Dendro Photo

[qwikcustoms]

I picked this Dendro up a few months ago . When I bought it had four heads. It has just recently start to reproduce new heads really fast. How do you frag them?? Or is it not possibel,thanks.
http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm306/qwikphoto/013-1.jpg

[dendro982]

I don't have this kind of dendrophyllia, and fragged tubastrea only, but I would let the colony grow, and after it becomes 3-5 timer larger - and frag then.
It's good, that it started to grow! Post you tank photo and filtration, when you will have time.

One of the ways to frag similar corals:
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g78/dendro982/LPS/Sun%20fragging/Feb2608fr3.jpg
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g78/dendro982/LPS/Sun%20fragging/Feb2608skel.jpg

Fragging other relatives - duncans - is here (http://blogs.frags.org/member.php?uid=4043) .
HTH

[qwikcustoms]

I was definetly going to let it at least doube or triple in size before I plan on doing anything . I really want a large colony of them as a centerpiece . I was curious as to how to frag them because the babies seem to grow out of the sides of the bigger ones . Its all soft tissue there and cant figure out how or where to cut,split . Thanks,Paul

[dendro982]

I have the different branching one, densely branching. This is how the place of division looks like (made likely during collection, not by me):
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g78/dendro982/LPS/May05_08break2.jpg
Chisel and hammer could work here as well.

Guessing here, but if the branching is sparse, as here:
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g78/dendro982/LPS/Feb2308blacksun.jpg
the whole branch could be removed, just as for candycane coral.

One more thing: some had very good experience (with no photos before and after) with fragging by Dremel. For me, it was a disaster: the blade was too shallow, and blade - and/or mandrel - teared soft tissue ragged with massive die-off in the next couple of days. Recovered, of course, but the grey necrotic tissue had to be siphoned out.
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g78/dendro982/LPS/Sun%20fragging/Feb2608fr2.jpg
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g78/dendro982/LPS/Sun%20fragging/Feb2708fr6.jpg
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g78/dendro982/LPS/Sun%20fragging/Feb2708fr7.jpg

On the photo you can see the single polyp frag. It was glued and recovered well.

But in any case, this was not Dendrophyllia.
What works for duncans and tubastreas, may or may not work doe dendrophillias. Maybe someone from their keepers chime in.

[dtaylor123]

The coral you show looks like a semi-bleached duncanopsammia and the growth you have had with it, supports that it is. Does it have a skeleton? Unless you have a system designed just for Dendronepthea, I would be cautious about having a dendro grow and thrive. Really only a hand full of people have had any success with the dendro's. I am not trying to rain on your parade and really I hope I am wrong, I am no expert. Maybe some others can chime in and confirm that your coral is or isn't a dendro. It is a very cool coral either way, I wish you the best on continued good growth.

Dan

[dendro982]

;) Both: dendrophyllia and dendronephthya are frequently shortened to dendro.

[qwikcustoms]

The bleached out color is due to my "great photo taking skills" (lol). It is actually a real nice deep orange color . It seems to be doing good so far . It eats foods up to 3/4 inch long and stays open just about all the time . It is also producing baby/offshutes.
Filtration on the system is a 40 fuge set up three zones . First zone is tank drain and mechanical area,second rubble-dark zone/third sandbed/chaeto. Centered is the return pump.
Second zone has a dark (cryptic zone) under a rock rubble zone . This area is abot 14 inches long . The dark zone is 4 inches high and has a bunch of scavenger cleanup crew in it. I have a bunch of pallys growing in the rubble zone to grab any particles that flow that way .
Third area is a 5" deep sand bed and a chaeto area . This area is fed by being teed off main drain . It also has some scavenger and sand sifters in it.
Mechanically there is a skimmer and a phos reactor . Water changes are done 2-3 times a month . I drain out the dump /settling area and refill. This equals about 5 gallons but removes a lot of settled waste . I only use filter socks when 5 stir up the main display by scrubbing glass,overflows of unwanted algae. They are removed as soon as water column is clear. I dont like the idea of all my tank water first havinfg to pass through a filter sock filled with waste in the process of decaying.
Return pump is also covered in live rock, trying to get any pods right into the pump .

I have the dendro located on a shelf/cliff area ,moderate flow and lights. Middle of tank under 2 150 m/h with actinics supplement.
Total system 105 gallons. Dendros fed daily with krill,mysis,rods food and whatever else I have. It eats anything and everything(lol). Kind of reminds me of Little Shop Of Horros ,Audrey 2.

If anyone can possitivly ID it I really appreciate it, Thanks Paul