Blastomussa Merleti

reef-nut · Apr 12, 2008

I just odered a Blastomussa Merleti, 10+ polyps. Its color was a awesome red, I could not pass it up. I have never had one. What can anyone tell me about them, light, flow, feeding, etc. Was it a good investment or not? I guess I should have asked this stuff before I bought it. Pics, as soon as I get it!

reef-nut · Apr 12, 2008

Surely, someone knows something about these????? I bought it from TEC

gastone · Apr 12, 2008

Merlettis are pretty adaptable to different conditions. Low to moderate lighting is fine and they don't like SPS flow. Nothing too distinct about them. I find them to be much hardier than wellsis.

As with most corals, start them low and gradually move them where you want them... they should be fine.

GL and take pics when they come in.

Garrett.

revhtree · Apr 12, 2008

I agree with Garrett. (gastone)

What type of lighting do you have?

Russellaqua · Apr 12, 2008

Very easy to take care of, like most brain corals. The red that TEC had is also a quite unusual color for a merletti. They are extremely adaptable to light. I've had some about 6 inches under a 150W MH bulb before with no issues, and also had them in SPS tanks, but not receiving direct flow. They're fairly slow growers like most LPS, but have a nice form to them.

reef-nut · Apr 12, 2008

revhtree said:
I agree with Garrett. (gastone)

What type of lighting do you have?

I have a 90 gallon with 4-65 watt 50/50 pc's. All my ricordea and zoos are awesome. I just added 2 branching hammers with 10 branch on one and 15 branch on the other and the 2nd day they was in there they opened up fully and are awesome. I have never had any blasto before.

revhtree · Apr 12, 2008

I think you could stand to keep this blasto up near middle to top.

Lytehouse · Apr 13, 2008

Agree with Rev. Blasto will do fine in your tank anywhere from the middle up. Will grow very slowly, however in that lighting. For any growth will need to feed them individually often.

Poseidon · Apr 13, 2008

I've found mine like to be on the sandbed with T5 lighting, higher then that and they are not happy.

So in your 90, with PC's I would stick to the top 2/3's of the tank, experiment a little bit, they are very hardy corals.

reef-nut · Apr 13, 2008

Cool pic, I hope mine looks that good.

Russellaqua · Apr 13, 2008

I saw the pics on TECs site of the red merletti you got. Very nice coral. Maybe when it gets bigger I'll have to get a few heads from you

I'm glad someone I know got it. I contemplated it myself.

Poseidon · Apr 13, 2008

Thanks! I am sure it will. Mine went through a period where it did not look good at all, as a matter of fact, I sold most of it off to other reefers where it could be happy.

Since I moved, and put it on the sand, it has been MUCH happier. I think it has doubled in polyps over the last 3 months.

reef-nut · Apr 13, 2008

I have not got it yet, but form the pics I have seen I am thinking it looks more like a wellsi than a merletti.

gastone · Apr 13, 2008

Is it these? http://totallyexoticcorals.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=11_12&products_id=2180

If so they are definitely merlettis and not wellsis. Beautiful looking specimen.

Garrett.

reef-nut · Apr 13, 2008

Yes thats it, but thats one just like it, mine looked a little bigger.

reef-nut · Apr 13, 2008

Does everyone get excited as I do about getting a new coral. I can barely sleep!

revhtree · Apr 13, 2008

LOL! You know why your excited? Cause your a REEF NUT!!

reef-nut · Apr 14, 2008

Just ask my wife, I drive her crazy. This is all I talk about. When she married me almost 10 years ago, she thought it was just a hobby that would probably pass. I told her before we got married that if she could not deal with my saltwater hobby there is the door, hit it.