PE = Good health?

[Evolutionz]

As above, would like to know if polyp extension is good on a SPS frag does it means its healthy?

What if a case of good PE but color turn brown? what does this means?

Thanks.

[sunnymau]

PE good not necessary means sps is in good shape. It is only one of the sign, IMO color is the better indicator.

When it turns brown, the issues can range from lighting, feeding to water para.

[Evolutionz]

PE good not necessary means sps is in good shape. It is only one of the sign, IMO color is the better indicator.

When it turns brown, the issues can range from lighting, feeding to water para.

Thanks for your reply bro. i just got a small frag of SPS free from a nice reefer when i bought his LPS.. right now PE is good.. hopefully color will stay.

[mengyang_neo]

PE good not necessary means sps is in good shape. It is only one of the sign, IMO color is the better indicator.

When it turns brown, the issues can range from lighting, feeding to water para.

Yes agree with bro sunnymau colour is the better indicator. In my experience having poly extension does affect the colour of the SPS, when I have my flame angel pair constantly niping my sps, the poly extension is minisium but the body of the SPS is full colour. After I remove the angel pair, poly extension is very good, but the body of the SPS is not so nicely coloured. For this I suspect might the poly extension is blocking the light from the SPS body and hence reduce in colouration.

[honkit]

Yes agree with bro sunnymau colour is the better indicator. In my experience having poly extension does affect the colour of the SPS, when I have my flame angel pair constantly niping my sps, the poly extension is minisium but the body of the SPS is full colour. After I remove the angel pair, poly extension is very good, but the body of the SPS is not so nicely coloured. For this I suspect might the poly extension is blocking the light from the SPS body and hence reduce in colouration.

That's an interesting postulation.

Currently, I am observing my two strawberry shortcake acropora colonies - the colony with less polyp extension (due to its proximity to an MP40 wavemaker) has more intense colouration and clearer seperation of colours compared to my other colony with more polyp extension and has lighter colours.

[Evolutionz]

Thanks! Recently my brown sps that has been having good pe In my old tank is currently coloring up at the tip in my new tank!

[tamama]

I am not sure if this is true, but I observe that PE can be improved if I dose strontium.

[Fantasy Corals]

As above, would like to know if polyp extension is good on a SPS frag does it means its healthy?

What if a case of good PE but color turn brown? what does this means?

Thanks.

Polyp extention (PE) is one of the sure sign of good health.

Brown SPS with good PE does not necessary mean it's in bad shape, the common reasons are excessive nutrient and insufficient lightings... happens in the wild too.

With proper husbandry, SPS usually gets good PE and color, that's the most ideal situation for reefer ( except in the case where too much PE mask off the body color ).

In the event of good color and no/little PE, it could be a distress sign of water parameter / lightings being out of range. The color may seems like you are having a healthy SPS but it could be on its way to deteoriation...slowly at most.

So if you are getting good PE, congratulate yourself that you are having a healthy sps, color wise may not be there but that's where the challenge of SPS lies...get it to color up

[yellowtang]

Add a little amateur knowledge.<br />Polyps of sps swaying in the current affirm that the underlining currents from the wave makers are effective and a sure sign that the sps are breathing happily ( gas exchange).<br />Moreover, the happy sps are also hungry sps. Stretching their hands to capture whatever food here is. Without flow,nothing will sweep past them.<br />I have read that sps die fast without flow.<br />In short, when the flow requirements are met, sps should wave their polyps to acknowledge " thank you".<br />A PE sps is a healthy sps.<br />Cheers<br />YT

[Evolutionz]

Thanks for all your replies! am i right to say that if PE is not good, could be because lighting not enough?

[sunnymau]

Polyp extention (PE) is one of the sure sign of good health.

Brown SPS with good PE does not necessary mean it's in bad shape, the common reasons are excessive nutrient and insufficient lightings... happens in the wild too.

With proper husbandry, SPS usually gets good PE and color, that's the most ideal situation for reefer ( except in the case where too much PE mask off the body color ).

In the event of good color and no/little PE, it could be a distress sign of water parameter / lightings being out of range. The color may seems like you are having a healthy SPS but it could be on its way to deteoriation...slowly at most.

So if you are getting good PE, congratulate yourself that you are having a healthy sps, color wise may not be there but that's where the challenge of SPS lies...get it to color up

Add a little amateur knowledge.<br />Polyps of sps swaying in the current affirm that the underlining currents from the wave makers are effective and a sure sign that the sps are breathing happily ( gas exchange).<br />Moreover, the happy sps are also hungry sps. Stretching their hands to capture whatever food here is. Without flow,nothing will sweep past them.<br />I have read that sps die fast without flow.<br />In short, when the flow requirements are met, sps should wave their polyps to acknowledge " thank you".<br />A PE sps is a healthy sps.<br />Cheers<br />YT

Thank you masters for the advise, learn something new today!!

[lawchan77]

how about sps with no hairs??

[Fantasy Corals]

Thanks for all your replies! am i right to say that if PE is not good, could be because lighting not enough?

I am assuming that your question isolate the relationship between PE and lightings alone. From my experience, there is little evidence to suggest that PE has a direct relationship with lightings ( within the resonable light requirement for any sps ). Hence given the correct environment all SPS should have good PE especially during night time. But in the case where little or no light is given, it's almost a sure thing that any SPS would slowly waste off, a matter of time.

how about sps with no hairs??

No hair ??? I think ah girl ( or Mr handsome ) you are referring to little or no PE ya

I am pretty sure that if you dont see any PE during both daytime and during lightings off, that SPS is not doing well. Sometime certain SPS has a timid nature and tend to show little PE as compare to others such as mille. But it should show some PE during night time.

There are so many reasons why a supposedly healthy looking SPS with good PE suddenly looses it's interest to show PE. Poor water condition, flow, pest are just some of the more common known issues...along with some reasons that's unknown to us as well.

[Evolutionz]

maybe i should say, if my lighting is not enough, what symptoms will the SPS show?

Thanks!

[Godzilla]

turn brown ?

[Fantasy Corals]

maybe i should say, if my lighting is not enough, what symptoms will the SPS show?

Thanks!

turn brown ?

+1

Most SPS would turn brown with insufficient lighting, especially light loving SPS such as those thick branching acros like staghorns, humillis etc

There are some exception where colors can still be maintain under very low lightings, one classic example would be the radioactive birdnest.

Also, there seems to be a somewhat direct relationship on the nutrient levels vis a vis lighting level that affects the final outcome of SPS color. Simply put it, the higher the nutrient level, the higher amount of lightings is required to retain the color. But this is only true when the nutrient level is not at excessive high level.

Other important factors such as Kh, trace elements, lighting spectrum, flow, Sg level would also play a part in determining the coloration / color intensity of SPS as well. All these factors form a complex inter-relationship that makes up the final outcome. Many good reading materials can be found in the internet with regards to this areas.

[Evolutionz]

Thanks for your advice!