Goni care

[Kial]

It’s a limpet.

Oh ok, good or bad?

 

[WV Reefer]

Oh ok, good or bad?

Usually good guys. Some have been reported to munch coralline or soft Polyps. I have a million and have never had any issues.

 

[FugeTown]

I’m not implying anything..... it’s a fact.

I do not regularly test my reefs after the one year mark. All of my reefs are “dirty” reefs— no filter, no skimmer, no sump. Water change schedule is currently every two weeks. No dosing.

Here’s a quick pic of the small reef.

I’m willing to bet your alkalinity is around 9-10 lol
Very nice looking tank btw

 

[WV Reefer]

I’m willing to bet your alkalinity is around 9-10 lol
Very nice looking tank btw

Thank you.

 

[SamsReef]

I cannot tell you what you are doing right or wrong because there so many factors... but here is what I do in my tank, which is primarily a SPS tank but have thriving Gonis...

- good random or alternating flow
- par between 200-300
- Alkalinity, calcium and mag at NSW
- nitrate at 1-2. Anytime I have gone below this, polyp extension goes smaller Followed by some receding
- any higher than .1 ppm for phosphate has also had negative impact. I do dose potassium nitrate once in a while to elevate nitrate
- I also change 10 percent water change every week

Beyond that no feeding corals or any other doses and the Gonis grow like weeds.

Hope that helps.

Sam

 

[SamsReef]

One more thing - any wild Goni needs 3-4 years of acclimation to grow in captivity...during this time, their feeding habit changes to rely more on photosynthesis and less on filter feeding.

Some don’t make that transition but once they do, it’s the most amazing coral in the hobby.

 

[WV Reefer]

Do you have any pics of when it looked good?

 

[coralbeauties]

I have experienced the same thing with several goni's in the past. Is there any coming back once they are in the recessed state and not extending? I have one in that condition now. Like the op I can grow sps but no success with goni's
Thanks
Jeff

 

[WV Reefer]

I have experienced the same thing with several goni's in the past. Is there any coming back once they are in the recessed state and not extending? I have one in that condition now. Like the op I can grow sps but no success with goni's
Thanks
Jeff

I had my clown fish almost love my Green Goni to death. It looked rough for awhile but made a full recovery.

Hopefully yours will bounce back.

 

[sghera64]

I've had this goni in my tank a while now and I just cannot get it to extend.
It started off fine but now just stays tiny wherever I put it in the tank.
I feed reef roids twice a week

Parameters
Salinity 1.025
Nitrate 5-10 ( sometimes higher)
Mag 1340
Calc 425
Phos 0.25
Alk 7.3

For lighting I have 2x hydra 26s.

All other corals seem fine.

Any advice would be great

Thanks

Do you feed? I have fed mine in the past. I had a G. Stokesi get fat and grow “babies” (bulb-like frags that drop off), by feeding it ground up Formula One flakes, bloom worms, Ocean Nutrition’s R.O.E and Oysterfeast. Great feeding response.

I have a Red ORA Goni that loves the Formula One flakes as well as goniopower, Reef chilli and fish poop. I have a metallic green G.Lobata that also eats these. And I have a new unidentified pink/purple Goni that kinda feeds, but is not getting good polyp extension.

Like you, I’m moving it around to different lighting and flow. One thing: you need to wait two weeks to determine if the new position is good or not.

Have you tried feeding anything?
Have you patiently waited long enough to assess if the new position is better than the last?

One caution: J. Sprung reports that once algae begin to get a foothold on a Goni branch, it slowly consumes the real estate (shrinking the surface area of Goni polyps and eventually causing their retraction). The presence of the snail is an ominous sign to me.

 

[Vin's Reef]

Come on guys. You know how much luck is involved in all this? We can test and retest parameters, we can choose to dose everything, get biopellets, dose vodka, hook up UV lights, skimmers, denitators, vacuum reactors with CO2 gas tanks! Then others make saltwater, watch their fish and coral all week, do a 50% water change weekly, dose esv calc and alk and mag only, don't use skimmers and they're tank looks better than the rest. Whose right? We are now to the point where we shop for coral based on our equipment! I think there is too much out there. Btw I fall into the first category. Just think that some of the beautiful tanks are the simplest. Water changes - a drain, salt, water, a couple big brute pails, a pair of garden hoses and a couple cheap pumps. Make the water all week. On a weekend run the hoses and turn on the pumps. Done. Just think of going back that way. One coral thrives and another u look at pleadingly to extend. Right now my tank is survival of the fittest. I'm tired of moving frags and chance par values. It's gotten ridiculous. Sorry for the rant. But some guys just get lucky with certain corals. Even the best tanks can't have everything.

