Can you tell me what you know about a Kenya Tree

[angelfan]

I have just recently purchased a kenya tree and it dosn't seem to be very happy. It has not lost any color and still seems to be all right but it droops down to the substrate whether the light is on or off. I put it in the shadiest area I could but it hasn't helped and my water is fine.
I can't find it in my marine inverts book but I seem to remember seeing it somewhere and thought it was easy to care for if well fed and not over illuminated with mod to high currents.
Am I correct or did I make a mistake with this purchase?
Any input is much appreciated THANKS:biggrin:

[marie]

It could just be still acclimating itself to your tank. I've found them to be very hardy and quite prolific

[VFX]

I agree with Marie & think it maybe just acclimatising.

The only problem I had with these were with it out growing my tank & causing other corals to recede.

Good job it's easy to frag! :)

It needs medium level lighting & medium flow so keeping it to shaded areas may not really help it unless you have strong lighting ( I had it about 3-4 inches away from the water surface with 4 x 36w T5's)

If you can't find it in your inverts book it may be because it's often referred to as Cauliflower Coral or Capnella Sp.

.

[angelfan]

I hope your right, its so colorful(BRIGHT pink)!!! Although, I think I might keep it in the shady area as it is under a 250w MH
Thanks again for your ideas and happy reefing!

[angelfan]

I agree with Marie & think it maybe just acclimatising.

The only problem I had with these were with it out growing my tank & causing other corals to recede.

Good job it's easy to frag! :)

It needs medium level lighting & medium flow so keeping it to shaded areas may not really help it unless you have strong lighting ( I had it about 3-4 inches away from the water surface with 4 x 36w T5's)

If you can't find it in your inverts book it may be because it's often referred to as Cauliflower Coral or Capnella Sp.

.

Just found as cauliflower coral. Thank you very much as I thought it was a "tree coral" (Scleronephthya spp.) which it states in my reference as "Essentially impossible to keep" and when that is the case I don't like to purchase them. Glad it's not:smile:

[bv_reefer]

they are very hardy and appreciate a good amount amount of flow(mines 2'' from a koralia 3), they grow decent, and as for light they seem to get used to intense and low light very good.

[angelfan]

thanks again :smile:

[Black Phantom]

Try this link. It will help

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=597+600+652&pcatid=652

[angelfan]

It's still bent over but it is sprouting off the bend. This is making me think that maybe it simply cracked the stem in transport. Thanks for the help, it looks good now:biggrin:

[Doo]

Angelfan, does yours look like the one in the link??
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...652&pcatid=652

if so where did you get it :)

take care!

[angelfan]

link won't open page:sad: how else can i see pic?

[angelfan]

Found it and it looks nothing alike. Although it resembles http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=597+2341+2512+2548&pcatid=2548 except it has less tiny branches and it is a brighter pink. It was sold to me as a kenya tree but I'm not positive on what it is. I got it from Blue World Aquariums in Edmonton..... my favorite place for livestock hands down. Soon if all goes as planned I will post some pics and start offering frags:biggrin:

[Myka]

Can you post a pic of yours?

[angelfan]

I'm buying a camera today so I will most likely have some pics later today or tomorrow:smile:

[angelfan]

I can't even figure out how to put a pic in a reply but it is now in my slideshow if you want to see it. It curves up sometimes and just lays down others, but its growing:smile:

[midgetwaiter]

Found it and it looks nothing alike. Although it resembles http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=597+2341+2512+2548&pcatid=2548 except it has less tiny branches and it is a brighter pink. It was sold to me as a kenya tree but I'm not positive on what it is. I got it from Blue World Aquariums in Edmonton..... my favorite place for livestock hands down. Soon if all goes as planned I will post some pics and start offering frags:biggrin:

I'm guessing that we're talking about the coral in the top right of your full tank shot?

