Are elegance corals still “impossible”?

[Miami Reef]

When I started reefing, I learned that elegance corals were basically impossible to keep long term.

Is this still the case? Has anyone found out why they are/were more challenging than standard LPS?

 

[Slocke]

No, I heard the key is Australian. I’ve had one for a long time that does well and I’m not a good coral keeper. Tidal Gardens has a video about them and they say it’s something about Australian.

 

[DarkReefer]

I've had mixed results.
Early in my reefing journey I had a purple tip elegance, that was great for a while but eventually withered away to nothing during some struggles I was having with nutrients in the tank. It lasted 7 odd months.

Then I got a gold tip elegance which continues to be an awesome showpiece of the tank. It's been a little unhappy recently and I'm not getting quite as much extension as I'm fighting dinos but for the most part still looks great and puts on a nice display. It's my favourite piece and I've had it for over 12 months.

 

[Miami Reef]

I don’t understand why a coral from a different region would be “impossible?”

Any ideas? :)

 

[homer1475]

ECS, or elegance coral syndrome. look it up. Seems to effect elegance's from the indo pacific region more then their aussie cousins.

With that said, I have a pink tipped aussie, and a purple tipped indo, both are a couple years old now, and do well.

I don't think it's as much of a problem as it was 5 to 10 years ago.

 

[dennis romano]

Elegance corals cannot be treated as you would other corals. They are not found on reefs. Rather, they are found on mud flats and patches of grass usually in deeper or turbid water. Therefore, bright light and nutrient poor water won't suit them. The current is usually a moderate flow which I feel brings food to their tentacles. Mine is three years old and moody. One day, it'll be almost ten inches across. Other days, it will barely be three inches. They do like to be fed. Mine will take anything from pellets to mysis. As for Australian vs Indonesian, I feel that it is all in the handling. I have seen videos of elegances at Aussie facilities where they kept for a few days and cleansed of detritus and "bugs". If you see one in a store with a bloated body and short stubby tentacles, stay away. It is close to death. You want one with an expanded body and long tentacles.

 

[Lavey29]

Elegance corals cannot be treated as you would other corals. They are not found on reefs. Rather, they are found on mud flats and patches of grass usually in deeper or turbid water. Therefore, bright light and nutrient poor water won't suit them. The current is usually a moderate flow which I feel brings food to their tentacles. Mine is three years old and moody. One day, it'll be almost ten inches across. Other days, it will barely be three inches. They do like to be fed. Mine will take anything from pellets to mysis. As for Australian vs Indonesian, I feel that it is all in the handling. I have seen videos of elegances at Aussie facilities where they kept for a few days and cleansed of detritus and "bugs". If you see one in a store with a bloated body and short stubby tentacles, stay away. It is close to death. You want one with an expanded body and long tentacles.

Similar experience mine is 1.5 years now in partial shade and low to moderate flow.

 

[Slocke]

I once moved mine from the dark corner to the middle of the tank. It completely retracted up and turned a very ugly brown. I moved it back but it was still brown and fully retracted for a good month or so. However it eventually regained both size and color. I've never gotten mine to eat though which is strange. Definitely needs minimal light though.

 

[Dkmoo]

Also isn't aussi vs indo are different species? Aussi has flatter/wall type of skeleton and indo the cone shape. Thought it also had to do with where they are - indo is colder and deeper so not as suited for tank