Goniopora

[adamsfour]

This is a repost with right category

One of my favorite coral is Goniopora. But I never have much success. They look awesome for a while then one day they stop opening and I know within a week it’s gone. All my other corals look great. I try spot feeding, different take location, and flow. But they always end up dead after a few weeks or in rare occasions months. Any treats?

 

[Nate Chalk]

What's your parameters for the tank

Alk
Calcium
Magnesium
Phosphate
Nitrate

Lighting as well with par if possible.

How old is the tank?

You gotta give information if you want us to help

 

[adamsfour]

Alk 10.5
Cal 410
Mag 1275
Nitrate .1
Phos .02

 

[WetPringleChip]

It is one of my favs too. For around a year or two I couldnt get them to live either. Once I became super strict on keeping consistent water params of the major 3, alongside not blasting light I got my first that stuck. The thing that I think also majorly helped was that a lot of shops sell cut to order. That is the biggest bs Ive ever heard of. 200 bucks for a cut to order frag? It takes weeks to heal then it readjusts and encrusts. I highly recommend a buyer that allows for the frag to not only heal but to encrust. Shipping a fresh cut frag thats already stressed is the perfect recipe for stn to turn into rtn.

 

[Nate Chalk]

Thanks for parameters.

From my success, and the suggestion of others, I will say higher magnesium 1500+. Higher nutrients.

Lower light definitely helps with polyps extension.

Mine on bottom middle struggle vs ones in corners.

Happy is corner

This was too much light moved to overhang and doing better now.

 

[Pistondog]

Nutrients are low, raise po4 to 0,07 to 0.12.
, no3 to 5ppm or more
Also dose manganese daily.
The ora red is easiest for me.

 

[Glenner’sreef]

Let me take this down another path. I had a similar experience years ago. It was very frustrating to say the least. That tank at the time was not established, maybe 6 months old. And also it was a mixed reef. Lots of softies. Sinularius, Toadstool leathers, mushrooms etc. soft corals are known for and are notorious for spewing out toxins when another coral soft or not merely touches them. I quickly learned that soft coral toxins can’t be seen or tested for. I remember my daughter purchasing a beautiful large perfect Goni for Father’s Day. It never completely opened. Arrrg! Shortly thereafter I upgraded my 120g tank and upon doing so, I swore not only to cut way back on softies but the ones I wanted would be separated from any other corals. The next Goniopora survived and flourished. I have three presently. Good luck.

 

[adamsfour]

It is one of my favs too. For around a year or two I couldnt get them to live either. Once I became super strict on keeping consistent water params of the major 3, alongside not blasting light I got my first that stuck. The thing that I think also majorly helped was that a lot of shops sell cut to order. That is the biggest bs Ive ever heard of. 200 bucks for a cut to order frag? It takes weeks to heal then it readjusts and encrusts. I highly recommend a buyer that allows for the frag to not only heal but to encrust. Shipping a fresh cut frag thats already stressed is the perfect recipe for stn to turn into rtn.

Awesome advice. Thanks.

Let me take this down another path. I had a similar experience years ago. It was very frustrating to say the least. That tank at the time was not established, maybe 6 months old. And also it was a mixed reef. Lots of softies. Sinularius, Toadstool leathers, mushrooms etc. soft corals are known for and are notorious for spewing out toxins when another coral soft or not merely touches them. I quickly learned that soft coral toxins can’t be seen or tested for. I remember my daughter purchasing a beautiful large perfect Goni for Father’s Day. It never completely opened. Arrrg! Shortly thereafter I upgraded my 120g tank and upon doing so, I swore not only to cut way back on softies but the ones I wanted would be separated from any other corals. The next Goniopora survived and flourished. I have three presently. Good luck.

interesting maybe some rearranging is in order.

 

[javireef]

As the comments before, my experience with Gonios have been like a carreer, first rounds you are learning and experimenting with those corals. Because nobody has the same experiences and with so many species around, you need to practice trying to keep those as best you can. I lost some pieces because changes in parameters or even the typical: It was so beutiful the first or second month and then from one day to another it was closing and therefore dying. Anyway, now i dose manganse every day (triton 0.4ml each day), iodine (one drop daily of nyos iodine), and aminoacids (aqua vitro fuel - twice a week - 50% of recommended dosage for 276l aprox) and try to feed those once a week with ocean nutrition reef pulse and sometimes feeding the fishes with easymasstick). With these steps i am now very happy because my gonios are thriving and growing correctly. Regarding light and flow, i noted that they like more low-mid PAR ranges and medium flow (not too much), just to move their polyps from one side to another.