Hammer/Frogspawn Question

[denverjon]

I've had a number of branching hammer and frogspawn colonies over the years but for some reason the only ones I tend to have luck with are the common colored ones. I'd like to try an orange branching hammer or gold frogspawn but am hesitant to spend the money on it. Is there any reason that any of the high-end colored ones like orange, yellow or gold would be more difficult to keep?

 

[Pistondog]

I've had a number of branching hammer and frogspawn colonies over the years but for some reason the only ones I tend to have luck with are the common colored ones. I'd like to try an orange branching hammer or gold frogspawn but am hesitant to spend the money on it. Is there any reason that any of the high-end colored ones like orange, yellow or gold would be more difficult to keep?

Perhaps original source location.
There are some exotic locations that have extreme conditions difficult to replicate. So when you try to grow or help thrive, you maybe fighting a losing battle even if you know the native reef.

 

[Nick Steele]

Try to find a captive raised one if possible. Might cost extra but it will come from someone’s tank and is a good indicator that it will do well in your tank.

 

[kartrsu]

Could be that the more common ones are raised in tank conditions for a while and well adjusted and the high end ones are from wild reefs so more finicky. Might also be from different conditions than our tanks. I’ve read that Aussie gold torch maybe found in brackish water areas.

 

[denverjon]

Thanks for the advice. I gave up on aussie gold torches a long time ago. I'll look for a captive raised one.

 

[blasterman]

I wouldn't touch a wild caught euphyllia no matter how pretty it is. They can be astonishingly fickle and typically very expensive.

Area I live in has a lot of reefers with multi generation euphyllia, and they are much hardier than their wild caught cousins and grow faster.

Reef stores sell the wild ones for well over $50 a head, I get a gorgeous neon green / purple tipped froggy from a local captive grower for $15, and his mother colonies grow as fast as he can cut them.