Dendronephthya & Scleronephthya aquaculture

ScottR · Aug 11, 2019

najer said:
They get fed once a day but I have an engineer goby so there are bits in the water column.
I feed frozen once a day also which has lots of fine bits in.
I have 4 different gorgs, all nps.

Sounds nice. I really love sea fans. Especially if they’re multicolored.

Dr. Dendrostein · Aug 11, 2019

NY_Caveman said:
Love the new name, Dr.

I'm salvaging parts, for my Grand Master Piece as we speak. Heeee

Dr. Dendrostein · Aug 11, 2019

Before of R2D2

Dr. Dendrostein · Aug 11, 2019

Today R2D2
stems,stalk, look normal. Just no polyps yet, only color of polyps on the ends

Sm51498 · Aug 11, 2019

I've been gathering research on dendronephthya to support my own attempt at trying to keep these animals. I found an interesting study here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1978301916301589

It surveyed the bacterial colonies present on the coral once a week for four weeks in captivity and compared that to freshly collected specimens. The result I found compelling was that the numbers of actinobacteria plummeted in captivity to near 0 (not detected) from significant numbers. This type of bacteria is known to often create compounds which protect against pathogens.

Could our corals be losing their natural defense against disease and die as a result of that? This would certainly explain why even well fed specimens perish. The problem then is, what do we do about that? I'm still formulating a plan of attack.

Dr. Dendrostein · Aug 11, 2019

Sm51498 said:
I've been gathering research on dendronephthya to support my own attempt at trying to keep these animals. I found an interesting study here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1978301916301589

It surveyed the bacterial colonies present on the coral once a week for four weeks in captivity and compared that to freshly collected specimens. The result I found compelling was that the numbers of actinobacteria plummeted in captivity to near 0 (not detected) from significant numbers. This type of bacteria is known to often create compounds which protect against pathogens.

Could our corals be losing their natural defense against disease and die as a result of that? This would certainly explain why even well fed specimens perish. The problem then is, what do we do about that? I'm still formulating a plan of attack.

Funny you mention that paper, I was reading it a few hours back.
Almost 2 years since I began my research again on dendronephthya and scleronephthya colonies. I have every rock these corals came on that perished. It reminds me , to keep trying. Anyway, I've read most papers and articles that I think were useful to aquaculture of these specimens. And ALL them was missing one piece of the puzzle, I might of found, by trial and error. I'm still testing but very promising. In one forum, that had a dendronephthya study group, one member could keep them thriving for 3 years, till her house burned down. She did nothing special, even used tap water, she could not determine her success, but I could see it. Read the last 25% of this thread, to see what I've found so far.
Keep in touch

Dr. Dendrostein · Aug 11, 2019

You mentioned

Could our corals be losing their natural defense against disease and die as a result of that? This would certainly explain why even well fed specimens perish. The problem then is, what do we do about that? I'm still formulating a plan of attack.

My opinion is, they are hardy. They live by polluted harbors, in heavy metal waters. And thrive. We just can't duplicate the ocean exact. So we need to think outside the box.

Dr. Dendrostein · Aug 12, 2019

Red chili cactus coral in refug....
Trying reach to the stars
Im going to sleep

Dr. Dendrostein · Aug 12, 2019

Don't say i don't share. Tonites pic

User1 · Aug 12, 2019

The orange fella's on the bottom are sun corals, right? Or at least they look like Tubastraea's.

Dr. Dendrostein · Aug 12, 2019

R2D2 was very sick when i got him. Now they're doing lot better.

Dr. Dendrostein · Aug 12, 2019

saf1 said:
The orange fella's on the bottom are sun corals, right? Or at least they look like Tubastraea's.

I also have black tree type

User1 · Aug 12, 2019

Dr. Dendrostein said:
I also have black tree type

Those are good mat of them. I have a darker area or area under a ledge that I'm considering getting some. Less light, ledge, and easy to spot feed. Strongly considering them. That patch there is why. Nice photo.

Dr. Dendrostein · Aug 12, 2019

saf1 said:
Those are good mat of them. I have a darker area or area under a ledge that I'm considering getting some. Less light, ledge, and easy to spot feed. Strongly considering them. That patch there is why. Nice photo.

I lost some 8mo. ago came from Australia, tree black cup coral. Tentacles were neon green 1/3 of the way. Really nice. One of the black tree cup corals I have, good size .

This one in photo was really nice. I don't think I'll see this type for awhile

ScottR · Aug 12, 2019

Dr. Dendrostein said:
I lost some 8mo. ago came from Australia, tree black cup coral. Tentacles were neon green 1/3 of the way. Really nice. One of the black tree cup corals I have, good size .

This one in photo was really nice. I don't think I'll this type for awhile

Those have some nice branching. Makes feeding a bit easier.