Purple Sticks

[allan]

So I'm out and about yesterday, on the west side of town when I came across a coral listed as "Purple Sticks".

Not sure what I liked better, the coral or the very discriptive name. Anywone know what this is? I've queried "purple sticks" and promply received directions to the nearest head shop... wasn't sure what that was but I don't think they deal in aquarium stuff.

iphone shot...

http://i621.photobucket.com/albums/tt295/alaviers/photo-42.jpg

[Squiers007]

Huh, interesting. What do the polyps look like? Do you have any close-up shots?

[Mr Cob]

Pretty sweet. Never seen one before.... if you take some cutters to it let me know.

I'm sure one of the seasoned SPS'ers will know.

[allan]

I haven't seen any polyps from it yet, but those two bumps seem to have something akin to a feather duster snaking out of it. I was thinking that it was some critter that the purple grew over.

The tips of the branches have a slit in them, but as of yet nothing visible. The texture is a lot like my fire coral, smooth like.

Rob, I owe you buddy, when it comes time you're are first in line. I will have to learn a bit more about it first and check for growth.

As far as a close up, I can ask milly to take one but her earlier promise to take photos of anything requested quickly disappeared after xmas. :)

[BigKGlen]

Purple Sticks

Bio Dome

"Purple Sticky Punch"

[Mr Cob]

It looks like this dude:


http://www.uoguelph.ca/~gbarron/MISC2003/purpleco.htm (http://www.uoguelph.ca/%7Egbarron/MISC2003/purpleco.htm)


http://www.uoguelph.ca/%7Egbarron/MISC2003/purple1.jpg
http://maryland.sierraclub.org/hc/pictures/2005/20050903-clavulinaamethystina.jpg

only problem is....that stuff doesn't grow in the sea...LOL! I give up, I've been looking for awhile now. Sure someone will know.

[Mr Cob]

FOUND IT! Finally.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=597+322+470&pcatid=470

http://www.liveaquaria.com/images/categories/product/p-87110-Lace-Stick-Coral.jpg

Cool find! Looks like it's not an SPS and you need to feed it.

Another link for more reading:
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=16+2157+2227&aid=2351

[allan]

Yepper, that's it. I recognize the tips... uh, feeding, this sounds like a karin coral....

[Mr Cob]

lol, I was thinking the same thing, her or Ace.

[Europhyllia]

That's funny. I was looking at it earlier and actually thought: it's so pretty for an SPS!
Ace has a pink lace coral colony (I got a beautiful small frag of it but it didn't make it through my tank crash :( ).
I bet he'd be happy to get a purple. Otherwise I might be interested in it as well if you don't want to keep it.

[Squiers007]

I was wondering if that was what it was. Lace coral is very closely related to the Fire coral that I study, which is why they look very similar. The only challenging thing about Lace coral, like others have pointed out, is that it is non-photosynthetic so you will definately need to feed it on a regular basis. Awesome looking Hydrozoan coral though.

[Kristy]

Allan, that thing is sweet!

[allan]

Okay, so we'll see how the feeding goes. I don't think the food I give to the other lps will suffice.

Another example that when a lfs tells you it requires "high lighting"... It's not always the case. :)

[Squiers007]

What are you planning on feeding it?

[allan]

lol, you'd have to ask huh?

I blend up an extra fine surry for my lps and other filter feeders of the same goo that I feed the fish. This has done nothing towards getting rid of my cyano and i've one or two places where algae is taking hold (the tangs seem to eat it though)... but the coral seem to do okay by it.

Now, since I'm beginning to see that this may be one of those more delicate creatures... well, I'm open to suggestions. I don't feed my fire coral anything... but then again it seems to like the light well enough on it's own.

What would you recommed doc? I'm thinking those TDS bottles, but I go through so much of it... Too bad I can't feed it cyano poo...