"Candy Cane" Coral

[rocco134]

This particular piece has about 12 heads on it.

i bought it on Sunday and have noticed that since then, the heads are starting to space apart. at the lfs, the heads were all really close together and touching.

Is it normal for them to do this?

[Eyford01]

They can expand and retract the fleshy parts and this is normal, mine close up at night time and expand in the light or sometimes when I feed, they also retract when touched or unhappy for whatever reason like a change in water quality or being in a new tank

[Marlin65]

The heads will split and grow apart as it grows then each of those will split again. I have a piece with about 150+ heads and growing.

[ScubaSteve]

Biggest thing to look for with Candy Canes is tissue recession, that's when you know something is wrong. Mine was receding like crazy in mmy biocube so I put it in my other tank with halides and it has 4 new heads in 2 weeks. So maybe try putting it closer to your light if it is unhappy. Give it some time though as it is still getting adjusted to your tank.

[rocco134]

i dont think it is unhappy... it looks really good..color is great and lighting should be enough (under my halides in the upper half of the tank). it just seems like the "branches" are moving away from each other. I have noticed though that some of the heads are starting to "part" ( what looks like 2 centers on one "elongated" head.)

[ScubaSteve]

I can't explain why the branches seem to be moving as they are hard branches. The heads may not be expanding as much so it looks that way, but really the branches can't move. Make sure they aren'tgetting too much flow maybe? As for the parting heads, that is how they split and grow new heads.

[rocco134]

thanks Steve!!

lol... i dint think the branches were moving:lol:. and he isn't in any direct flow. considering how "young" the coral is to my tank.. maybe i am getting a head of myself and am seeing it adjust to a new environment .. i will keep a close eye on it.