LFS Brown Acros-- Will they color up again?

[stlcard]

Hi everyone,

new here to reef2reef. love the site. Wish i had frequented it more often as the other big forum.

My LFS has alot of Acro mini colonies. They have zero necrosis, they are just all browned out. I cant really see much color except for the base where the new encrusting growth has started. They are great sizes for the price.

Will these regain color in a new system, once they settle in? Or are they doomed forever? I have no experience reviving SPS, just LPS.

 

[BillyC]

IME you will be waiting for a long long time to color up a maricultured acro. Some will never color up at all ever. The new growth is a different story. Unless your ok with a brown coral in your tank for what seems like forever, don't do it!

 

[Rob.D]

IME you will be waiting for a long long time to color up a maricultured acro. Some will never color up at all ever. The new growth is a different story. Unless your ok with a brown coral in your tank for what seems like forever, don't do it!

I agree, I have purchased several brown mariculture acros direct from the wholesaler's and I have experienced three different results.
1. The coral stayed brown after several months.
2. The coral colored up to a drab unattractive olive green.
3. The coral was brown due to stress from AEFW's and in two such cases, I didn't bother saving the coral, they went strait in the trash. I know that sounds harsh but I have a 120 filled with SPS and a $10 acro had the potential to wipe out a tank full of SPS.

 

[chort55]

LOL.... I love brown acros. They are cheap and if they are just browned out, they usually regain color, unless they are just naturally a brown coral (which there are). You can find some serious gems in the browned out section, but you have to be careful too.... the brown could be stress from shipping, poor handling, poor water quality, LFS doesn't know what they are doing to make them happy, dipping, or pests and the last one is the real trouble maker

I say give one a try, but be sure to dip and inspect.... QT if you can and repeat dip and inspect several times a week for a few weeks to ensure there are no pests.

 

[ritter6788]

Brown acros are the bomb. Just make sure you get em cheap!



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[spspirate]

Some good TLC should bring these babies back to life. I found out that some of the maricultured corals need to be slowly acclimated and prefer parameters close to natural (reef water). I also found to give them a little more flow also.

 

[bct15]

Brown acros under the right conditions will turn a color (or multiple colors). I bought the ugliest mini colony frag that turned into one of the most gorgeous blue with green polyp acros I've ever seen. I lost it when a large anemone died in my tank killing just about everything.

Sometimes if nitrates and phosphates are high they just turn that turquoise looking color too, kind of plain looking. I think the conditions have to be right to get the type (color) of symbiotic algae you want to grow. Via parameters, light, chemistry, feeding etc

 

[Zack]

It would definitely be great to pick up an ugly brown thing from the lfs and have it turn into a beautiful show piece. Probably not the case most of the time but I guess it's kinda like gambling! I tried it with one and it just turned out to be ugly dark green... it think I'll just spend the money to get a nice super sexy frag from a vendor. Cost more, but at least I know I'm getting a piece of sexiness!

 

[CoralFragZ]

The few that I received would have colorful new growth that I would Frag and grow a new coral from. Many of them with RTN or STN for no reason. I have better success buying for other reefers that have had an established SPS tank for sometime.

 

[stlcard]

Very cool thank you guys. I appreciate the feedback. I may take a gamble if I can get the right price


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[Mr. Microscope]

It may take a few months, but browned colonies will color up given proper lighting and good stable water conditions. Good luck!

 

[stlcard]

Thanks, ill probably try one out this weekend. Ill make sure to take photos for this thread and post my results.

 

[stlcard]

Anyone have some before and after pics?


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[MattL22]

I've had mariculture do awesome for me while my tank wAs doing awesome as soon as I hit a bump alk too high too low they poo the bed

 

[JimC]

I've landed a few gems grabbing the browners. You can probably get the lfs to frag them for a great price too. Won't take up a lot of real estate while you wait for them to color up.

Good luck....

 

[chort55]

I've had mariculture do awesome for me while my tank wAs doing awesome as soon as I hit a bump alk too high too low they poo the bed

Most acros worth keeping tend to follow that rule. Digi, birdsnest and things along those lines along with alot of the older tried and true pieces can take the beating a bit better though.

 

[rossco]

Anyone have some before and after pics?

Some of you have seen this before, still my best color-up

9-17

9-17 right after fragging

9-23

10-8

10-21

11-5

12-9

1-6

1-27

3-17

 

[stlcard]

Wow. Thanks!


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[Isoprene]

Jesus that color up progression is insane, 6 months? IT looks completely different than it started! very cool.

 

[dorky]

i just brought a frag of ugly brown milli keep it up high in my tank and forgot about it after couple of weeks saw this amazing blue polyp extension that really stand out. I think it depend on the water pram. and light that will color up nicely not to mention patience.