Rock Flower Downsides?

Reefer Reboot · Mar 9, 2022

rmorris_14 said:
I'm thinking my future RFA's would probably want to be higher up on the rock since my lighting is "eh". They probably like lower down, for all of you with the nice fancy lighting.
Question: anyone have experience with them next to GSP. I'm looking for something to control it. What if I surround the GSP with rock flowers? Will it sting the GSP and keep it under control? Wishful thinking?

To answer your question, unfortunetly "no"! If they don't move the GSP will just grow right over the top of them.
Easy to spot at night with a UV flashlight....

But it can be like playing "Where's Waldow" during the day....

Although some are easier to spot....

:D
As far as lighting goes, I have them in everything from 350 PAR on top to inside overhangs at the bottom with maybe 20 PAR.
The "downside" is that they absolutely destroy that nice barren brown rock look everyone is going for.;Playful
Let the addiction begin!

MECOMI · Mar 9, 2022

rmorris_14 said:
This would not be ideal for my situation. I have a pistol that is constantly rearranging my sandbed. I feel like any bottom Dwellers will suffer from his construction eventually.

Oh and now that I am not working here are my two. Right against the glass and happy as can be. I definitely need more!

fishski13 · Mar 10, 2022

Mkus said:
Simple easy and beautiful mine have not moved since I placed them in my tank

What light do you use?

kiran · Mar 10, 2022

I just received a new one. Hopefully this one doesn't pull a Houdini on me.

Manose · Mar 11, 2022

Some new guys I got yesterday sitting at about 75 par

rmorris_14 · Mar 11, 2022

Question-- I'm preparing for my first coral purchase. 100% will include RFAs. I quarantine everything. Is there an easy way to QT the RFA (will be 14 days) in the QT for easy transfer to the DT when ready? would a glass dish work? or will it wonder out and be pointless? Maybe the cap idea you all mentioned so I can just move that? anyone have experience with it? TYIA!

Snoopy 67 · Mar 11, 2022

I used caps & most moved from them too.

jkcoral · Mar 11, 2022

rmorris_14 said:
Question-- I'm preparing for my first coral purchase. 100% will include RFAs. I quarantine everything. Is there an easy way to QT the RFA (will be 14 days) in the QT for easy transfer to the DT when ready? would a glass dish work? or will it wonder out and be pointless? Maybe the cap idea you all mentioned so I can just move that? anyone have experience with it? TYIA!

Good question. I’m sure others have their own approaches, but I personally use a variety of different PVC end caps depending on the situation, size of the RFA, or number of RFAs. After I check the size and foot (after drip acclimating) of each RFA and pick the end cap that I think will be “comfy” for it; I place some small rocks in there, but I leave some “bare bottom” space in the cap for them in case they prefer to attach their foot there.

I usually add a batch of 8-12 RFAs to my tank every few months. When they arrive, I’ll place several of the bigger ones in a 4” pipe cap. Having gravel in there keeps them happy, I think, and they usually stay put. It also saves some space in the tank (one 4” cap vs 5 or 6 different 1” or 2” caps). I usually put the smaller ones in their own caps, our a couple of smaller ones in a 2 in cap. I like to give them space and prevent them from being covered up by the big ones.

PVC caps are great. The rock flowers like them and will quickly attach, and they are reusable, cheap, and easily cleaned once you move the RFAs to the display.

I just snapped a quick picture of the main caps I use for reference.

frankieg2293 · Mar 11, 2022

rmorris_14 said:
I like the sound of that!

I love her.

rmorris_14 · Mar 11, 2022

frankieg2293 said:
I love her.

same

rmorris_14 · Mar 11, 2022

jkcoral said:
Good question. I’m sure others have their own approaches, but I personally use a variety of different PVC end caps depending on the situation, size of the RFA, or number of RFAs. After I check the size and foot (after drip acclimating) of each RFA and pick the end cap that I think will be “comfy” for it; I place some small rocks in there, but I leave some “bare bottom” space in the cap for them in case they prefer to attach their foot there.

