M. Bubblegum Digitata

[|sCRIBe|]

I’ve had this colony for a couple years. The frag I got had bright green tips but soon lost that. It has continued to grow and has been in the new tank for almost 1 year. A few months ago I noticed the green returning and it soon came back and was looking great. Now again I am seeing the green fade away. Great polyp extension very bright growing well but no green tips. System is a zeovit with all parameters and flow good. Lighting is hybrid kessil and t5.

Any ideas about what could cause this?

 

[rawrsean]

Montipora samarensis are known to really only show that green in higher nutrient tanks. I fear this is your cause, but I don’t think anyone knows for certain.. what is your nitrate and phosphate levels?

In my tank, at least, I only see it when phosphate is consistently over 20ppb.

 

[|sCRIBe|]

Montipora samarensis are known to really only show that green in higher nutrient tanks. I fear this is your cause, but I don’t think anyone knows for certain.. what is your nitrate and phosphate levels?

In my tank, at least, I only see it when phosphate is consistently over 20ppb.

I believe this is a M. Digitata and not M. Samarensis. The tank being ulns has almost undetectable levels of nitrate and phosphate however if I feed more and consistently po4 will spike. One of the green tips broke off a couple months ago so I glued it to a plug and put it next to the colony. It has been doing great still to this day which makes me wonder even more what’s happening.

 

[rawrsean]

It’s definitely M. samarensis. It is very often mislabeled digitata.

If pieces are still green elsewhere then that would suggest a discrepancy in either light or flow, which are two things that could differ entirely throughout a tank. Additionally, one could argue that only new growth shows the green so perhaps your frag is happier? Again this is all speculation, I don’t think anyone really knows.

You have beautiful pieces though. [emoji3526]

 

[|sCRIBe|]

It’s definitely M. samarensis. It is very often mislabeled digitata.

If pieces are still green elsewhere then that would suggest a discrepancy in either light or flow, which are two things that could differ entirely throughout a tank. Additionally, one could argue that only new growth shows the green so perhaps your frag is happier? Again this is all speculation, I don’t think anyone really knows.

You have beautiful pieces though. [emoji3526]

Thanks for feedback. Everyone sells this coral as bubblegum Digitata when actually it’s not a Digitata so the industry has got it wrong?

 

[rawrsean]

Thanks for feedback. Everyone sells this coral as bubblegum Digitata when actually it’s not a Digitata so the industry has got it wrong?

It’s become what we call a “common name” much like Micromussa lordhowensis are still called “acans” of “acan lords” when they are not Acanthastrea anymore.

Give it a google, you’ll see. You don’t have to take my word for it!

 

[JSW]

Mine looses the yellow/green in lower light. It regains color in 2 weeks when I move it to higher lighting. I run ULN

 

[Rocketfish]

Mine looses the yellow/green in lower light. It regains color in 2 weeks when I move it to higher lighting. I run ULN

I am curious about this thread... I have a uln system as well. I had the green fade but not completely dissapear. A piece broke off and was in a poorly lighted area versus the rest of the colony for a few days to a week. When I pulled it up to the too it had bright green tips. After a week in the brighter light the tips faded on it too.

I have a 30 gallon nano with an XR15 blue, gen 5 radion running at 50% on one of the presets.

KH around 7.6 to 8.4, calcium 420 to 440. AB+ dosed every other day, sometimes daily. Red sea ABCD trace minerals dosed with calcium.

On another note, a rainbow monti lost the green fading to orange and it is all red now. I wonder if the light is too high for it too.

 

[guylaga]

I have several pieces of this in my display and sump frag rack.

The pieces in my display are under T5 / LEDs and all have the green tips, It has been awhile since I checked PAR but recall that the spots they are in are getting atleast 300 if not more.

The pieces in the sump do not exhibit the green tips as much, they are under an AIHydra 26, I have never measured the PAR in the sump but expect that it is less than the display.

My tank runs high on Phosphate (.10 ish) but very low on No3 (1-2 ppm).