Anthelia (waving hand coral)

[Dankrencisz]

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/24/y9are7a2.jpg

Yes? No? Maybe?

[Reefer54]

anthelia. yes.

[julie180]

Yes its anthelia. Are you asking for ID or opinion on keeping?

[Dankrencisz]

Opinions. Was told it'd take over the whole tank if not cut back.

[anbosu]

It is beautiful but really takes off in some systems. Luckily it's very easy to peel off of rocks, so you can always trade it in if you like.

[faithenfire]

it's very easy to peel off. if you want you can keep it isolated on a rock. I think it's very pretty. http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5510/12061681613_c2f0ccfb89_n.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/faithenfire/12061681613/)


http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7304/12061770364_e7c764f9d5.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/faithenfire/12061770364/)

[bobpiker]

Be careful with this stuff. It's the one coral I'd never have again. Initially, it looks beautiful...a lot of movement. However, if it takes off in your tank (some have trouble with it doing well) it will tend to grow very quickly and it does overtake anything it comes into contact with. I thought it would look good to glue a piece to the back glass of my tank and it grew like crazy and nearly covered the back of a 120 inside of a year. Sure, you can peal it off of rocks but believe me when I say it isn't easy if you have porous rocks. It's your call, but it is nearly impossible to get rid of it all...little parts always seem to grow back. If I were to try it again, I'd attach it to a rock which is completely away from all other rocks. Even then, I would remove anything that I saw begin to crop up elsewhere whenever I saw it rather than let it grow wild.

[D-Nak]

Be careful with this stuff. It's the one coral I'd never have again. Initially, it looks beautiful...a lot of movement. However, if it takes off in your tank (some have trouble with it doing well) it will tend to grow very quickly and it does overtake anything it comes into contact with. I thought it would look good to glue a piece to the back glass of my tank and it grew like crazy and nearly covered the back of a 120 inside of a year. Sure, you can peal it off of rocks but believe me when I say it isn't easy if you have porous rocks. It's your call, but it is nearly impossible to get rid of it all...little parts always seem to grow back. If I were to try it again, I'd attach it to a rock which is completely away from all other rocks. Even then, I would remove anything that I saw begin to crop up elsewhere whenever I saw it rather than let it grow wild.

+1. I would consider this a weed. Once it takes hold in the tank, it's really hard to get rid of. When removing it, or if it's inadvertently pulled off (my Flame Hawk accidentally does this when eating) if small pieces are left to float around the tank they can replant in places where it's not easy to access (back of tank, sides of rocks). So, while it may be relatively easy to peel off, removing it completely is often extremely difficult.

It's the one coral I wish I NEVER added to my tank.

[D-Nak]

It is beautiful but really takes off in some systems. Luckily it's very easy to peel off of rocks, so you can always trade it in if you like.

This coral has NO TRADE-IN VALUE, especially in my area. Furthermore, it's not permitted in frag swaps.

[Dankrencisz]

This coral has NO TRADE-IN VALUE, especially in my area. Furthermore, it's not permitted in frag swaps.


....that's where I got it from. A frag swap. I'll be taking it out of the tank when I get home. I'm still too new at this to be trying to figure out how to get rid of an overgrown weed

[D-Nak]

....that's where I got it from. A frag swap. I'll be taking it out of the tank when I get home. I'm still too new at this to be trying to figure out how to get rid of an overgrown weed

That's a good decision. Despite what others say, it really is impossible to control. I'm surprised it was allowed into a frag swap, as most if not all of the swaps in my area don't allow it because it's so invasive. Some people bring it anyway, to give away because they don't have the heart to throw it out. While the intention is good, it can actually destroy a newbies tank and will give them a false negative impression of the hobby.

[Dankrencisz]

I appreciate the input and opinions, that's why I posted it here. I'm an expert at driving a truck and delivering cryogenic nitrogen....NOT at anything reef related. I'm learning something new everyday on here so mucho gratitude to all who have responded. Glad I only spent $3 for that ball of Anthelia. Won't be so heartbroken when I yank it later.

[MondoBongo]

This coral has NO TRADE-IN VALUE, especially in my area. Furthermore, it's not permitted in frag swaps.

so it looks like this stuff is in the same family, but a different genus than Xenia.

i'm 100% with you on this one. i had two small, and i mean tiny, pieces of Xenia sp. come in on frags i bought, and i left them because they added movement to the tank. big mistake on my part.

i don't if this stuff is as invasive, but i would assume not too far off. i ended giving away a softball sized clump to my LFS for free, and fighting it in my main tank for several months.

i removed rocks, cut it, kalk pasted it, yelled at it, gave it dirty looks, and eventually i think i got it all. although i am always afraid it will show up again in some dark corner that i can't see.

it doesn't seem to need much to survive, and spread like wildfire. mine was isolated on one rock at first, but then started spitting off little sprouts that would get picked up in the water current and flung all over the tank.

i won't let this stuff near my tank now. in fact, i am really thinking that soft corals in general are just a PITA. i have a similar war going with a Capnella sp.

[Dankrencisz]

Any suggestions on something I can get to take its place? Something that's easy for a newbie like me. I've got 55w of T5 lights, so almost a watt a gallon.

[MondoBongo]

are you dosing anything or monitoring alkalinity?

i am a big fan of euphyllia. frogspawn, torch, hammer, etc...

they give you some nice movement as the float around in the current, but without the spreading.

their light demands are moderate as well, but they will uptake some calcium and alkalinity as they build their skeleton.

[Dankrencisz]

Not sure if dosing is the correct word but I'm adding Kent trace minerals and reef accelerator. As far as water testing for alkalinity...I've used a test strip from my hot tub just out of curiosity. PH was off the charts as far as pool parameters go and the Alk was up past pool parameters too. Total noob, I know but I do have test kit for ammonia and nitrates or nitrites (whichever is the bad one) :0)

[Dankrencisz]

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/25/ypeqyhut.jpg
This frogspawn?

[Dankrencisz]

Toadstool coral?

[julie180]

I made myself a dedicated anthelia holder. I got a clear plastic over the door hook and tied a rock onto it. The anthelia stayed on the rock which hung on the back of my tank. When it got to big or need trimming, I took the hook out, went outside and gave it a hair cut. It worked great. Anytime a piece got away, I would throw it out before it could take hold.
Sorry I don't have a picture, for some unknown reason, the stuff did not survive moving my tank. Whoda thunk it :)

[Fr0zEn4244]

I have this in my tank and I like it a lot. Once it gets to big you can cut it down and discard the over grown stuff, a week later its back to the same size. If you maintain it just like everything else in this hobby it will be enjoyable to look at.

[MondoBongo]

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/25/ypeqyhut.jpg
This frogspawn?

no, that's not a frogspawn.

like this:

Euphyllia paradivisa

http://cdn1.arkive.org/media/05/0561F9CE-8D92-41EF-A164-8A670CBC0946/Presentation.Large/Euphyllia-paradivisa.jpg

with these guys though you will need to pick up dedicated test kits for calcium and alkalinity.

[Dankrencisz]

The Anthelia has been removed from the tank.