Sun coral larvae settlement

[mort]

I got a sun coral through the post today and it had the annoyed yellow strands you see when they are stressed. You can also see it has produced some planulae due to the stress in a last attempt to spread it's genetics.
now I'm unsure but I think they are brooder so these should be fully viable but don't want to just chuck them in the tank for them to dissappear. Anyone got any ideas on how to treat them? I only have 5-6 and have them in a shallow dish. Might try placing them on some substrate and see if they attach. Sure I have seen acro larvae settle in tanks without flow.

 

[Pola0502ds]

following

 

[mort]

anyone have any advice?

 

[Tautog]

anyone have any advice?

I've had a Sun coral for a year, and recently noticed off spring on an adjacent rock.
I use shells with a little sand to get most things to attach and grow. It works well with shrooms and blastos.

 

[Pola0502ds]

I've had a Sun coral for a year, and recently noticed off spring on an adjacent rock.
I use shells with a little sand to get most things to attach and grow. It works well with shrooms and blastos.

Can you take a picture of your offspring? I have a sun coral in my tank and i have noticed what I think are offspring attached to the underside of a rock. They are just way too small now for me to tell exactly what it is. I have looked and looked to see if it might be a hitch hiker or something else but the only thing it resembles is a sun coral.

 

[Tautog]

Can you take a picture of your offspring? I have a sun coral in my tank and i have noticed what I think are offspring attached to the underside of a rock. They are just way too small now for me to tell exactly what it is. I have looked and looked to see if it might be a hitch hiker or something else but the only thing it resembles is a sun coral.

I have just the one, but it started really small, and I just left it grow. The pic isn't the greatest, it's located to the right of the hole, just a small speck and hasn't grown much. Mother colony, lower left

 

[mort]

Can you take a picture of your offspring? I have a sun coral in my tank and i have noticed what I think are offspring attached to the underside of a rock. They are just way too small now for me to tell exactly what it is. I have looked and looked to see if it might be a hitch hiker or something else but the only thing it resembles is a sun coral.

Baby sun's basically look like the parent colony but much smaller wit the larea resembling a bright ball. If you have a spot of bright orange or whichever colour you have then it will be a sun. In the past I have had them popping up in darker high flow areas. They like overflows as well as you normally have song currents and higher nutrients in these areas.
The only reason I haven't just dumped them in the tank is I have a very open rockwork and satellite tanks that I doubt I'd see them again and want to see how quick they grow. Normally larvae are removed by heavy skimming.

 

[Kungpaoshizi]

My black sun corals have spread around the tank a bit. I've seen them settle in high flow, low flow, bright, and dark areas.
The curious thing I've seen is in the bright areas, it's actually doing better than the rest and it's taken on a bright green/yellow glow to it's tissue. I assume a compatible zooxanthellae has moved in. But do I say now it's a photosynthetic sun coral? :)
I'll get some pics, it's in a hard spot to photograph though..

 

[mort]

My black sun corals have spread around the tank a bit. I've seen them settle in high flow, low flow, bright, and dark areas.
The curious thing I've seen is in the bright areas, it's actually doing better than the rest and it's taken on a bright green/yellow glow to it's tissue. I assume a compatible zooxanthellae has moved in. But do I say now it's a photosynthetic sun coral? :)
I'll get some pics, it's in a hard spot to photograph though..

Sun corals can be found in the brightest areas of a reef as well. Its just less common as they get outcompeted for space by faster growing corals. I have also observed what you have seen with the black suns taking on a green glow as they did the same in my tank when I had them. I've seen the same colours with newly imported Tubastraea micranthus and believe its just a sign of health plus brighter lighting.

Love the avatar btw, big dwarfer and its been a while since i'd seen mr flibble:)

 

[Pola0502ds]

I have just the one, but it started really small, and I just left it grow. The pic isn't the greatest, it's located to the right of the hole, just a small speck and hasn't grown much. Mother colony, lower left

Are you talking basically right in the middle of the picture? if so i think i have some baby sun coral growing! So pumped to watch it grow!

 

[mort]

That is a baby sun in the middle of that picture yes. Where there is one there are normally many you just might have to look hard to find them.

 

[MermaidTail]

I have a sun coral and have noticed similar little growths through out my tank! (Even posted about it on here!) I was curious, too, if sun corals produce offspring like this!

Here's my link. Do yours look similar?
https://www.reef2reef.com/index.php?threads/Help-ID-new-growths....275899/

 

[mort]

I have a sun coral and have noticed similar little growths through out my tank! (Even posted about it on here!) I was curious, too, if sun corals produce offspring like this!

Here's my link. Do yours look similar?
https://www.reef2reef.com/index.php?threads/Help-ID-new-growths....275899/

Yes they are baby sun corals. If they get enough food they will keep growing into a new colony. Sun's are brood spawners where they release a already fertilised larvae that can settle elsewhere and grow into a coral. It generally means your mother colony is in good health but they can also spawn as a last resort attempt at life if they are suffering, like sending out escape pods. This frequently happens when they are shipped.