Elegance coral, growth rate?

Halal Hotdog · May 23, 2018

I have recently acquired a beautiful elegance coral that has been in a private tank for two years. Currently it is the size of a soft ball. I searched online, but cannot seem to find a growth rate for these guys. I have found individuals that state "it has doubled in size since I got it", but don't state when they got it

. From what I am reading, it seems like these guys may be fast growers.

I am debating moving it to a spot with no other corals near by, in case there is exponential growth.

mta_morrow · May 23, 2018

Following to see the answers as well. This is one of my favorite corals and I am looking forward to getting one some day.

Syed123 · May 23, 2018

Halal Hotdog said:
I have recently acquired a beautiful elegance coral that has been in a private tank for two years. Currently it is the size of a soft ball. I searched online, but cannot seem to find a growth rate for these guys. I have found individuals that state "it has doubled in size since I got it", but don't state when they got it . From what I am reading, it seems like these guys may be fast growers.

I am debating moving it to a spot with no other corals near by, in case there is exponential growth.

I can give some personal experience. I acquired mine back 6 years ago. The mother colony has grown quite a bit. I would say at least 3-4 inches more. Yeah that's it. BUT my Elegance is growing outward laying down new skeleton which are more like individual frags. Each of these has been splitting off the main mother colony at some point. I pretty much have the mother colony and 5 frags (at one point I had more but gave a few away). I think my Elegance has been putting most of it's energy fragging itself then actually growing tbh.

First Image is back in 2012. It was in a 30 gallon 2 foot tank.

Second Image was back in 2015. It was in 90 gallon 4 foot tank.

Syed123 · May 23, 2018

Current Pics. It's in a 120 gallon 4 foot tank.

Halal Hotdog · May 23, 2018

Syed, how long would you estimate it took for the mother colony to start producing buds? I did read in another thread about this behavior being linked to stress. Any signs of stress on the coral before it started producing buds?

BTW your elegance is a beaut

Syed123 · May 24, 2018

It produces new buds every few months. They split off randomly after that. Don't think the coral has ever been stressed. It just likes to make new frags. My guess is that it has a surplus of energy to make new buds and the environment in the tank is suitable for this.

Retro Reefer · May 24, 2018

I had a nice one back in the 80’s.. it was in my tank for over ten years and grew from about 3” to over 8”, my lighting was less than ideal in terms of par but quality of the lighting was the best available in fluorescent tubes at the time I was running 80/20 blue and white lighting using Philips O3’s mixed with HO daylight bulbs.

Halal Hotdog · May 24, 2018

Retro Reefer said:
I had a nice one back in the 80’s.. it was in my tank for over ten years and grew from about 3” to over 8”, my lighting was less than ideal in terms of par but quality of the lighting was the best available in fluorescent tubes at the time I was running 80/20 blue and white lighting using Philips O3’s mixed with HO daylight bulbs.

Did it ever produce buds that split off? The magenta striations are stunning.

Retro Reefer · May 25, 2018

It never budded probably didn’t receive enough energy from the lighting I was using at the time.

Halal Hotdog · May 25, 2018

Anyone else have experience of budding?

For how beautiful these corals are, not sure why they are so relatively inexpensive. My LFS sells a 5" fully extended elegance for $40-50.

Syed123 · May 25, 2018

Halal Hotdog said:
Anyone else have experience of budding?

For how beautiful these corals are, not sure why they are so relatively inexpensive. My LFS sells a 5" fully extended elegance for $40-50.

Maybe they are cheap cause they have a high mortality rate? I mean the current livestock of Indo Elegance have a high death rate. Australian Elegances have a better chance at survival but they they can be hit or miss. I tried an Australian and it died while my current Elegance is still thriving. Both were in the same tank too.

Ask the LFS where their Elegance are sourced from. Avoid Indonesian ones.

Halal Hotdog · Jun 12, 2018

I have noticed after feeding the elegance expands quite a bit. Can't tell if mine is happy the other times though. Impressive how much it can shrink up. I have raised my alk recently and think that may have annoyed some of the coral. Anyone else have experience with these guys budding?

Rispa · Jun 12, 2018

No experience with budding, but in the time I've had mine (about a month) it has definitely gotten larger. It started with one mouth, but grew and developed another mouth with a third still forming. The tank is fed mysis daily and it likely can snag at least one a day, so that may be a contributing factor.

@Syed123 I really love the tank shot you posted with the pyramid butterfly fish.

Syed123 · Jun 12, 2018

Rispa said:
No experience with budding, but in the time I've had mine (about a month) it has definitely gotten larger. It started with one mouth, but grew and developed another mouth with a third still forming. The tank is fed mysis daily and it likely can snag at least one a day, so that may be a contributing factor.

@Syed123 I really love the tank shot you posted with the pyramid butterfly fish.

Thanks

Yeah the pyramid butterfly's are pretty neat. Only butterfly species I would ever put and risk in a reef. Used to harrass my Elegance and rip its tenticles off. Only coral they have ever bothered. Dunno why. They randomly stopped a few months ago which was a relief for the elegance and improved their look.

Rispa · Jul 1, 2018

@Syed123 is yours conical shaped at the bottom?

Syed123 · Jul 1, 2018

Rispa said:
@Syed123 is yours conical shaped at the bottom?

Yep the mother colony is conical shaped. The daughters are smooth bottomed. Once they start gaining new heads they become more rectangular shaped.

Rispa · Jul 1, 2018

Syed123 said:
Yep the mother colony is conical shaped. The daughters are smooth bottomed. Once they start gaining new heads they become more rectangular shaped.

Whenever it is convenient do you mind posting pics?

Syed123 · Jul 1, 2018

Sure thing. Once I'm back home I will.

Syed123 · Jul 4, 2018

Here are some pics of the mother colony and the daughter colonies. If you notice on the far left, the smallest one is slightly bleached due to being buried by one of my fish. That is the newest bud.