Kenya Tree - Spreading like wildfire...

[nubomb]

I've had one Kenya Tree in my tank for the past 10 months. It has grown very well, probably has tripled in size.

Over the past couple of weeks, I've noticed small branches sprouting up all over my tank and taking root to my live rock wherever they land.

Is this normal? It's almost like the main tree is sheding some of it's branches?

[skeeter-doc]

yes it is very normal and means you have good water conditions for this coral to thrive in

this is why some refer to it as Kenya weed coral

[Travis L. Stevens]

Yes, that's normal. And yes, that's what is happening. Kenya Trees and a few other corals possess the ability to drop off a little branch, and it will quickly attach elsewhere and grow a new one.

[Appaloosa1224]

mine does that as well. as they start growing watch your alkalinity as they will deplete it.

[skeeter-doc]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10557657#post10557657 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Appaloosa1224
mine does that as well. as they start growing watch your alkalinity as they will deplete it.

really? I never heard/knew of that; any idea why?

[LeslieP]

I sometimes find my kenya babies stuck to snail or hermit shells - pretty funny. They are great for trading and getting credit at your LFS

[Travis L. Stevens]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10557716#post10557716 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by skeeter-doc
really? I never heard/knew of that; any idea why?
It's not just Kenya Tree, but all soft corals. Alkalinity is the measurement of the hardness of the water which measures carbonate. Soft Corals lack a skeleton, thus don't use calcium. Instead, they use carbonate. This is a small reason why two part additives come in Calcium and Alkalinity. The main reason is that you can't mix the two 2-Parts, but that's besides the point ;) :D

[Ocean Image]

On the subject of Kenya Tree corals...I have a very nice green colony. It appears to have very fine feeding or "sweeper" tentacles. They are about 10" in length (as large as the colony), very fine and thread like, each appears to come from a single polyp, about 4 on the whole colony, and retract rapidly when touched.

Has anyone else witnessed this??

[Travis L. Stevens]

Sounds like you have a couple Purse Jellies (Coeloplana sp.) using it as a perch to feed on.

http://www.imagequest3d.com/catalogue/ctenophores/images/h097_jpg.jpg
http://www.deu.edu.tr/userweb/lcavas/resimler/1a.jpg

[Ocean Image]

Exactly! I'll have to look into them. They don't appear to harm anything.

Thanks for the reply!!

I just found this other picture showing a close up of the body
http://www.starfish.ch/Fotos/comb-jellies-Rippenquallen/Coeloplana-sp-4.jpg