I usually add a batch of 8-12 RFAs to my tank every few months. When they arrive, I’ll place several of the bigger ones in a 4” pipe cap. Having gravel in there keeps them happy, I think, and they usually stay put. It also saves some space in the tank (one 4” cap vs 5 or 6 different 1” or 2” caps). I usually put the smaller ones in their own caps, our a couple of smaller ones in a 2 in cap. I like to give them space and prevent them from being covered up by the big ones.

PVC caps are great. The rock flowers like them and will quickly attach, and they are reusable, cheap, and easily cleaned once you move the RFAs to the display.

I just snapped a quick picture of the main caps I use for reference.

WOW! what an awesome and thorough explanation! Thank you so much! Whats the reason for the cap with holes?
When you are ready to transfer how do you get them out of the cap without hurting them?

jkcoral · Mar 11, 2022

rmorris_14 said:
WOW! what an awesome and thorough explanation! Thank you so much! Whats the reason for the cap with holes?
When you are ready to transfer how do you get them out of the cap without hurting them?

A while ago I started experimenting with different caps, sizes, substrates, and so on to see how the different setups affects the RFAs (e.g. do they seem “happier”, move more often, try to escape, firmly foot, etc.) and whether it mattered. I drilled holes in one of each size to allow more flow through the cap and around the nems. It also had the benifit of draining the caps of water when you picked them up. The RFAs don’t seem to care if there are wholes or not as long as their is enough flow moving over the top of the cap.

When moving them to the display, the gravel in the end cap makes things a lot easier. If they attach their foot to the gravel, then you can sometimes just pick up the chunk of gravel and move it to the display in one swoop. They will usually dump the smaller gravel and pick some better real estate in the tank after a a couple hours.

For ones that stick to the cap itself, you have to peel them off extremely carefully so you don’t hurt their foot (it will often kill them if their foot is wounded). You can use your fingernail starting *slowly* from one side of the foot to separate them. Others use things like an old credit card. Personally, I am overly cautious about hurting their foot. So if gently sliding under their foot doesn’t budge them, I stop trying. In those cases I just get a small container or glass bowl with some water in it and turn the cap upside down suspenders over the water. After a bit (can be a few minutes or even an hour) the RFA will voluntarily detach from the cap to seek the water below.

If you have a really stubborn one, you can put them in a bin or water with a small powder head or pump. Put the cap on its side and have the pump blasting straight on the RFA. The stubborn ones usually get mad after a few minutes and will finally release their foot to move :)

rmorris_14 · Mar 11, 2022

jkcoral said:
A while ago I started experimenting with different caps, sizes, substrates, and so on to see how the different setups affects the RFAs (e.g. do they seem “happier”, move more often, try to escape, firmly foot, etc.) and whether it mattered. I drilled holes in one of each size to allow more flow through the cap and around the nems. It also had the benifit of draining the caps of water when you picked them up. The RFAs don’t seem to care if there are wholes or not as long as their is enough flow moving over the top of the cap.

When moving them to the display, the gravel in the end cap makes things a lot easier. If they attach their foot to the gravel, then you can sometimes just pick up the chunk of gravel and move it to the display in one swoop. They will usually dump the smaller gravel and pick some better real estate in the tank after a a couple hours.

For ones that stick to the cap itself, you have to peel them off extremely carefully so you don’t hurt their foot (it will often kill them if their foot is wounded). You can use your fingernail starting *slowly* from one side of the foot to separate them. Others use things like an old credit card. Personally, I am overly cautious about hurting their foot. So if gently sliding under their foot doesn’t budge them, I stop trying. In those cases I just get a small container or glass bowl with some water in it and turn the cap upside down suspenders over the water. After a bit (can be a few minutes or even an hour) the RFA will voluntarily detach from the cap to seek the water below.

If you have a really stubborn one, you can put them in a bin or water with a small powder head or pump. Put the cap on its side and have the pump blasting straight on the RFA. The stubborn ones usually get mad after a few minutes and will finally release their foot to move :)

Thank you!