended Posts

new-b-reefer

i was wondering if anyone could answer a questions i have about my torch coral. i normally see torch coral with long skinny tenticles but my torch coral's tenticles are fat and bubble like. should they be getting more water flow or do torch corals do this normally. i know my water quality is fine. its just that when i bought them from the lfs they were long and skinny tenticles and now they are in my tank and they are fat and bubble like. please help.

Link to comment

My torch retracts his tenticles like that sometimes. It doesnt seem like its for any particular reason. They are fat and bubbly and then a few minutes later their extended back to their normal skinny state. I wouldnt worry about it unless they stay that way for more than a day.

Link to comment

There are different types of euphyllia sold as "torches". Euphyllia glabrescens is the typical torch, euphyllia paraglabrescens is a torch that has shorter tentacles, and some euphyllia crispata are sold as torches and have short bubbly tentacles similar to frogspawn.

 

IME, euphyllia glabrescens or common torches can have long tentacles, but they need a lot of water movement and they need to be left alone (not touched or moved) for weeks. Keep in mind that direct flow from a powerhead can kill euphyllia.

 

Some morphs have a genetic disposition for longer tentacles also. "Todd's Torch" is a common one in my regional club and is known for it's rediculous color and tentacle length.

 

Here's my Todd's in a small (50g) SPS tank with lots of flow

1torches100309.jpg

and a frag in a 10g nano with other torches and less flow

torches121409.jpg

 

Here's a Todd's in our museum tank with tons of flow and it never gets touched or moved

SMPtt.jpg

SMPtt2.jpg

Link to comment
new-b-reefer
There are different types of euphyllia sold as "torches". Euphyllia glabrescens is the typical torch, euphyllia paraglabrescens is a torch that has shorter tentacles, and some euphyllia crispata are sold as torches and have short bubbly tentacles similar to frogspawn.

 

IME, euphyllia glabrescens or common torches can have long tentacles, but they need a lot of water movement and they need to be left alone (not touched or moved) for weeks. Keep in mind that direct flow from a powerhead can kill euphyllia.

 

Some morphs have a genetic disposition for longer tentacles also. "Todd's Torch" is a common one in my regional club and is known for it's rediculous color and tentacle length.

 

Here's my Todd's in a small (50g) SPS tank with lots of flow

1torches100309.jpg

and a frag in a 10g nano with other torches and less flow

torches121409.jpg

 

Here's a Todd's in our museum tank with tons of flow and it never gets touched or moved

SMPtt.jpg

SMPtt2.jpg

 

hello and thanks everyone for the responses. here is a pic of my torch corals, they are a little retracted in this pic. when i saw them at the lfs before i bought them, they were long and skinny and now in my tank, i have had them for about 3 months and the tenticles just got fatter. i know i have enough lite. my water tests good and i do my weekly water changes. should i try to aim the power head at them? the tenticles do get long and wave but stay alot fatter than they were at the lfs. i have another tank, a 5.5 gallon with a small perc and a yellow watchman and i have a torch coral in that one that is the same way. when i saw it at the lfs it was long and skinny tenticles and now in my tank its tenticles are fat like this one in the pic.

Link to comment

How large is the tank you have those corals in and how much water movement do you have?

 

It looks like it's getting pretty stong light also, what light are you using?

 

What about you ca, alk, mag, and ph?

Link to comment
new-b-reefer
How large is the tank you have those corals in and how much water movement do you have?

 

It looks like it's getting pretty stong light also, what light are you using?

 

What about you ca, alk, mag, and ph?

 

my tank is a 28 gallon jbj nano cube with the 105watt compact fluorescent quad lamp. i have them placed high in the center of the tank. water movement is the 2 return pumps, both run at 266gph each but not poined at the torch, should i redirect them? i have not tested for "ca, alk, mag, and ph" i add in these suplements made from sealab or something, they are these sealab cubes that desolve and replenish trace elements as they are needed. also, all of my other corals, inverts, everything is good and doing very well. these torchs are doing well too, just looking a bit plump is all. should i move them to the bottoom of the tank?

Link to comment

You may want more flow. You're running about 18x turnover with just the returns. I have around 50x turnover in my tank, just make sure the flow on the torch is indirect. A korallia 2 would be good in a 28g.

 

I would definately test your ca, alk, mag, and ph. Most LFS can do it for you if you take water in. You never want to add supplements to a system without knowing your base chemistry on a weekly basis. By not knowing your baseline and adding supplements, you could be overdosing or throwing off your ca and alk levels.

 

Torches are considered the most difficult euphyllia to care for. Small changes in temp, ph, and alk can piss them off for days.

Link to comment

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recommended Discussions

×
×
  • Create New...