 

[WV Reefer]

Come on guys. You know how much luck is involved in all this? We can test and retest parameters, we can choose to dose everything, get biopellets, dose vodka, hook up UV lights, skimmers, denitators, vacuum reactors with CO2 gas tanks! Then others make saltwater, watch their fish and coral all week, do a 50% water change weekly, dose esv calc and alk and mag only, don't use skimmers and they're tank looks better than the rest. Whose right? We are now to the point where we shop for coral based on our equipment! I think there is too much out there. Btw I fall into the first category. Just think that some of the beautiful tanks are the simplest. Water changes - a drain, salt, water, a couple big brute pails, a pair of garden hoses and a couple cheap pumps. Make the water all week. On a weekend run the hoses and turn on the pumps. Done. Just think of going back that way. One coral thrives and another u look at pleadingly to extend. Right now my tank is survival of the fittest. I'm tired of moving frags and chance par values. It's gotten ridiculous. Sorry for the rant. But some guys just get lucky with certain corals. Even the best tanks can't have everything.

Agree. Both of my reefs are bare minimum: lights, powerheads and heat. I do not feed Corals or dose. My phosphates would keep people awake at night. lol

But it works for me.

 

[RichtheReefer21]

I had the same one... same problem. A month under my old fluvalsea strip before I almost gave up...

Then i got my hydra26hds, same as urs. Water params similar... 78degrees... I stuck it 20inches down in the sand, lights are 10 inches above water level. Blues are at 85%, whites 30%. Reds and green under 10%. Took 3 days and it came out. Finally, I yelled hallelujah.

Medium flow in one direction worked for me. 2 hrs ramp, 6 hrs hot, 2 hrs down. uv is at 60% as well.

Night time off completely.

Good luck. They're one of the biggest pain in the *** LPS out there. And almost all of them are unique in what they like.

 

[PhreeByrd]

My big question for the OP is, how long are you giving the goniopora in each new location? You said you've moved it everywhere around your tank, but only had it 'a while' (how long is that?). I'm wondering whether you're giving it enough time in each new spot. With goniopora, every new change to their environment seems to set them back for a while.

My experience with goniopora is that they prefer lower light and low to medium flow. They also want to be directly on the sand bed rather than on rock. They generally take a few days to open up after a move -- do not expect them to open up immediately or even the same day. I suggest that you move it to where you think it wants to be, and then give it at least a couple of days to see if it starts to extend its polyps. If it doesn't, you might move it, but don't make a drastic change in the lighting or flow it receives. Small steps. Eventually, you should find a place where it starts to open up. It might then take several more days in this location before it really extends.

Goniopora are fine in 'dirty' or higher nutrient waters. They actually seem to prefer this.

Was the coral dipped or quarantined before being placed in the display?

 

[coralbeauties]

for those that are having good luck with theirs are you adding any iodine, iron or potassium to your systems? I am low on potassium and iodine, not able to test for iron. Just trying to figure out what is missing in my system.
Jeff

 

[RichtheReefer21]

for those that are having good luck with theirs are you adding any iodine, iron or potassium to your systems? I am low on potassium and iodine, not able to test for iron. Just trying to figure out what is missing in my system.
Jeff

Nope

 

[WV Reefer]

for those that are having good luck with theirs are you adding any iodine, iron or potassium to your systems? I am low on potassium and iodine, not able to test for iron. Just trying to figure out what is missing in my system.
Jeff

I do not dose or feed.

 

[sghera64]

I add Fe and Mn (Kent). I add DYI iodine occasionally.

 

[PhreeByrd]

for those that are having good luck with theirs are you adding any iodine, iron or potassium to your systems? I am low on potassium and iodine, not able to test for iron. Just trying to figure out what is missing in my system.
Jeff

No. I dose 2-part for alkalinity maintenance but nothing else.
Generally feed the tank with unrinsed frozen food cubes once per day.

 

[terri_ann]

Sandbed. Low light, low-med flow, goniopower target feed with flow off.