Fiji SPS corals

[honkit]

Just to share my recent experience with trying to nurture SPS corals from the pristine waters of Fiji.

I bought 4 colonies from the last Walt Smith shipment at Iwarna on Christmas eve last year.

1) A. secale -

Colouration: the original colour was a light cream with bright yellow polyps. I made the mistake of leaving it at the bottom of my tank for an extended period of time and hence the shaded parts browned out leaving only the portions which are directly lit to keep its light cream colour. Since relocating it higher up my rockscape, the colouration improved slightly and growth tips are a bluish colour. Polyps remain bright yellow throughout.

Growth: The last 3 weeks have seen this colony take off a bit with growth tips appearing (blue in colour) after a near 3 month dormant period of stagnant growth. I believe it is a result of my having added an additional Tunze wavemaker to the tank.

Conclusion for now: Put this specimen at the top of your rockscape and leave it there being exposed to high light and flow as soon as it enters your tank!

2) A.humilis -

Colouration: As seen from my photos of this colony, it's still keeping its light purple colouration after I have placed it at the top of my rockscape in a high flow area of my tank. The polyps are much shorter although they become more visible after lights out especially at the tips. It had a mini-browning out episode when I left it at the bottom of the tank for a couple of weeks when I first acquired it. It recovered its purple colours after relocating it higher.

Growth: Slow grower with coralites and tips showing visible growth only after many weeks.

Conclusion for now: Blast it with light and water turbulence asap once it goes into your tank! No need light acclimatization.

3) Lime green Porites -

Colouration: This has been the easiest of the Fiji corals I have experienced in terms of keeping its colouration. It lime green colour has stayed as such since day one when I put it at a mid-range position on my rcokscape.

Growth: Growth is a little faster than the other Fiji colonies that I have although still slow compared to SPS corals from other waters. It has encrusted more than growing outwards and upwards. Body and polyps have been lime green all this while.

Conclusion for now: Didn't have any problems with it so far although the commensal fan worm that was living in the coral has since disappeared (probably up lorry)

4) Poccilopora verrucosa -

Colouration: Light pink throughout until a few days ago when it turned a darker and brighter shade of pink. I believe this is a result of increased amino acid dosing although I intend to cut back as a couple of frags have browned a bit. Position has always been mid-range in the rockwork.

Growth: The slowest among the lot. I haven't noticed any noticeable growth at all. For a few weeks, it was under attack by my flameback angelfish which pecked at it and there were some bald spots but as the pecking has ceased, the flesh has mostly grown back over the bald areas.

Conclusion for now: My consolation is that it's kept its nice pink colouration and polyps.

[sunny03]

Any pix of the above sps

[honkit]

Any pix of the above sps

The humilis has a pic of its own in my tank thread.

I will try and take photo shots of each of them this weekend.

[yellowtang]

Thanks for sharing.

Bigmike

[Guest]

Walt smith Sps is always consider one of the hardest to keep and maintain ,but the coloration of it is always magnificent !

[honkit]

Had this pocci verucossa for almost 3 months now. Colour has been holding so far.

[Copperband]

i might be wrong... but i really dont think thats verucossa? think its edouxyi?? Anybody here knows for sure?

[honkit]

i might be wrong... but i really dont think thats verucossa? think its edouxyi?? Anybody here knows for sure?

It's verucossa. Google the pics for both species and you will see the difference.