Any one know about disk/plate corals?

[ashley]

Hi everyone...thanks in advance for your input. I have a plate coral..it doesn't have any tentacles. I have it right now in the sand bed. When I bought it from my last it was on the top of the rock work..I was wondering get if that's good placement for it. I was also wondering if anyone knew how I can attach it to the rock...any advice would help. Thanks

 

[DeniseAndy]

If it is a fungia, they like the sandbed. They can actually swell and move about the tank. That is why on the rocks, they can get damaged. However, if you have a fish that continually drops sand on them, they will suffer.

They like to eat meaty foods, so you will want to feed them by spot feeding at least 1xwk. They should be in lower flow, but they do like light. When happy, they swell up nice and fleshy and tentacles will be out.

There flesh is very sensitive and damage to them can cause complete loss quickly. If moving, agitate them first to close up then move them.

 

[cloak]

Being that these things can move on their own if they want to, having them on the sand bed is probably your best bet. Also, they don't have the best survival rate once they get damaged either. A nasty fall down the reef slope would not be good. Other than that they're not too demanding when it comes down to lighting and flow. They do have a voracious apatite, so feeding them small bits of shrimp or scallop every now and then will definitely be a plus. I'm assuming you have the short tentacle plate coral, but the information in the link below pretty much goes for both IME. GL.

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2003/4/inverts

 

[ashley]

Here a pic

 

[Salty1962]

I'd leave it on the sand bed under stronger light. They do damage easy and if their flesh is ripped, they may not survive. Mine kept moving, mowed down some chalices and echinata so perched it on a piece of 1.5" pvc pipe to keep it from moving. A also mentioned, they do like to be fed, I feed mine 2x a week.

 

[brandon429]

That particular one above needs some guiding, try to take a pic at its fullest just to see

One can tell its nutrition history is nice as the flesh isn't receded off the ends and the color tissue carries as it curves up under

I agree let it have room if you can and spot feed it with finer feeds not large feeds, all good cyclopeeze and roti feast for sure ideal example, you'll have a good specimen there, it would sell for 175 at my lfs but only if it had good tissue mass, perhaps above was deflated via movement

Those aren't cheap for us.

 

[rjl45]

From my experience, try to place it away from any overhanging rock. I had a crab fall onto mine, broke one ridge, a very very small piece, and a week later it died. The tissue receded from the damaged area and kept receding. Tried everything to save it, to no avail. It is a very easy coral to keep, with one exception: it is by far the most fragile coral in the tank.

You have a very beautiful piece there! Be careful, and you should be able to enjoy it for a long time.

 

[ashley]

Thank you everyone. I'll keep you all posted

 

[Reefing4eva]

Just like everyone here has said give it time and feed it often and you'll see a difference.mine was the same way and now it's big and fluffy

 

[ryecoon]

RIP to my plate coral. I left it on the sand bed, with low flow and it moved 2 inches swelled up and died. smh