Speciosa Tips and Tricks?

[EliMelly]

Well the title pretty much says it all. I love speciosa and have a Cabbanicide that is doing ok. Color is decent, fully PE, but absolutely no growth in 6 months.

Anyone have any tips on keeping speciosa that may be helpful?

 

[Science/G]

I finally have a frag that didn't peel away on me after a week, so I am hopeful. It's on a rack in relatively low light and finally coloring up a bit after 3 weeks. I have no PE yet unfortunately. I am going to treat it like other smooth skins Acros I have, medium to low light and medium flow. I am curious what others are doing as well.

 

[EliMelly]

I finally have a frag that didn't peel away on me after a week, so I am hopeful. It's on a rack in relatively low light and finally coloring up a bit after 3 weeks. I have no PE yet unfortunately. I am going to treat it like other smooth skins Acros I have, medium to low light and medium flow. I am curious what others are doing as well.

Mine has decent light at least 400 par so I’m wondering if I should lower it.

 

[slythy]

Mine is mid 300 par. I dont do anything special just good flow. This is my TSA forbidden fruit speciosas growth or about 8 months.

Its much bigger in the last couple months.

10dkh
440 cal
1375 mag
13 nitrates
0.05-0.10 phos

Edit, here it is today at about 13 month growth. Bad photo because i just turned on t5’s and took it now

 

[Science/G]

Mine has decent light at least 400 par so I’m wondering if I should lower it.

I would contact Adam @Battlecorals and see what he has to say.

 

[Science/G]

Thread 'TSA FORBIDDEN FRUIT SPECIOSA' https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/tsa-forbidden-fruit-speciosa.1007820/

 

[Science/G]

My speciosa is growing, but not showing. It's only been 2 weeks, so wow, but I would love to see some more color.

 

[Science/G]

I am amazed at the lack of responses. Is it gate keeping and or a lack of success?

 

[slythy]

I am amazed at the lack of responses. Is it gate keeping and or a lack of success?

I dont think its gate keeping. I dont really see too many of these around and a lot are pretty high dollar. Its just an acro, if you can grow them it should be fine!

 

[Science/G]

I dont think its gate keeping. I dont really see too many of these around and a lot are pretty high dollar. Its just an acro, if you can grow them it should be fine!

Well, it's growing for sure, so I am happy. I would love to see some more insight from those who are having success with them. My smooth skin Acropora are getting significantly less light than the Millepora and Tenuis I have.....200+/- par vs 300+ par. I'm not trying to corner the market on speciosa, I would just like to have a successful colony.

 

[Science/G]

TSA Speciosa 613 minute mark. Thanks @bubbgee

 

[Science/G]

Better every day. My temperature is 78°F alkalinity is 7.5 and it's probably getting 150-200 par on the rack. I am going to check it tomorrow at peak light. It's doing well and I'm nervous about glueing it to my scape. No polyp extension though. I backed off my aminos recently due to increasing nitrates. They have come down to 15 so I'm going to start dosing them again. The aminos really got my polyps extending before. I really don't want to screw it up. I love these corals!

 

[slythy]

Definately looking like its coloring up well!

 

[Science/G]

On the rack and happy, my speciosa is getting 125 par most of the day, and 200 at peak light for a few hours. FWIW

 

[MBruun]

Got this piece like two weeks ago.
Almost lost it's color when I put it in the tank under white light, but still showing nice color in moonlight (blue light). I see slow improvement so expect it will be fine over time

 

[Science/G]

I finally glued my speciosa to the scape. I put it in a place where the lighting and flow are very similar to what it was getting on the rack. Fingers crossed!

 

[slojmn]

I’ve had my BattleCorals Cabanacide sitting on my rack for 8 months. It’s got great color, excellent PE and beyond no to slow growth. It doesn’t get intense light (120-240 par through the light cycle) or flow on the tray. I’ve been tempted to mount it alongside my POTO Zombieland that is a deepwater acro about 5” above the frag rack but still in relatively lower ligh (120-280 Par through the light cycle). There is a bit more flow in this spot and maybe more direct than I’d like, but I wonder if it just needs a bit more flow. I’m on the fence. I’ve NEVER kept an acro speciosa alive past a few months and they were all stagnant and just faded away. I’ve bought the really high end pieces with dismal luck.

Adam’s piece was my last try and it didn’t break the bank at all. Very well priced!! And here we are, alive and seemingly happy 8 months later but the growth is infinitesimal. I think it needs to be mounted and get more of something, flow is all I can figure!!! Nervous though.

Upon arrival 2/25

Today 10/25