Branching vs Tabling

[jrnannery]

It seems to me that most of the tanks I have seen have branching coral, rather than tabling specimens? Is there a reason, other than that's just what you bought, or is tabling coral more of a pain?

[Bill S]

Some table, most don't. I had a great table that I got from Ace - we called it the "Hole in the Wall", because it had a big hole right through it. When he had it, it was kind of brown. Mine was a purple/blue. Unfortunately, it's now gone... Valida, for one, will table.

[CoryDude]

Personally, I don't care for the tabling acros. They block too much light and make it impossible to have sps on the surrounding rocks. The vertical branching acros can be crammed a little tighter together vs the horizontal growth acros. So yeah, for me it's just a personal preference.

[jrnannery]

Nice looking coral, Bill. Sorry to hear it's gone.

Yeah Cory, that's what I figured...just a huge solar eclipse of a coral. Nice looking, but no light for anything else.

Can an accro that normally branches just decide to table on you? I read on reeffarmers that one of their corals exhibited a tabling characteristic when it got close to the surface. What about at regular depth?

[CoryDude]

Bill's right on the valida. I had one that was started to table out and it was near the surface. I've seen some a. tenius for sale that had a tabling pattern too. All of the deep water acroporas I've seen for sale have longer more delicate and slender branches.

[hobogato]

i think another reason you dont see many tables is that some acros table more once they are large mature colonies. also, the ones that table from the get go are more requiring of light, space and flow in general.

[CoryDude]

also, the ones that table from the get go are more requiring of light, space and flow in general.

Very true on the flow requirements. I tank full of tabling acros is going to need a lot of flow from various directions and intermittent timing in order to keep the inner parts of the acro table clean.

[Big_Pun]

I agree with the above most tabling acros like a lot of flow and light. I have one piece that tables and it high and gets good flow. it's small but one day it will be a colony.

[jrnannery]

Really nice pics, guys.