You were pretty close in your Scleronephthya spp. guess but I am 90% sure it's a Dendronephthyla. I feel confident in saying this because of the colour on the body of the coral. Most of the things commonly called Colt or Kenya Tree (Capnella, Nephthea, Stereonepthya and Cladiella) have white bodies and occasionally coloured polyps but usually brown. The coloured bodies are usually either dendronephthyla or scleronephthya, given how far it is slumped over and the fact that it is much more common in the trade a dendro is most likely. The swelling you mistook for growth (common mistake) is a good indicator as well.

You can do a web search for info on keeping dendros but not many people have had success. It is an azooxanthellate coral which means it doesn't rely on light at all for nutrition, it has to catch all of it's food and this means a very specific type of setup.

There was a good article in Reef Keeping recently:
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-02/feature/index.php

Given the totally wrong id, I'd try and return it.

[angelfan]

Thanks, I might just try to return it as he told me it was a pink Kenya tree which is easy to care for. Also, will it feed on my clam, xenia, duster food? I'm using Pohl's Zeovit.

[midgetwaiter]

Thanks, I might just try to return it as he told me it was a pink Kenya tree which is easy to care for. Also, will it feed on my clam, xenia, duster food? I'm using Pohl's Zeovit.

I'm not very experienced with the zeovit stuff, somebody else can probably give a better answer but if you mean Zeofood7 then I think so.

The problem isn't so much what to feed as it is getting a sufficient concentration of it to the coral without overloading the tank. One thing that would probably work is cutting the bottom off of a pop bottle and putting it over the coral when you feed it. Squirting the food in the bottle will allow you to concentrate it there without adding tons of it to the tank.

Also one quick note, if you are trying to feed this to your xenia you probably won't get much out of it. Xenia doesn't really eat, it gets it's nutrition from zooanthelle in it's tissue via photosynthesis and direct nutrient uptake from the water. It's autotrophic (gets carbon from photosynthesis), the opposite of your heterotrophic (gets carbon from food) dendro.

[angelfan]

I don't target feed so at least I'm not wasting time on the xenia but I will definitely use your bottle idea.
Thanks again for your suggestions

Greg

[Myka]

This is why I asked for a pic...I was VERY suspicious that it was a Dendronepthya. It definately looks like one to me too. Good luck with it...you'll be fighting an uphill battle, and you will likely pollute your tank trying to feed it. Watch for algae blooms in your tank. :)

[angelfan]

This is why I asked for a pic...I was VERY suspicious that it was a Dendronepthya. It definately looks like one to me too. Good luck with it...you'll be fighting an uphill battle, and you will likely pollute your tank trying to feed it. Watch for algae blooms in your tank. :)

AAAAAAHHHHHHH That's it im taking back. Everything in my tank is doing great and I don't want to mess it up. Also if Dendros are so impossible to keep they should not be purchased and taken out of the ocean. (Unless you know what your doing and have a specific set-up.) Thank you everyone for the help and proper ID's. Next time I will make sure I know what I'm buying! regardless of what they say it is.

[BC564]

I know I added one to my tank about 3 months ago...and now I have probably 20....anyone in calgary area want one?

[angelfan]

I know I added one to my tank about 3 months ago...and now I have probably 20....anyone in calgary area want one?

A PINK DENDRO? HOW? What do you feed it. Mines actually not a kenya tree as I was told as no hot pink trees exist.

[BC564]

The original one grew quite large....then the top branches actaully break off or spin off....and then land somewhere else and grow.....its quite crazy.
Feed them fish poop......lol....I use a turkey baster about 2-3 times a week and blow off the rocks and accumulation piles......then on the last one for that week I do a 10% water change and filter change......

Once a week(when I remember) I feed tank with Coral Frenzy

Oh...I dont know if its a Pink Dendro......

[Myka]

Also if Dendros are so impossible to keep they should not be purchased and taken out of the ocean.

There are lots of corals and fish that (I believe) should not be taken from the ocean due to nearly impossible requirments, but they still are. :(

[angelfan]

There are lots of corals and fish that (I believe) should not be taken from the ocean due to nearly impossible requirments, but they still are. :(
It's sad but true.