Time Lapse Death (goniopora)

[jaded]

This is a sad story. I was given this goniopora as a last ditch effort to keep it alive... well it opened up as soon as I started acclimating. I was told that it looked better in the acclimation bucket than it ever had, but it wasnt meant to be :(

this is the way it looked a few hours after acclimation
http://www.paddletexas.com/images/temp_images/death01.jpg
~24 hours
http://www.paddletexas.com/images/temp_images/death02.jpg
~48 hours
http://www.paddletexas.com/images/temp_images/death03.jpg
~72 hours
http://www.paddletexas.com/images/temp_images/death04.jpg

poor flower pot

[GaryP]

Perhaps your post and pics will serve as an appropriate warning to anyone considering buying a gonipora or alveopora.

Unfortunately, as I have found out from talking to LFS owners, its not just a matter of LFS not ordering these guys. They are often included in mixed orders of corals as "box stuffers" by wholesalers. Many LFS owners have learned to specify what corals are not to be included in mixed box orders.

[jaded]

I had great success keeping the gonio pictured below for my cousin... its now almost the size of a volleyball, but this latest gonio was gone-io

[jaded]

its not branching... its got a base now thats tounge shaped and is about 7" long, but the polyps will extend to impressive lengths.

My cousin has 3 year old PC bulbs and hasnt done a water change in 3 years. I think there are some clues there :)

[NaCl_H2O]

I had this one for about 4 months, then it suddenly stoped extending & withered away over about 2-4 weeks. Very tempting specimens, but VERY low survival rates.

[jaded]

yeah, its sad.. they are beautiful!!!

Better to leave them where they are and we can strap on the new underwater breating apparatus and see them in nature. Of course they will probably die from lack of 0² but thats a whole other thread :D

[Tim Marvin]

Goniopora are destined to die. Anyone keeping them for more than a year just got lucky, nothing to do with skill. Alveopora, on the other hand can be kept if you keep the environment top notch. I have one that has been growing slowly, Greg at 360 reef has one that is growing and Frederick has one that is doing well. They resemble a goniopora.

[NaCl_H2O]

I bought an Alveopora frag from Greg at the YMCA meeting, it is doing GREAT! :) I'll post a picture if I can remember to take one?

[Tim Marvin]

Right! Same one I have and same one he has. I also have another one that I bought about 6 months before that and it is doing well.

[weizer896]

My husband bought a gonaporia a few months ago and it is looking great(and big). :D We feed it every other day.I'll post a pic tomarrow.

[ansonluna]

Here is a pic of my Alveopora. I have only had it a couple of weeks but it seems to be doing very well. :D

[Tim Marvin]

Nice pictures Ansonluna. It should do well, looks like it is in a good spot, medium light and medium flow.

[Thunderkat]

Mushrooms FTW :lol