Acropora spathulata

[minus9]

I've had this little guy for a long time. He started as a brown nub in my 22g, been stung by other acros, a favia, heavy metal contamination, low nutrients, you name it. Grew some, died back, but always hanging on somehow. After getting everything sorted in my 90g and after starting to dose SpsEvo and flatworm stop, it's finally starting to take off.

 

[drawman]

I don’t think they turn brown for any reason other than reefer error, they are generally stunning corals. But acclimating them to led especially after being shipped over seas and tanked a few times possibly and then dragged and sold is going to be a long process. Generally it’s best to get them right when they are shipped over or after they have sat in a tank for a while and you can tell they are healthy. Then the best way to keep them is under really good bright halides and no need to acclimate. T5 will do too if you have a lot. I think most people have trouble because they are getting already stressed corals.

I've seen WWC sell frags of several different variants. This is totally the way I would go rather than get a wild one. Agree with everyone you can tell by their growth that they can take a lot of flow.

 

[minus9]

I actually bought mine from vivid, it was in their brown out section. It was a combo of brown with a little green. I probably paid $10 or $15 for it at the time.

 

[Softhammer]

After nearly 2 decades I am finally having success with an Australian Spathulata. Came to me blue like the original picture and changed to this crazy vibrant yellow. It did nothing for 6+ months but is now encrusting nicely. Probably have had it for a year now. Keep under Hydra 52HD cranked all the way up but not crazy blue, I like a whiter spectrum by comparison and flow is massive, 20 second full power surge from a gyre 3k in addition to 4 pulsing tunze, 2 6105s and 2 6055s I think. Tough coral for sure. Once acclimated there’s no such thing as too much flow or light. These things live in a literal jacuzzi tub in the wild!

 

[Graffiti Spot]

Post a pic softhammer, I would love to see how it’s changed colors.

 

[Graffiti Spot]

Here are two of mine that I have had luck with so far. One is a green/orange variant and the other is the green purple and pink version. Very happy about the green purple and pink one because I haven’t had luck with them before. The green and orange i had to cut up because bubble algae started getting into the base of it and I didn’t catch it in time which stinks because it was a pretty decent homegrown colony... Sorry about the filtered phone pics I will try and get normal pics once the halides come on.

 

[Softhammer]

That purple one looks awesome. I’ll get a pic in a second. Just finished a big water change

 

[Softhammer]

I’m not a photo taker type person and this thing is in a back corner. I haven’t really looked at it recently but it’s now got multiple branches and great polyp extension so there is hope. Again really bad picture it’s to the left of the slow insubordinate strawberry shortcake. Doesn’t really look like a spath from that angle either but I’m 100% certain it is.

 

[Bacon505]

I have about 5 or 6 variation of spath in my tank, all came wild. They are difficult to keep but beautiful animal.

 

[Arthacker87]

So I have a red planet (I believe it's called that) that looks like it has these kinds of polyps and builds this way but I thought it was a milliepora? Am I wrong?

 

[drawman]

So I have a red planet (I believe it's called that) that looks like it has these kinds of polyps and builds this way but I thought it was a milliepora? Am I wrong?

If it's an ORA red planet it is definitely not a spath. Still a very nice acro though!

 

[Arthacker87]

Yea except its color is bad right now. Have it halfway up in decent flow but I'm thinking it needs higher up. Had issues w it for a while it encrusted then kinda went south. Sorry to highjack thread

 

[Arthacker87]

What lights yall use?

 

[Graffiti Spot]

I have about 5 or 6 variation of spath in my tank, all came wild. They are difficult to keep but beautiful animal.

Wow that first one is special! The last one looks like it’s hiding some nice colors too. Are the colonies growing for you?

 

[Bacon505]

Wow that first one is special! The last one looks like it’s hiding some nice colors too. Are the colonies growing for you?

Yeah all are fully encrusted. The last one is my favorite with nice colors. Its not happy since i had to break it out for fragging

 

[Bacon505]

These are my old spathulata thtat i had for 4 years until my tank crashed

 

[A. grandis]

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/acropora-spathulata-showoff-thread.312399/

 

[hellbullett]

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/acropora-spathulata-showoff-thread.312399/

This is my one 2 years on from a Frag

 

[hellbullett]

This is my one 2 years on from a Frag

If any one knows how much a Frag is please let me know

 

[Softhammer]

My spath is still kicking. Sprouted a few branches and encrusting quite a bit but still slow growing. Probably pushing 2 years since mounting 1” frag now.