Acropora Samoensis

[Skibum]

I bought a Maricultured Acro about 18 months ago from now defunct Stone Aquatics, it never really flourished compared to my austera, torts, and other acros. After I had a salinity incident a month ago, the coral started going downhill with STN then RTN. I may have saved a frag or two, but most of the colony is gone. I don't see too many of these offered for sale (non-wild), I'm wondering if that's due to difficulty or coloration? Any expert acro keepers have thoughts on this species? I liked it's shape with thick branches and interesting growth tips.

-
Tom

 

[Hemmdog]

That is a really cool growth form. I want one now lol.

 

[Jettareefer223]

I had one for years it was teal w/ pink tips I’ve had a hard time getting another one I want a frag not giant Mari/wild colony. Strong flow was biggest thing I can attest to it actually thriving and doing well it didn’t do much of anything for the first year in lower flow area. At the time I was running radium 20k’s w/vhos. It’s in my top 20 personal must have acros. What I really appreciate most about it is the unique growth structure.

I’ll add IME it wasn’t all that difficult.

 

[Skibum]

Could be that I didn't get it captive/frag it was a mari full mini-colony. I did manage to save a couple of decent frags, maybe that will spur growth in a way that a full colony wouldn't.

 

[rockskimmerflow]

My avatar is a sky blue A. samoensis I got as a wild piece from Diver's Den way back in 2013 or so. I grew out a big colony of it from the initial small wild piece, distributed a number of frags, but sadly lost the colony to an alk crash a year or so ago. I do have it regrowing now from a frag I re-acquired from one of the colonies my first generation frags spawned in other tanks.

It's actually a surprisingly nutrient tolerant and hardy acro IME. Quite difficult to get the super blue color to saturate on mine at least though. Requires trace element dosing, significant light, significant flow, and ample feedings while maintaining low phosphate to get it to really color up. It will grow very well for me in a bluish brown half colored state if my trace elements, phosphate, lighting or other parameter isn't quite optimum. Growth form is a very unique spiky kind of table when it gets some size on it.

 

[Skibum]

My avatar is a sky blue A. samoensis I got as a wild piece from Diver's Den way back in 2013 or so. I grew out a big colony of it from the initial small wild piece, distributed a number of frags, but sadly lost the colony to an alk crash a year or so ago. I do have it regrowing now from a frag I re-acquired from one of the colonies my first generation frags spawned in other tanks.

It's actually a surprisingly nutrient tolerant and hardy acro IME. Quite difficult to get the super blue color to saturate on mine at least though. Requires trace element dosing, significant light, significant flow, and ample feedings while maintaining low phosphate to get it to really color up. It will grow very well for me in a bluish brown half colored state if my trace elements, phosphate, lighting or other parameter isn't quite optimum. Growth form is a very unique spiky kind of table when it gets some size on it.

That's a nice colony. I think my problem was flow, I put it low, never really paid attention to it, and it probably suffered through several noob mistakes. At any rate, hopefully I can get some of the frags to make it. It's a really nice military green color.

 

[Jettareefer223]

Could be that I didn't get it captive/frag it was a mari full mini-colony. I did manage to save a couple of decent frags, maybe that will spur growth in a way that a full colony wouldn't.

If you got a few frags try them out in different area’s to see where it does best!

 

[Graffiti Spot]

I think most people struggle getting these thick acros transitioned to tanks like other wild corals. They really don’t ship as good as others and you have to have a good eye to pick healthy ones on the net. Starting from fragments with these is easier ime. The thicker the coral the harder to keep. I found it easier to cut them into three small colonies so flow and light gets to the coral better but you gotta get the piece healthy and happy in the tank before you do this if you want to have good luck.
These digitate acros are my favorite types of coral and I wish more people would keep them so we can have more tank raised versions in the hobby. It’s crazy most of them are still so rare each vendor might have one or two at most in their collection.

 

[Skibum]

Yeah, I'm hoping to save this one, It started out okay, but never really took off. Then I moved it, and had a salinity incident, and that was that. other corals (acros even) did fine but this one.... more sensitive.