Elegance placement

[Blue Meg]

I just got a new Aussie elegance. I’ve got it about an inch above the substrate on some rocks. There isn’t much near it except for some cheaper zoas. My only problem is that the stony part actually looks like a taco and is a bit odd from the front of the tank. Another elegance would be a bit too much to block the taco look due to expansion. Is there any coral that could handle the area such as a monti, echinata, or favia? I’m guessing that I just need to find a small, but pretty rock.

Also, how far do you think a fully expanded bubble should be from an elegance? I could put one in the area, but there would be around 3” in space.

Finally, it’s in a low current area. The tips move some, but not a lot. Is that too slow of a flow?

 

[Tahoe61]

I would put it in the sand bed.

 

[Blue Meg]

I’d put it in the sand bed, but the coral skeleton is shaped in a way that would require a much deeper sand bed to stay upright. It is close to the bed in terms of depth.

 

[uhgster1]

Mine sits in the sand up front. If it’s happy you won’t see the skeleton at all. This one’s is a flat cone also and the body expands about 4 times the size of it.

 

[Blue Meg]

The real problem I have is that the skeleton is inisual. I probably have an inch to an inch and a half of substrate and the skereton is really in the shape of a thin taco. The coral looks great, but I’m not sure the substrate would support the shape unless u positioned some rocks to stabilize it. As it is now, it’s only about 1 to 1.5 inches above on a rocky area that keeps it secure.

The other thing I was curious about is some compatible corals close by. I can add a bubble coral, but I am worried about a 3.5 inch distance when both are in the same vacinity.

 

[Syed123]

The real problem I have is that the skeleton is inisual. I probably have an inch to an inch and a half of substrate and the skereton is really in the shape of a thin taco. The coral looks great, but I’m not sure the substrate would support the shape unless u positioned some rocks to stabilize it. As it is now, it’s only about 1 to 1.5 inches above on a rocky area that keeps it secure.

The other thing I was curious about is some compatible corals close by. I can add a bubble coral, but I am worried about a 3.5 inch distance when both are in the same vacinity.

That distance is fine. I have a bubble coral near both an elegance and plate coral. About 2 inches between the corals is okay. Bubbles do have sweepers so if you can, keep the elegance low on the sand bed and the bubble coral on a rock above it.

 

[homer1475]

Elegance grow in the sand in the wild, this is the reason for the conical shape to their skeleton. They lay their polyps over the sand. Their sharp skeletons(like most LPS) cannot be whipped around or allowed to lay their polyps over their skeletons. It's a good way to cut the polyps and allow an infection in.

 

[Rajil]

My big boy is now big enough to be off the sand bed, and honestly would take up too much room on it. First year it was on the sand bed, but thankfully its heavy enough not to be knocked off its perch.

 

[User1]

I've always had mine on the sand and they thrived. I've also read that is their normal location along with dirtier or heavier nutrient rich waters.

 

[Ascended Reef]

Mine is on the sand bed but the flesh extends onto a rock so its like in an upward position.

 

[Blue Meg]

I could probably get a larger frag disk and mount the elegance to it. Then I could put the frag disk in the sand. The thing just won't stand up by itself and I don't think I have quite enough sand to keep it in position. In any event, it seems pretty happy right now and I adjusted my current so that it hits it periodically.

 

[Rajil]

I could probably get a larger frag disk and mount the elegance to it. Then I could put the frag disk in the sand. The thing just won't stand up by itself and I don't think I have quite enough sand to keep it in position. In any event, it seems pretty happy right now and I adjusted my current so that it hits it periodically.

Yeah mine has been everywhere and doesn't seem to mind much. It even has a crab that lives in it and a blenny that lives under it.