Are larger colonies hardier?

[Waters]

Will a larger colony fight off tank issues better than an established, small frag? Just curious if both would be just as likely to succumb to water issues or would the larger colony be able to withstand issues easier? Obviously the larger colony has more tissue which would allow it to last longer and recover but I am thinking more along the lines of the overall "immunity" to water problems.

 

[Clayalaleona]

I would purchase frags and grow them out.
Larger colonies will never get the same flow they were getting in the wild so a lot of them end up being lost long term

 

[Bao]

Actually, larger colonies have a higher chance of dying than small frags. When I say frags, I mean a size of about 1.5 inches or more. Not those tiny little frags that people are selling. One of my friends love buying large colonies from the whole sellers or from other people tanks. But not many colonies actually live for long. Sooner or later, he had to break them up due to random stn. The thing about large colonies is that they will never get the same conditions (light, flow, nutrient, alk, cal) in the new tank that they had in the old tank or ocean. So sooner or later, one part of the colony isn't happy and start to die. and then that send a signal to the rest of the colony and they all started to stn. My friend would cut a few frags to keep in his tank and give me some. Those frags actually do better.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I would purchase frags and grow them out.
Larger colonies will never get the same flow they were getting in the wild so a lot of them end up being lost long term

Actually, larger colonies have a higher chance of dying than small frags. When I say frags, I mean a size of about 1.5 inches or more. Not those tiny little frags that people are selling. One of my friends love buying large colonies from the whole sellers or from other people tanks. But not many colonies actually live for long. Sooner or later, he had to break them up due to random stn. The thing about large colonies is that they will never get the same conditions (light, flow, nutrient, alk, cal) in the new tank that they had in the old tank or ocean. So sooner or later, one part of the colony isn't happy and start to die. and then that send a signal to the rest of the colony and they all started to stn. My friend would cut a few frags to keep in his tank and give me some. Those frags actually do better.

yup and yup.

AS far as the actual overall health question. I I dont know.

 

[rock_lobster]

yes there is a much higher survival rate for frags... Even tiny .5 inch frags have a better chance of transitioning to a new tank and surviving longterm.

 

[Waters]

Ok thanks....all good information. Just asking because a lot of the LFS around me sell tennis ball sized colonies in addition to tiny frags.......just wondering if it made more sense to buy the slightly larger colonies.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Ok thanks....all good information. Just asking because a lot of the LFS around me sell tennis ball sized colonies in addition to tiny frags.......just wondering if it made more sense to buy the slightly larger colonies.

If you have a good spot(judge by eye) go for it. my .02, your debit card

 

[rock_lobster]

Ok thanks....all good information. Just asking because a lot of the LFS around me sell tennis ball sized colonies in addition to tiny frags.......just wondering if it made more sense to buy the slightly larger colonies.

well thats also a little different. Shipping is a big factor in why colonies of SPS do not survive. Might be a closer rate of success of you get them locally.

 

[luke33]

Will a larger colony fight off tank issues better than an established, small frag? Just curious if both would be just as likely to succumb to water issues or would the larger colony be able to withstand issues easier? Obviously the larger colony has more tissue which would allow it to last longer and recover but I am thinking more along the lines of the overall "immunity" to water problems.

IMO this is a bit of a trivia question : )

If you have a 5" mari and a 3/4" mari, you pull them out, transship them to a wholesaler, ship them to a dealer and they you buy both and put them in your tank they have an equal chance of dying, the larger will not fare any better than the smaller.

If you have a 5" mari and a 3/4" established, healed aquacultured frag and put them both in your tank the frag has a better chance.

If you have a 5" aquacultured colony and a 3/4" mari frag and put them both in your tank the 5" will have a better survival rate.

If you have a 5" aquacultured colony and a 3/4" aquacultured frag and put them in your tank and your tank's water quality is crap, both will die.

You get my point

 

[evolved]

We need to define what is a "large colony" first, and where/how that colony was grown.

If it's a large colony grown out in captivity, then it could be hardier than a fresh cut frag. But otherwise, the answer is almost always no.

Just asking because a lot of the LFS around me sell tennis ball sized colonies

Those are likely maricultured pieces, and can be even more challenging. They're great for those experienced and know what they're getting into, but they're also great revenue generators for stores repeatedly selling to inexperienced folks.

 

[Waters]

If you have a good spot(judge by eye) go for it. my .02, your debit card

I was kind of hoping to use your debit card....I guess I will have to settle on just taking your .02......

 

[Waters]

We need to define what is a "large colony" first, and where/how that colony was grown.

If it's a large colony grown out in captivity, then it could be hardier than a fresh cut frag. But otherwise, the answer is almost always no.


Those are likely maricultured pieces, and can be even more challenging. They're great for those experienced and know what they're getting into, but they're also great revenue generators for stores repeatedly selling to inexperienced folks.

I am not sure if they are maricultured or not......they have been in the store for a while under my same lighting which is a plus though (the store uses nothing but Radions). I will have to ask more questions if I consider picking any of them up.

 

[VbReefer]

Had to take a quick refresher myself..

FYI from what I gather,

Maricultured- sustainably grown in the ocean, or near the ocean with fresh ocean water circulation.

Aquacultured-grown in controlled environment. Potentially less disease and parasites, and generally hardier.

I don't have a lot of experience with sticks, so take this with a grain of salt.

Personally, I think mini-colonies are the best way to buy sticks.

Not just one stick, but not a huge colony. Let's say a healed frag that's then grown out for 3-6 months.

 

[VbReefer]

After reading more of these comments I may have to reconsider...

 

[edosan]

IME
It will all depend on where the corals (Colonies, pieces or frags) come from, and the parameters they are use to live, like is mentioned above: wild, mariculture or aquaculture corals have a huge differences on survival rate on tanks, no matter if they are frags or big colonies.
My 2 cents...

 

[ngoodermuth]

I agree, size doesn't matter as much as origin.

 

[themcnertney]

Hmmmm.
I have quite a few large colonies of sps in my tank. They have survived some tank swings where I have lost a number of other colonies. I think they have adjusted to my water quality over time. When I try to add new sps frags, I have a tough time keeping them long term. I think colonies are better suited to survive then frags.