Undata care question

b4tn · Jan 30, 2019

I have had this Jedi mind trick coral for several years. The frag I got initially nearly died off from what I thought was excessive light and I fragged 3 small 1/4 of your pinky nail sized chips that still had color and glued them to a rock. I placed the rock on the bottom of my 24” deep tank directly under an ocean revive light that’s 12” off the surface running 65% blue and 45% white. It grew and has even grown way over the edges of the rock to what it looks like now. But it has never looked like the pictures I have found online. I never see the red polys extend. Just red smear looking dots and It is more of a pale green not a bright green although the purple edges are pretty bright.

So I’m reading tonight that Undata requires intense light from 300-450 par to thrive and show color. That it will pale if not getting enough light.

https://vividaquariums.com/products/jedi-mind-trick-undata

I have always thought this was a low light coral? Should I move it up closer to the light?

This is about 5” across and 3” deep

DSC reef · Jan 30, 2019

I never measured par in our 75 gallon but I can imagine I was getting over 300. We ran a current 150 watt DE 20k halide with 4 T5 2x blue plus and 2x actinic. Fixture was 8"-10" above the tank. That specific coral grew very fast. This was a colony that was in the tank.

DSC reef · Jan 30, 2019

The colony was grown from about a 3" frag glued on top of a rock. I will say it browned out for a while then gained color and exploded.

jda · Jan 30, 2019

First, are you sure that it is 100% legit Jedi Mind trick and not a wild or AQ knockoff? Does yours have lineage back to Steve Tyree or the OG source? This can be important since people started to collect and sell look-alike montis back in the day when the value went up, but some will never look as good as the original no matter what you do.

I find the Mind Trick to be quite easy at any level. 250 to 1000 PAR will work, IMO. Full spectrum from UV to IR will be the best.

b4tn · Jan 31, 2019

jda said:
First, are you sure that it is 100% legit Jedi Mind trick and not a wild or AQ knockoff? Does yours have lineage back to Steve Tyree or the OG source? This can be important since people started to collect and sell look-alike montis back in the day when the value went up, but some will never look as good as the original no matter what you do.

I find the Mind Trick to be quite easy at any level. 250 to 1000 PAR will work, IMO. Full spectrum from UV to IR will be the best.

@jda I think you are on to something. I picked it up from a local reefer in a trade but I dont think this is a Jedi Mind Trick or an undata. I did some searching and think it is a Montipora Confusa.

http://www.reeffarmers.com/limitedmontiporaconfusa.htm

jda · Jan 31, 2019

Lots of people have chased color and growth patterns only to find out later that they probably had a knockoff. It really sucks, so it is a good idea to start here. You see it a lot with GARF Bonsai which is better than the generic bonsai, lots of encrusting montis, now with Walt Disney and a bunch of others.

For example, the OG superman Monti that was first out (when expensive and rare) is exceptional... but the dozen look-a-likes are disappointing on a scale from "almost as good" to "just plain horrible." The knock offs have ruined the reputation of this coral even though the real-deal with true lineage is quite outstanding and would be a prize for most folks.

People will misname the different types of encrusting Montipora- this is not a big deal and quit common. Most of the ones called M. Danae are not really Danae. A Jedi Mind trick can be the same species, but without the electric rim, then it is just not right.