Mangrove keepers. What do you reckon?

[Azedenkae]

For those who have/had mangroves, how has it turned out for you? Any unexpected benefits of mangroves you did not previously think of, but made sense once you start growing them? Any really liked them and started growing them in a bunch of tanks?

 

[Ron Reefman]

They grow slow and don't really provide much in the way of benefit to the tank. I've played with them a lot as I can get them for free just walking the beach.

 

[Azedenkae]

They grow slow and don't really provide much in the way of benefit to the tank. I've played with them a lot as I can get them for free just walking the beach.

So they kinda just act like ornaments more than anything then? XD

 

[Ron Reefman]

Exactly! And the roots get set in the sand and when you decide to pull the mangrove out of the tank, it can make a huge mess.

Now if you were doing a Florida or Caribbean tank with just local stuff, a mangrove might be cool. But you wouldn't have any expensive lap or sps corals in a local tank.

BTW, I'm just in the process of setting up a diy 40g tank I replaced 18 months ago with a new diy 90g tank. I'm going to put the 40g on the same stand and move the Rock Flower Anemones, gorgonians and a few other 'local' critters from the 90g to the 40g. That way I have more room in the 90g for lps and sps corals and the 40g will be mostly all local, since I live in SW Florida.

 

[Azedenkae]

Exactly! And the roots get set in the sand and when you decide to pull the mangrove out of the tank, it can make a huge mess.

Now if you were doing a Florida or Caribbean tank with just local stuff, a mangrove might be cool. But you wouldn't have any expensive lap or sps corals in a local tank.

BTW, I'm just in the process of setting up a diy 40g tank I replaced 18 months ago with a new diy 90g tank. I'm going to put the 40g on the same stand and move the Rock Flower Anemones, gorgonians and a few other 'local' critters from the 90g to the 40g. That way I have more room in the 90g for lps and sps corals and the 40g will be mostly all local, since I live in SW Florida.

That'd be cool. Do corals and anemones quite readily attach to mangrove roots? I heard some do? But have not really read up on it, especially in artificial tanks.

 

[Ron Reefman]

That'd be cool. Do corals and anemones quite readily attach to mangrove roots? I heard some do? But have not really read up on it, especially in artificial tanks.

My wife and I snorkel regularly in the Florida Keys and I can't say I've seen any corals or anemones attached to mangrove roots, but that doesn't mean they cant. Anemones like to attach someplace where they can retract and hide, like a hole in a rock. And the corals we see near shore were mangroves grow are all gorgonians and zoas. And so much of the mangrove root becomes exposed to the air when the tide is out, I don't think zoas would like that.

 

[Scott Ulrich]

I've had mangroves for about 14 months now, I started a dozen of them in a display refugium and they have gotten quite large. The propagules were about 12" and now they are close to 3'. I have them under some daylight grow lights and just moved them as they were hitting the ceiling where my old tank was. Once they get too big I guess I will start pruning them.

I've attached a few images of early on vs current. I'm sure they don't do as much as something like chaeto, but they have to be pulling some sort of nutrition out of the water to grow. I run vibrant so I can't do macro, so IMO mangroves are a fun alternative. I just pulled them out of the container I kept them in (2 tuperware containers zip tied together with holes in the top and sand in the bottom). The roots had started to grow together and I'm going to try and get them more established in a sand bed. I think the key to success is keeping the salt water level well below the growth part / leaves of the propagule.

Good luck,
Scot

 

[Azedenkae]

I've had mangroves for about 14 months now, I started a dozen of them in a display refugium and they have gotten quite large. The propagules were about 12" and now they are close to 3'. I have them under some daylight grow lights and just moved them as they were hitting the ceiling where my old tank was. Once they get too big I guess I will start pruning them.

I've attached a few images of early on vs current. I'm sure they don't do as much as something like chaeto, but they have to be pulling some sort of nutrition out of the water to grow. I run vibrant so I can't do macro, so IMO mangroves are a fun alternative. I just pulled them out of the container I kept them in (2 tuperware containers zip tied together with holes in the top and sand in the bottom). The roots had started to grow together and I'm going to try and get them more established in a sand bed. I think the key to success is keeping the salt water level well below the growth part / leaves of the propagule.

Good luck,
Scot

Wow. That is some growth alright. Yeah, I agree. Whether little or a lot, they must be pulling out some nutrients for such growth to occur. Have you seen mangrove 'seeds' grown on any of your trees?

 

[Scott Ulrich]

Have you seen mangrove 'seeds' grown on any of your trees?

Not yet, I'd assume that maybe they'd need to be a few years old to get seeds.

I picked them up off of e-bay for pretty cheap (under $20 for 12) and they were shipped in damp paper towels.

 

[Azedenkae]

Not yet, I'd assume that maybe they'd need to be a few years old to get seeds.

I picked them up off of e-bay for pretty cheap (under $20 for 12) and they were shipped in damp paper towels.

I do have a soft spot for mangroves lol, coming from Australia. We are always taught to, if we find any mangrove propagules or whatever they are called (can't remember anymore) washed up on shore, that we should stick it into the sand. With everyone doing that, at least some may survive and then a portion may be the start of new mangrove forests, something we always needed more of.

Kinda want to grab some again.